It has been 5 seasons and 1 championship now and I still don't feel the connection to the name of the team. I have been following RSL since before the expansion announcement and still the name Real Salt Lake makes me cringe, makes me embarrassed to tell people here in California that I follow soccer and the team I follow is 'Real' Salt Lake. Living in SJ Earthquakes territory I am surrounded by fans whose team's name means something to them. As a matter of fact RSL is the only team whose name has nothing to do with the community (teams named FC and Dynamo are getting a pass here even though I think the original name for Houston was also way better than Dynamo). Here is where I speak of Dave Checketts in not-so-glowing terms so those of you with weak stomachs better stop here. Let's face it, Checketts is good at getting investors together to buy franchises and that's as far as it goes. While I am eternally grateful that he brought professional soccer to Salt Lake and I will follow that team until the team moves or I die, Checketts has epically mismanaged the team. From the beginning when fans voted overwhelmingly for the name Highlanders and showed almost no support for ReAL. Checketts went with a name that he, not his fans had ties too. His hockey team has not had any real success on the and his soccer team has been outplayed by all of its expansion brothers, including this season (As much as I enjoy the championship it was one by a team with a losing record). Despite this, many a devoted fan has stuck by this team. There is a new minority owner and possibly a chance to appeal to his sense of decency and push for a change. We can still change the name. Along those lines there is a name that can still preserve the cachet gained with RSL and still have a traditional soccer name that reflects the region: Racing Salt Lake. Racing would still preserve the only good part of our logo, the RSL shield, keep the tradition, and is used by soccer teams in Spain, France, Belgium, England, Luxembourg, Uruguay, and Argentina. In addition racing can regionally be tied to the Bonneville Speedway and the jet-propelled cars that race across the flats. A car like the Spirit of America could be incorporated into the logo. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SpiritOfAmerica_CraigBreedlove.jpg There, now I am off my soapbox.
Well, I guess I have a couple of questions. If you live in California why do you follow RSL? It would make more sense to me if you were a fan of one of the 3 California teams, or maybe even Houston since they used to be the Earthquakes? Also, if it would make you feel better refering to them in a more Americanized way you could always call them the Salt Lake Reals as many people around here do anyway. And the idea of changing their name now after 5 years of playing and 1 championship to their name is not a good idea, whether Racing has more of a tie to Utah or not. And as far as Checketts' hockey team, meh. Soccer is going to replace hockey soon anyway as America's big team sport after the big 3.
Since this is a serious discussion could someone please explain to me why Real Salt Lake would make them cringe? Who cringes? My guess would be the soccer purists who have always followed soccer, er futbol, and don't like Real Madrid. Is that correct? I like the name and would never want it changed. I also think that it puts the focus on Salt Lake and not the nickname. Most people refer to the team as Real Salt Lake or RSL which would not have occurred with a nickname like the Highlanders. Which in my mind is awful. Says nothing and does not reflect or remind anyone of Utah or Salt Lake. I think guys wanted an excuse to wear a skirt. Man up and just do it. Wasatch Front was even worse. Unless you watch a lot of the Weather Channel. I disagree that just because most of the fans want you to do something doesn't mean that it is the smartest way to go. Most fans wanted JK fired. I am not saying that he is the Reason RSL won the cup but I seriously doubt that a mid season coaching change would have achieved the same result that sticking with JK brought RSL. I like having a team with a soccer inspired name as opposed to an Americanized name that the others were. Besides, once RSL wins a few more cups the association with the Galacticos will be apparent and justified.
The highlanders was a silly name, and I'm glad Checketts didn't pick it. Just hearing it as a MLS team name makes me cringe. Racing Salt Lake? Surely you jest. How is that any worse of a Euro poser name than Real Salt Lake? If you don't like the name, try saying it with a southern accent. If that doesn't help, it will at least help you perfect your southern accent impression.
The very notion of replacing one name you consider lame with an even lamer name really baffles me. Good gravy. If someone asks you who you support, it isn't a stretch to say "Salt Lake" or "RSL." Of course, it might embarrass someone to admit to liking a team from Utah when they live somewhere else.
