SANDY, Utah (Friday, January 24, 2019) – Real Salt Lake, Utah Royals FC and Real Monarchs SLC announced today the Stronger Together campaign, emphasizing the connections between the three clubs, their distinct bond with the fan bases across the state of Utah and the shared passion for bringing championship soccer to Utah while enriching the community through service.
“The relationship between our teams and the fans is such a complementary partnership,” RSL General Manager Craig Waibel said. “I know how important our fans are to the players and I’ve seen first-hand in the community how much our teams can impact fans of all ages and backgrounds. It’s only fitting that we celebrate that relationship through the Stronger Together campaign in 2019 and let the fans know truly how much we appreciate their support.”
The three professional clubs have varying histories, but all share the common goal of uniting under one flag to strengthen each other and build a stronger connection to the fans and businesses that have brought so much success to soccer in the Wasatch Front.
Real Salt Lake is celebrating its 15th season in Major League Soccer and 11th full season at Rio Tinto Stadium, while also honoring the 10-year anniversary of the first major professional sports championship in Utah – the 2009 MLS Cup championship. RSL has set a standard in MLS as one of the marquee clubs that represents the sport in the United States because of the undying passions, energy and commitment from its fans and partners.
Utah Royals FC enters its second season in the National Women’s Soccer League after taking a push for the playoffs into the final weeks of the inaugural campaign in front of stellar crowds at Rio Tinto Stadium in 2018. Utah Royals FC are committed to the growth and establishment of women’s sports in Utah and becoming the pinnacle of women’s sporting achievement world-wide.
Real Monarchs SLC christened Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman in 2018 after playing the first three seasons at Rio Tinto Stadium and have a USL Regular Season Championship in 2017 to the club’s credit. The club’s commitment to providing a world-class and family-friendly environment to witness one of the USL Championship’s elite sides is only enhanced as the club moves forward Stronger Together.
Together, those three clubs and the RSL Academy lead the way for soccer in the state of Utah. Together, they are stronger in leading that charge than they are separately.
Similarly, the teams rely heavily on the fan support to establish distinct home-field advantages in the stadiums while also growing the sport locally and the electric atmosphere on gameday is a product of fans from wide-ranging backgrounds coming together to push the team forward.
On the fields, we represent 19 different countries around the world. The melting pot in the locker rooms is also prevalent in the stands, where fans from around the globe converge in support of our clubs.
At Real Salt Lake home matches in 2019, the raucous supporter groups that had been scattered throughout the stadium will unite under one flag, too. With all of the supporter groups uniting behind the south goal, the aim is to make a more unified voice in propelling RSL to the home dominance that has given them the best home record in MLS since the opening of Rio Tinto Stadium.
Those passionate fans make the organization stronger. And the three teams do their part in giving back to the community that drives the club. Through the efforts of the Executive Director of the RSL Foundation, Mary Van Minde, the organization works on a united front from top-to-bottom to ensure every corner of the community is blanketed with support.
Real Salt Lake opens the 2019 season on March 2 on the road against the Houston Dynamo, with the home opener at Rio Tinto Stadium on March 9 against Vancouver Whitecaps FC. The following week, Real Monarchs SLC opens its home slate at Zions Bank Stadium against El Paso on March 16. Utah Royals FC is scheduled to start its second season in NWSL in April, with more details on the club’s 24-game schedule coming soon.
