“(It’s) a time in NWSL where honestly I think they need us and I think we share that same vision and passion. He credits the passion of team president Michelle Hyncik for making it possible. He said in a perfect world he’d have more time to start another professional soccer franchise just a year after rejuvenating a Real Salt Lake franchise, but he said returning the Royals to the community was too important to not jump on. “It’s 100 percent a community asset, and there’s a lot of work and responsibility,” said Smith. Smith said the Royals returning isn’t just about sport, but it’s about leadership, technology and what the asset can do for the community.
Smith said that he and co-owner David Blitzer hadn’t discussed that detail at all, but both said, “Of course we are.” During the Royals’ official announcement in front of fans and VIP members on Saturday, Smith recounted the very first question he received in a town hall with RSL fans a year ago, “When would the Utah Royals return?” It’s something Smith felt as well after he was part of an ownership group that purchased RSL a little over a year ago. “The history here is I think well known and obvious, the community supported this team for several years before they left so there’s a proven fanbase here and that’s no better data point to a league to bring a team to a community,” said Berman. She said with the new ownership group, she expects that trend to pick up where it left off. The club previously played two years in Utah in 20, but former owner Dell Loy Hansen sold the team back to a Kansas City investment group after he became embattled in controversy that ultimately led him to sell Real Salt Lake as well.īurman said at the time, the Royals set the standard for professional training facilities in NWSL, and it helped the rest of the league raise the bar. NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman was on hand for the announcement and said the team is slated to return to the field for the 2024 season.īerman was hired as NWSL commissioner one year and two days ago, and she said the first initiative she was briefed on upon being hired was the Utah Royals, and getting them back.
“I couldn’t be more excited to officially welcome the Utah Royals back,” said Real Salt Lake co-owner Ryan Smith at a pregame announcement inside the stadium. On the same night as Real Salt Lake’s 2023 home opener on Saturday, ownership made it official that the Utah Royals will be returning to America First Field as well.
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