this was starting to happen the last few years, I've noticed too. It's more of a orange than red, honestly. I'd love new ownership to shop a new stadium sponsor (when does Rio Tinto end?) and do a re-haul like they did at the Delta Center (******** whatever name it goes by, it's the Delta Center)
Just a small note to let people know I am once again starting to lurk here after about a 9 month absence. So expect my usual all-snark-0-hot-take comments to clog this board in the near future. I am still trying to care about this team as much as I used to. I was feeling nostalgic about "the good old days" when I would go to that small office at Trolley Corners and browse the table where the very few RSL items were available. I remember standing there as a nobody while Freddy Adu, full posse in tow, walked past. I remember standing in line at a KFC to meet Eddie Pope and there were only about 10 people in line. I remember sitting on couches in the front lobby with about 20 other people on draft day and thinking, "Tony Beltran, huh? Hope he's good." Needless to say, even with my lack of soccer knowledge, I've been following the team since the beginning. But, Dell Loy just about killed any joy it brought me. The way they treated Morales was the first big letdown for me and since then it has obviously just snowballed. I'm hoping once ownership gets settled I will care again. I wonder if I ever will. Morales, Beckerman, Rimando, Saborio, Borchers, Wingert, Beltran, Grabavoy, Williams, all gone and I can't seem to generate the same enthusiasm for their replacements. In addition, even discounting the internal clown-show, the league and big money seem to be leaving RSL behind. It feels like a few teams will always have the bigger signings and RSL Facebook posts will be a never-ending stream of "Not our night" posts. Anyway, appreciate your posts and passion. Thanks for the free therapy session.
So, I get this. All aspects of it. From my POV, when DLH became the owner I posted here that this most likely would not turn out well. Organizational success in almost all cases reflects the commitment and competency of the person occupying the very top spot of the Org Chart. I knew DLH previously and knew that he would be deficient in both aspects. This proved to be accurate. At the same time, I did not foresee the development of the Herriman facility and the golden prospect it presents. He surprised me there. If RSL can be purchased by a competent owner who is aimed at On-The-Pitch success of the Senior team and planned maximization of the Academy and the Monarchs as they relate to the Senior Team then RSL can again compete for the MLS Cup and CONCACAF glory. Next, the observation that big money is leaving RSL behind. This will be true as long as RSL is not willing to also spend. RSL has to be better than the rest of the league at scouting and landing affordable players who make a difference. Also RSL must develop youth who are marketable. Those who follow LAFC, LAG, ATL, etc..,realize that purchasing a few superstars leaves the rest of the roster weak. RSL needs to find a balance.
100% how I feel. Hard to get excited about a team that has become a bit of a revolving door of mediocre talent from top to bottom, the core of the past playing with their heart, but you can tell in their head they know this team doesn't have 'the spark'. Kries tactics brought a disruptive style at the time and the team knew it. Once it gelled, it was a thing of beauty to watch the passing and defensive grit. And, now, with the rest of the league operating on a different monetary plane, we are fighting to tread water and that's never fun to watch.
I think I've mentioned once or twice (or a million times) that I am an AC Milan fan. From roughly 2011 to 2019, the club was in complete disarray. Performances on the field were painful to watch and the ownership situation was a revolving door of characters you'd not want to meet. It was poor and there were legitimate fears of the club ever being the top team in Europe, let alone Italy, ever again. But this past season, especially after the lockdown, things changed. Off the field, the club started to invest in folks that deserved a shot and didn't have a short leash with them. On the field, they went to young talent and were willing to try new things. There have certainly been struggles, and the right motivating piece (Zlatan and Pioli) have proven to be the right recipe. Milan are top of Serie A, a place that nobody in their right mind would have put them a year ago, or even at the start of the 20/21 season. What changed? A lot of things. Most notably, and what I think RSL should look to mimic, was a team who doesn't identify itself as the best players, but as the best team. Young players that are working hard to prove their worth, surrounded by a handful of veteran players that are bought into the direction of the club. Last, but certainly not least, a manager that has installed a vision with these players of an attacking style of soccer that takes chances and looks like it is a lot of fun to play. What scares me with RSL is the moves of the club, in the last year, move away from what Milan are doing and do the opposite. Freddy at head coach makes no sense. Rusnak as a "leader" (he's worn the armband) doesn't look the part. The youth investment seems only to happen because of the financial situation - but I'll take it, nonetheless. I'm hopeful RSL can find the right ways and that Freddy and Rusnak will prove me wrong. Maybe they find their footing this year and inspire the team. There is nothing through the past 2 seasons to suggest this, but crazier things have happened. Should they fail? I'd love to see the club go young with a piece or two around them for the next 2-3 years. Set realistic but challenging milestones for the new group to achieve. More than anything, find the joy in the game again. Too many RSL games are not fun to watch and don't look like they're fun to play in, either.
That was the magic of the 2008-2009 seasons before RSL really came together. You could tell they were having fun, and while it wasn't always pretty and great, at least you could see good things happening. It's hard to hold onto that culture.
