 |
Real Salt Lake is a professional soccer club based in Salt Lake City, Utah that began playing in Major League Soccer in 2005. The team currently plays its home games at the University of Utah's Rice-Eccles Stadium.
The word real in the team's name is taken from the Spanish word real. Real, as it is used in Real Salt Lake, and in the names of certain Spanish soccer clubs such as Real Madrid, is roughly pronounced ray-all, with the accent on the al. When translating the Spanish word real into English, it has more than one meaning. In Spanish, the word real is used to mean real, as in real life (la vida real); also, it is used to mean royal, as in royal family (familia real). This distinction notwithstanding, the two meanings are still closely connected. Things spoken of in Spanish as real carry with them a slight feeling of royal, and vice versa.
 |
|
 |
In the case of the names of soccer clubs, real is used to mean royal. This name is bestowed on a number of clubs that play in Spain's La Liga (as well as one club in Honduras) by the Spanish crown. The Salt Lake City club's owner, Dave Checketts, desired to attach his team to a successful soccer club, Real Madrid, as well as to develop a brand that was clearly associated with 'soccer', leading to the choice of name. The team's uniform and colors were inspired by those of the Spanish national team.
The team's name was initially met with derision and pessimism among the fan community. Many fans thought the name should more accurately reflect the Salt Lake area. Such complaints seem curious, however, being that the Utah Jazz of the NBA does not comply with such a standard. In the past year the criticism from local fans and the media has waned, and the club has instituted a formal relationship with Real Madrid that brings it numerous advantages. Currently the club has three fan clubs known as The Loyalists, the Rogue Cavaliers Brigade (RCB) and The Jesters. Their first head coach is John Ellinger, former coach of the Under-17 United States national team and the head of USSF's Bradenton Academy. Salt Lake City was formerly home to the USL Second Division's Utah Blitzz, who folded about the time Real Salt Lake formed. The Blitzz had won the USLSD's championship in their final year of existence. Blitzz head coach Chris Agnello was hired as an assistant coach for Real Salt Lake, but left after their inaugural season.
In 2005, the Rocky Mountain Cup was created in an effort to create some sort of rivalry right off the bat for the new franchise. The Cup goes to the team that wins the season series between the Colorado Rapids and RSL. The Colorado Rapids claimed the Rocky Mountain Cup in that inaugural season by winning the series 3–1. Even with the added excitement of the Cup competition, RSL's major rival quickly became fellow expansion team C.D. Chivas USA. This was due to the fiercely competitive physical play between the two teams (and perhaps also the fact that they both joined in the same year). On November 17, 2006, XanGo announced a multi-million dollar deal to be advertised on the front of RSL's jersey. Nearly a month later, RSL announced their most high profile acquisition in the club's short history - the signing of the American phenomenon Freddy Adu - as well as the signing of GK Nick Rimando from D.C. United in exchange for Salt Lake's goalie Jay Nolly, a partial draft allocation, future considerations and a draft pick.
We provide all the information about MLS Soccer tickets and schedule for all MLS Soccer teams. Get your chance to be part of the action by ordering cheap MLS Soccer tickets from Barry's tickets.
Click on an team below for more info on MLS.
|
|
