Highlights from the RSL press conference on Thursday
On Thursday, the National Women’s Soccer League welcomed Real Salt Lake to the league, as they launch a new club to enter for the 2018 season. Home matches will be played at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah. Despite the whirlwind process by which RSL joined the league, at Thursday’s press conference in Utah, they […]
On Thursday, the National Women’s Soccer League welcomed Real Salt Lake to the league, as they launch a new club to enter for the 2018 season. Home matches will be played at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah.Despite the whirlwind process by which RSL joined the league, at Thursday’s press conference in Utah, they were confident about the club they will put on the field as well as their new presence in the NWSL. [Empty Body] Here are just some of the highlights from Thursday’s press conference, with the full video archived below.
[More | NWSL heads to Rio Tinto: Real Salt Lake enters the league for 2018]
Dell Loy Hansen, Owner, Real Salt Lake
“We honestly are two years ahead of schedule. We really thought two years from now, we would be able to address this. And the opportunity came. It was amazing; we looked and said, ‘We really don’t have anything else to do, do we? Why don’t we go do this?'” [Empty Body]
Gary Herbert, Governor of Utah
“We recognize having a sports franchise here helps our economy. It does a lot of things for our community. It brings us together, we’re unified, we cheer for the same team, we have a shared experience that we all build upon. We have memories that we create with our families that, again, endure way beyond the sporting event itself.”
Amanda Duffy, NWSL Managing Director of Operations
“When we look at the keys to success with any organization, we start with the ownership. Certainly welcome the quality ownership that we have in [Hansen] and the support and staff that he’s built here with RSL to make sure that this a first class operation and organization. “We also look at the support from the community and how that’s going to get behind on how the team will be able to integrate the players into the community and gather that support, gain momentum. We’re excited about that. We certainly feel like that’s here. “And with the venue itself. With Rio Tinto Stadium, a venue that’s state-of-the-art, one of the best in the United States. To be able to bring National Women’s Soccer League into this venue, help propel the league forward on and off the field. We couldn’t be more excited to have RSL part of NWSL going forward.”
Craig Waibel, General Manager, Real Salt Lake
“To the women that are going to don our jersey next year, March, April, January when they check in: We can’t wait to have you. We can’t wait to make you part of our family. You’re going to be treated as professionals, play in amazing stadium, train at an amazing grounds, have a locker room that’s equipped for the quality that you bring.” [Empty Body]
Andy Carroll, Chief Business Officer, Real Salt Lake
“We’re going to launch a team in four months, which most people certainly would not take on that endeavor, but Dell Loy was just like, ‘Oh yeah, of course we will.’ We look very forward to it. Failure is not an option. This will be the most successful club. Portland can hear us coming, although they invited us in, to be fair.”