I can sympathize with you not liking the Real Salt Lake name. I think it's pretty ridiculous to be the "royal" team in the U.S. I think it's great if Madrid or Zaragoza are proud of their country's royalty, but in a country that's been free of kings for centuries, it doesn't make much sense. It's like an insult to every son and daughter of the American Revolution. But at this point I'm ok with keeping the name and I think changing it would be a big effort with little to no benefit. Sorry, this idea's a non-starter.
Royal in the name of the team is an "insult to every son and daughter of the American Revolution"? Wow... that's serious stuff, and ridiculous. In the Salt Lake area there are at least 80 businesses in the Yellow Pages with Royal in their name. Royal Builders, Royal Finance, Royal Wood Office Plaza, (the perversely named) Royal American Foods, Royal Touch Cleaning... and on and on... Are all those businesses insults to those who fought in the American Revolution? I guess you are just kidding, otherwise... wow. A team that has won the championship is not changing its names unless it falls on long term hard times and needs a total makeover. That is a minimum of 5 years away, more like a decade or two at this point.
According to some, it is obvious that Burger King is an insult to the sons and daughters of the American Revolution.
If you've seen Iron Man, you remember the scene where Robert Downey Jr. gets rescued from his captivity in the desert, he lands and says he immediately wants "An American Hamburger". It made me roll my eyes when they handed him a Burger King sack. Not just because it was blatant product placement, but because Burger King is owned by British beverage company Diageo, who also owns Guinness. That's the American hamburger they brought him? But no, there's nothing wrong with a British company having a king as their logo. All those companies are totally un-american. Probably run by terrorists every one.
Thank heaven's it is a month shorter this year thanks to our MLS Championship Team. Never gets old saying it.
I didn't like the name at first, but now I do. It doesn't make much difference to me what the team's called; it's my team and that's all that matters. But changing the name of an established team--particularly after that team wins a championship--is a bad idea.
And why do the other teams get a pass? FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo? Why do they escape your rants? Go sell crazy somewhere else, we're all stocked up here with our CHAMPIONSHIP team!!!
The way I see it is there's only two ways you can name a soccer team: 1) Rip off a foreign poser name (i.e. any team with Real, Racing, FC, AC, or United in its name), or 2) give it a stupid, Americanized, made-for-TV name (i.e. Velociraptors, ThunderCats, LaserSharks, etc.). The Salt Lake LaserSharks....hmmm..... I think I'll stick with Real, thanks.
I'd like the OP to delineate the ways in which "Checketts has epically mismanaged the team." Except for the team name, which is silly (but not much sillier than any of the other possibilities), what has he done that was so epically bad (but apparently not bad enough to keep the team from posting attendance numbers in the top 4 or 5 teams in the league or bad enough to keep the team from winning the ********ing MLS cup)? I'm not saying he hasn't made mistakes, but Ima go ahead and classify him as "above average" for the time being. Or are you just upset about the team name? If so, step back from the edge, and then go read one of the other lame threads about changing the team name.
Methinks someone is sitting back and laughing after creating this thread. We used to get these much more frequently at least they have slowed down to trickle now.
holy hell, GET THE ******** OVER YOURSELF, seriously. welcome to 2004. the name is fine, its better then the ********ing highlanders (damn that makes me cringe every time i hear it, we arent f'ing scottish, we dont wear kilts), or any other prefabed american bullshit name. yippee you live in earthquakes country, i live in freaking portland with TONS of timbers fans, who have one of the most established names in soccer. you think people ridicule you for being a RSL fan? you have no idea the shit i take when i wear my jersey around. BUT i love to wear my jersey, now i just laugh at them. i cant wait to get a scarf that says champions on it and take that to timbers games. if you honestly dont like the name then find another team. stop wasting our time with discussions that took place 5 years ago. heres a point of reference: https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=143092
I am Real Salt Lake Real Salt Lake is me It really takes the cake When people just can't see The coals have seen the rake So simply let it be
Actually, when we were walking around Seattle for the Cup, I passed the headquarters for Utilikilts. I've been thinking I should get one.