Exactly. As a relatively new fan of the sport it was quite fun. I started really getting into soccer in the late 90's and not really paying a whole lot of attention until the mid aughts. 15 years later and my wife is a Tottenham fan and I am stoked following a League 2 team that just might be playing well enough to get promoted. Knock on wood. Or Touch Wood to be more accurate. I was a fan of MLS before RSL and thought that Salt Lake would be a great place for a team. I was almost a DC United fan but I was patient. Now I also look forward to an EPL fix every weekend like a junky. I am just waiting for a new owner to get us back to having a feeling of hope. Early on I thought DLH would be a decent owner. Lots of money and big plans. Too bad he was turned out to be such a douche. If only MLS had stuck with Uncle Dave. If I remember correctly he actually made an offer larger than Voldelloy but I guess they didn't trust his money. If you want a good rumor, my guy said that MLS offered Barcelona Orlando but they didn't bite. He also said that the next offer was for RSL. He did stress it was a pretty out there rumor but whatever. It's January. There are also 3 MLS teams for sale at the moment. Orlando, RSL and I believe Houston so maybe that waters down the market.
The blind bid thing with DLH and Checketts is one of the least talked about but wildest parts of our history. Wonder if MLS feels like they have "blood" on their hands with how things turned out
The blind bid is a bit contested, right? Checketts version vs. Del Loy. Found this SoapBox article that has a good briefer on the ownership situation up to 2016. Also, this article. 'I fix broken things,' says new RSL owner Dell Loy Hansen
Before even reading, you are met with the worst head shot collection any film casting director could be met with. jesus christ. If "Fix" means drip them of every penny of profit while losing their soul, sure, that's what he does. There are a lot of clips from this that you can laugh at with how things turned out. This one is both funny and so very sad: "We're really looking forward to having him as an owner," Borchers added. "He's going to be a little more hands-on than Dave was because he lives here locally. There's a lot at stake for Dell Loy Hansen in this project."
I just heard on The RSL Show that DLH prohibited blue shorts in the kit. It’s stupid for an owner to be so involved at this detail of the kit, but why would he prohibit the blue shorts? Just doesn’t like blue, or maybe trying to differentiate HIS RSL from Checketts’ (as if consistently declining on-field performance and watchability weren’t already doing that)? They also said that Kreis designed one of the kits during his coaching stint (which the hosts clearly didn’t like). Does anyone know which kit they referenced and can you post a pic of it?
Part of me agrees, it is very petty for DLH to do that. But also, he (was) making the paychecks, so if he didn't want blue shorts I have a hard time finding reason he can't have that level of say. Again, though, that is incredibly petty and shows a lack of understanding that the fans wanted them as it was an iconic look. Whatever. The Kreis kit supposedly is the one with the crown across the chest.
Also, that same podcast had the guys all excited about the new secondary kit. They've seen it (again showing their insider ability that they don't use anywhere near enough) and hyped it like it was one of our better/best secondary kits yet. Which isn't a hard bar when we've had such a wide degree of different white shirts... It would be very RSL, though, to have our best kits in a year we don't play
Well, I went and did it. Broke my promise to never buy season tickets again until MLS fixes its officiating problem. I didn’t buy full season tickets, mind you. Just half-season. No way I’m dragging myself to Sandy 17 times. And...I did this in a season that’s probably not going to turn out very well. Anyway, I figured that RSL probably needs the support more than any time since 2007. So I bit the bullet. My son bought half-season tickets too.
No matter how poor the officiating is, or how bad the product is, or how clueless the FO is, or how inept (or nonexistent) the owner is there's just nowhere else better to be on game day. Am I wrong?
There aren’t many people in the American Outlaws section, but they are wayyyy better than the combined RSL fan groups.
To elaborate, they were LOUD and unified. You could hear them clearly all around the stadium. They weren’t drowned out by competing noises. Because much of the crowd knows the USA chants they were able to participate. Every USMNT match I’ve been to has been like that. The dysfunctionality of our supporter group contingent really stood out to me.
Not at the game but watched a little. Is there a worse supporter section in MLS than for RSL? I don’t think so.
I used to be a paying member of the American Outlaws. I let that not renew and regret it. I remember when we played Honduras in qualifiers for 2014 that the section really wasnt all that full, but everyone was willing to listen to one another and chant. One observation I remember from that time: the way the south end is laid out makes it really hard to communicate laterally.
It seems like for the last month every RSL ad I see on Facebook, etc. is in Spanish. Has there been a noticeable marketing shift to the Latino community since MLS took over ownership? I'm thinking maybe they're just using a national marketing template rather than figuring out the local fanbase. Anyone else notice this, or is it just targeting me because I've been corresponding with a few people in Spanish lately?
¿Porque no los dos? I haven't noticed the same, but Audible has started advertising to me with Spanish novels and authors. Stupid Alexa must be listening...
I don't mind the Spanish, just that it appears to be exclusively Spanish rather than both. Off topic,, but if you ever watch something in Spanish on Netflix, the library explodes with every foreign-language suggestion imaginable.
I had this post (rightfully) pointed out to me as borderline racist. I read it and see that. That was not my intention nor my thoughts. Apologies for not reading my post before hitting the submit button.