To our Real Salt Lake, Utah Royals FC and Real Monarchs family, friends, partners and fans:
As we close out 2018, I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your enthusiastic and unwavering support of our clubs and soccer in our community. While we are excited about the future and are working diligently to ensure that 2019 is a successful campaign, I want to take a moment to reflect on what an amazing year 2018 was and highlight a few accomplishments and milestones. Together we made the 2018 season one for the ages on the Wasatch Front. It’s hard to believe all that has been accomplished over the past 365 days. The on-field highlights were spectacular, but there were extraordinary accomplishments that came together off the field as well - with the enduring work of some tremendous people behind the scenes at RSL, URFC and the Monarchs; and of course the steadfast support of our fans.
Dell Loy Hansen’s commitment to establishing Utah as a soccer mecca in the U.S. and as a place that produces, supports and appreciates the world’s game was never more evident than in 2018.
Real Salt Lake
On the field, it was a great season for Real Salt Lake. Mike Petke led the team to the MLS Cup Playoffs for the club’s tenth time in the last 12 years behind stellar seasons across the board. Damir Kreilach was a revelation in his first season in MLS, leading RSL in scoring and earning club MVP honors. Albert Rusnák and Jefferson Savarino were not only spectacular for the club, but also for their national teams as they both broke into regular playing time for their countries. RSL led MLS in minutes played by Homegrown players, highlighted by 2018 MLS Rookie of the Year Corey Baird and defender Justen Glad receiving invitations to U.S. National Team January camp this week. Not to mention Nick Rimando – the Wall of the Wasatch and the G.O.A.T – earning his record 200th career win in MLS … and counting. And who could forget the introduction of a new kind of “fowl” at the RioT, when even a duck wanted to be part of a 6-2 win over Zlatan and the LA Galaxy! The RioT again was returned to fortress status as the boys went 11-2-4 at home – most home wins in the Western Conference! All this led RSL to a historic playoff win over LAFC before battling Sporting Kansas City to the brink in the Western Conference Semifinals.
Utah Royals FC
Together we introduced Utah Royals FC, the NWSL and professional women’s soccer to Utah! Dell Loy Hansen’s vision to bring world-class women’s soccer to Utah came to fruition in March. Again, with the support of our fans and the business community from around Utah, there now exists ample and equal opportunity for all youth soccer players in the state (45% of whom are young girls) to watch the world’s best players live and in person, and to dream and aspire to be the best in the world themselves someday.
Again, with your support, the first home match for Utah Royals FC was epic. With platinum recording artist Rachel Platten taking the stage after the match, it was a celebration of an historic day for soccer and, in a broader sense, equality in the state of Utah. The 19,203 in attendance went home with memories to last a lifetime. It was something truly extraordinary to witness.
With the introduction of URFC, attendance for professional soccer in Utah grew over 38% in 2018. While Utah was already a great state for soccer, it is now, without a doubt, one of the premier soccer markets in the U.S.
Real Monarchs
For the second consecutive year, Real Monarchs made the USL Playoffs, again contending for the best record in the league after winning the USL Regular Season championship in 2017. Much of that success was due to the team’s 12-2-2 record at Zions Bank Stadium for the best home record in the league.
Zions Bank Real Academy
In February, we opened a truly world-class and state-of-the-art $80-million Zions Bank Real Academy training facility in Herriman. The facility not only provides a tremendous training ground for Real Salt Lake, but also is home to Zions Bank Stadium, the 5,000-seat home to the Real Monarchs. Furthermore, it is a vast complex consisting of eight total fields that supports RSL, Real Monarchs, the ever-expanding Real Salt Lake Academy, as well as Real Salt Lake Academy High School and the growing soccer community in the surrounding areas at all levels. This facility, which I encourage you to visit, along with the world-class coaches and staff, truly establishes Utah as one of the premier soccer training centers in the U.S.
RSL on KSL
In the broadcast realm, we formed a tremendous partnership with KSL and launched RSL on KSL on the KSL app and on KSL.com. In conjunction with our great existing local broadcast partnership with KUTV/KMYU, our fans were able to watch live RSL, URFC and Monarchs matches anywhere in Utah and on any device. Over the course of the 2018 season, RSL maintained the #3 television rating in MLS while also adding more than 800,000 unique views of live RSL game broadcasts on the KSL app. These partnerships created the best, most convenient and broadest access for professional soccer in the United States.
For all that was accomplished in 2018, we are far from satisfied. We have some amazing things in store for 2019 and are excited for you to be a part of it. On behalf of Dell Loy Hansen, all the players, coaches and staff at RSL, Utah Royals FC, Real Monarchs, the RSL Foundation, RSL Youth Foundation and the RSL Academy I want to say THANK YOU for making 2018 an amazing year!
Happy New Year and we look forward to seeing you at the RioT in 2019!
Warmest regards,
Andy Carroll
Real Salt Lake Chief Business Officer
