Reader comments
Questions for Checketts

Even though the results don't say it, Real has by far had the effort in each game. Props go to Jason Kreis, he has done whatever he can to have this team become as good as possible. His work ethic is amazing, lets stick with him. I believe in Kreis!!

It will still take some time, but this team and stadium is going to bring pride to the citizen's of Utah someday. All of the controversy will be bad memories.

In the beginning it seemed as RSL always did two negative things for every positive step it took and now it is more of a two step forward, one step back formula. It is still progress for a franchise that often times seemed doomed.

It is going to be fun to see what the future holds for Real Salt Lake.

Pretty good interview. I am glad Checketts took the time for this interview; he does not have the best public image, and as he said, most of it is not his fault.
I agree with you ES, Kreis is doing good things. The game on Saturday was a lot of fun, even in the poring rain.

It would be interesting a couple years from now after the stadium which how many polititians (current and past) will come back to lay claim for the success. Everyone at my work that currently are season ticket holders plan on continuing after the stadium is built.

Spence Checketts needs to be fired. He is a complete moron

RSL-
What do you have against Spencer Checketts (what do you really have against him please do share)? Sure, there are better people for his job, but he has the connections and that makes a big difference.

If you are going to fling insults and call for a persons job, back it up with something of substance!

I'm looking forward to seeing the new stadium - it sounds awesome. We made the trip out there to see the WC Qualifier and loved the view of the range from Rice Eccles. It was our first trip to Utah and we were really impressed with Salt Lake and Park City.
For me, Real has put Utah on the map.

I think people give spencer checketts an unfair rap. it must be hard being the owners son, working for a team that has been so bad. he seems like an easy target for frustrated real fans. i met him at an rsl event once and he was extremly nice and came across as very smart. my oldest daughter actually has a little crush on him! but she's only 16 so we will have to wait on that! i am always suprised when i hear people knock on him. but i've never heard anything specific, just "i hate spencer checketts" or "spencer checketts is a moron" so i just judge him from my own expereince, and it was a good experience so i say leave the poor kid alone.

This team is getting better and better. Once this team is consistently performing at a very high level and winning games the people of Utah will fall in love with them. And once that happens it will be hard to get a ticket to the any of the games in the new stadium.

The new stadium is going to bring a beauty and profesionalism to the game that RSL fans have not yet seen live. A soccer specific stadium will make the games much more intimate for the fans and players as well. Turf sucks.

All in all, good news for Salt Lake and MLS. Yes, considering the league is only 13 years young, the future is bright. The quality of play is getting better and the interest seems to be on the rise.

Can't wait for the new stadium! Also can't wait to see better players and better football/soccer. We've got to bring in better players to peform good games for the fans. So far the play is really bad but we will be ok, hopefully.

everybody needs to be patient cause even with an unlimited budget it takes years to develope a good footbal/soccer just because players are good on one does not mean they will be good on your the or organizations needs to develope and idenity and system and the rest will fall into place i have been a football/soccer fan my hole life and things are true of every club in the world i cant wait to renew my season tickets to be at the stadium finally a football stadium with good sight lines for the match

The reason real fans don't like Spencer Checketts is because he never goes out of spin mode. Every week this season we heard that Real was turning the corner, Torres and Stewart were rock solid defenders who lacked midfield cover, Eskandarian (0 goals from open play in 15 appearances) was the second coming of Maradona...and so on. I actually heard him once say on the radio that Lancos was "a right-footed Roberto Carlos." He might be a very pleasant guy but he has zero credibility with fans.

I think you're right but I can't blame spencer for trying to be positive with the team. i have also heard him claim that real was "very close" to turning things around and the record of the team of course shows that they arent. but obviously spencer works for the team and his dad is the owner, so he is going to try to be positive. i cant blame him for that. what i think real needs to do is get someone else to do the radio shows because its a lose/lose having spencer on there. i do think he does a good job of playing the host but his opinions about soccer arent very educated. from what i have heard from spencer on the radio, he really knows basketball and football, but not soccer.

i am a fraternity brother of spencers from the U and i can tell you that he can come across as abrasive and oppinionated (east coast thing i think) but in reality he is a very good kid who would do anything for his friends. i know that its probably not possible for people to look at him without the bias of the owners son tag, but if you do take the time to get to know him, he is impossile not to like. hopefully people will lay off him a bit. oh, and it's funny that people talk about his soccer opinions because i grew up playing soccer and spencer never used to even like the sport! all he ever talked about was basketball! i find it very funny.

Why is everyone wasting there time with Spencer Checketts? The kid is a fool at best and walks around as if his fathers credibility and success was passed genetically... clearly it is not.

Now with that said, GO REAL!!!!!!!!

I drove by the new stadium this week to take a look and I am very excited! It's coming together nicely and is in a great location. All the Nay-Sayers will regret their position if they go to a game in the new stadium because it's going to be an amazing venue to watch a great sport. Can't wait till it's finished! Go Real!

Dave Checketts may know a lot about sports and money, but he clearly doesn't have a clue about geography. Toyota Park (Fire) is about two miles from the Chicago city limits. Dick's Sporting Goods Park (Rapids) is about three or four miles from the Denver city limits. His Sandy stadium location, meanwhile, is some 10 miles south of the Salt Lake City limits. Someone needs to teach Dave how to read a map -- but then, someone also needs to teach Dave how to hire the right people to run a professional soccer team, too!

It isn't so much about city limits - it is about accessibility and presence. Being right of I-15 is the presence and the accessibility. I would imagine that in the case of Denver and Chicago that they aren't quite that obviously sitiuated. Also, SLC has a small geographic area for the city itself. I believe Denver and Chicago geographic areas are huge.