For Checketts, this is Reality

The Governor predicted"they will be just as important to Utah as the Utah Jazz!" The team general manager said the goal is to win a championship in the first year "and nothing less than that." The owner said he has "regal expectations."

Otherwise, expectations aren't all that high.

Major League Soccer was introduced to Salt Lake Saturday. The team will, according to owner Dave Checketts, be forever known as Real Salt Lake. That's not Real as in "reel." It's "RAY-al," which is Spanish for either "royal" or "Your fly is open." My Spanish isn't that good.

Either way, Utah Soccer is off to an auspicious start.

The initial event was held at Rice-Eccles Stadium, which lent a certain symmetry. A soccer stadium is expected to rise in the next two years, probably near downtown. Until then, RSL will be playing the same place as Salt Lake's American-style football team, the Utes.

What better place to launch a big league team, in a global sport, than the very site where the Olympic cauldron burned in 2002?

"You know, this isn't a county league, it isn't a little league, it isn't a middle league," said Gov. Olene Walker. "This is absolutely Major League Soccer!"

Her point would be hard to argue, at this stage. Some 2,000 fans showed up for the initial announcement. After the dignitaries had taken their turns, Checketts revealed the name and logo, accompanied by a couple of cannon-loads of red, blue and gold confetti.

The governor was happy. The mayor was happy. Apparently the fans were happy, too. A line even longer than the one for free hot dogs appeared to buy T-shirts and caps.

The rationale behind the nickname was multi-dimensional. An affiliation with one of the world's most famous soccer clubs, Real Madrid, is planned, which made naming the Salt Lake team a natural. There are actually dozens of teams worldwide bearing the name "Real."

Beyond that, Checketts wanted to make sure it sounded like a soccer club. No Eagles, Tigers, Huskies, Bees, Knights or Giants need apply. Checketts and others toyed with several other possibilities — most notably Salt Lake Alliance — but settled on RSL.

It sounded, well, international.