Big things are happening along the Wasatch Range in Utah. After Saturday’s win over Rocky Mountain Cup rival Colorado, the Claret and Cobalt are the lone unbeaten team remaining in MLS and the club recorded their first clean sheet of the season. With the uncertainty of the start of the season quickly fading into the rear view mirror, Real Salt Lake are coming together to form a rather formidable squad. Yes, they have struggled late in games either giving up goals or resorting to time wasting to hold on to their points but with each game the team appears to be coming together more and more. A real chemistry between Juan Manuel “Burrito” Martinez and Joao Plata is developing and Yura Movsisyan appears to be getting more dangerous with each game. Now, RSL is looking to deepen their connection with the community.
On the field, it seems clear that the team is rallying around the new direction laid forth by head coach Jeff Cassar. Certainly, rebounding from a season in which they missed the playoffs is a solid start to reconnecting with the casual fans, RSL has the pleasure of playing in front of a very passionate fan-base. The fans were never leaving in droves or staying away because of a poor season. I believe the RSL players understood and appreciated that fact and because of that their appears to be more of a motivation from the players on the pitch to reward the fans for their loyalty.
Ownership also appears motivated to give back as well.
Owner Dell Loy Hansen announced a bold new plan to strengthen the organization’s brand and build a stronger club for the future. RSL will break ground on a new facility in nearby Herriman City later this month. The facility will not only be the training center for both RSL and the Real Monarchs of the USL but will include a STEM school and be the training complex for upcoming expansion of the club’s academy currently located in Arizona.
The project is currently budgeted at $50 million and is expected to be as much of a benefit to the community as it is to the club. Since its inception in 2005 RSL has built a reputation as being a tightly knit community and club and this move should only strengthen that bond. While the current trend in soccer is to build in the midst of downtown, RSL is proving that a suburban base of operations can be just as successful if the commitment to the community is true.
RSL and owner Dell Loy Hansen are proving their commitment to Salt Lake City. But their sights are set on a larger horizon.
With Rio Tinto Stadium situated in Sandy and the new facility in Herriman City, RSL is also looking to expand operations outside the Salt Lake City area with plans for youth training centers across Utah starting with Ogden and North Logan as well as West Valley City in the near future.
With two years of transition now under their belts, RSL is showing significant progress under their new coaching regime on the field. This new blend of Kreis era holdovers and Cassar picked new guys are finding their winning ways early in this MLS season while showcasing the new blend of philosophy. The team is still the star in Salt Lake City but with Hansen starting to implement his visions for the organization, there just maybe a much larger group of people who feel that they too are a part of the Real Salt Lake family.
Main Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images
