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Real Salt Lake: Rio Tinto to sponsor new RSL stadium

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Ha! | 1:10 a.m. Sept. 29, 2008

I think calling that place the "Gold Pit" would be rather appropriate.

Fifth | 1:11 a.m. Sept. 29, 2008

Since when does "Onside Kick" Whittingham's batch ever have the moral standing to gripe about sportsmanship? Please.

Horrace | 7:21 a.m. Sept. 29, 2008

I was hoping for KFC. But the "pit" actually wouldn't be bad either

Comments continue below

Runnerboy3118 | 8:07 a.m. Sept. 29, 2008

Come on, anyone like "The Gold Pan".

KFC or Kennecott | 8:14 a.m. Sept. 29, 2008

Either one would be fine, then you could call it the "bucket"

Awesome news! | 8:25 a.m. Sept. 29, 2008

Rio Tinto is a huge company. With international exposure. So glad its not a pyramid company.

RioT into Stadium.

Johny Fairplay | 8:58 a.m. Sept. 29, 2008

I hope RSL was smart enough to retain the underground mineral rights.

Why didn't Larry H... | 9:12 a.m. Sept. 29, 2008

Go to Rio Tinto instead of Energy Solutions when it was time to rename the Delta Center? I still think it is a embarassment to the state of Utah and the Jazz that the basketball stadium is named after a company that is basically a glorified nuclear waste dump.

Some may argue a mining company isn't much better but Rio Tinto is a huge int'l company that is known for environmentally friendly mining practices. Energy Solutions is a small company that proactively solicits contracts from countries across the globe to bring their nuclear waste to our backyard and profits from it. I can't believe Larry H. couldn't find a better company to name his stadium after.

wilson | 9:29 a.m. Sept. 29, 2008

I'm glad ya'll are better informed than i am; i didn't know what Rio Tinto was, and i still don't know what xango is. But it's still a lot of money for the club, right?

Phil | 10:13 a.m. Sept. 29, 2008

I hope they call it "Glitter Gulch."

RSLgal | 11:24 a.m. Sept. 29, 2008

I actually really love the name. Compared to other Stadiums in the MLS I think it is so much more 'soccer oriented' and much more international sounding. Some of the other stadiums or like "Pizza Hut Park" or "The Home Depot Center." How lame or those? Rio Tinto Stadium sounds amazing compared to those. I like it a lot and I think Real has done a great job,

BH | 11:38 a.m. Sept. 29, 2008

What a bunch of sour grapes.

I think it is great that Real SLC has been able to attract Rio Tinto to sponsor the stadium. Way to go! It is great to see that SLC is progressing into what may become the preferred major league sport of the 21st century.

After all, when you consider more of our children today play soccer than any other sport, they are bound to have a significant influence when they become tomorrow's sports enthusiasts. Just wait. Forty years from now our high schools will be converting their football stadiums to soccer stadiums.

It is... | 12:14 p.m. Sept. 29, 2008

a horrible name for a stadium. I guess it doesn't really matter; I'll never go there anyway. I'm American, so I watch football.

Big Government Field | 12:37 p.m. Sept. 29, 2008

Since my preferred name won't work, I like "The Gold Pit."

Fits nicely....

I'm American, so..... | 1:28 p.m. Sept. 29, 2008

...I am not as ignorant as you. And I enjoy all sports. I live in Utah, and so I support all of my local sports. I want the rest of the country/world to see my lovely little town. This soccer stadium is one of the best venues to show off SLC.

re: BH | 1:56 p.m. Sept. 29, 2008

You are sadly mistaken if you think that soccer will replace NFL, college or high school football. Proof of the pudding is that you are excited about a 20,000 seat facility, the norm for MLS teams which are usually not filled, whereas NFL stadiums are filled at 65,000 to 80,000 every week, let alone all of the capacity crowds at college stadiums that seat over 100,000.

Anonymous | 2:07 p.m. Sept. 29, 2008

In the world of corporate stadium names, this is an absolute world-beater. I assume we were just lucky, since the money had to be right for any deal in the first place. Still, I actually like the name of our stadium better than the name of the team...

DISAPPOINTED | 2:19 p.m. Sept. 29, 2008

Ask the people and governments of Australia, South Africa, Namibia, West Papua and Norway about their thoughts on Rio Tintos track record on human rights and environmental concerns...

RslFutbolfan | 2:35 p.m. Sept. 29, 2008

I dont have words for what I was feeling at the press conference......

For Shame | 2:57 p.m. Sept. 29, 2008

I am extremely disgusted and disappointed with the RSL organization with this partnership. Rio Tinto? Really? Was ExxonMobil a runner-up?

These are the big corporations that are ruining our precious environment and all RSL can do is support them.

I love my soccer team and will always support them on the field, but by going to this new stadium I feel like all I am doing now is supporting environmental harm and even such large issues as diamond mining in Africa.

Same on you, Real Salt Lake. Shame on you.

Rio Tinto | 3:01 p.m. Sept. 29, 2008

I guess there truly are no morals in business deals

Outraged at RSL | 3:22 p.m. Sept. 29, 2008

I am extremely disgusted and outraged with the Real Salt Lake Front office! This is horrible! This partnership is a huge disappointment!

The RSL Organization should be embarssed and ashamed by this partnership.

How anyone can support a company that makes their money off blood diamonds is beyond me.

For a team that loves "Moral Victories"
This sure isn't one of them.

SHAME ON YOU DAVE CHECKETTS!!!!!

andrewute1 | 3:53 p.m. Sept. 29, 2008

Just when I thought 'Energy Solutions Arena' was the worst name for a sporting venue in the world, 'Rio Tinto' blows it out of the water. Chalk another stupid move up by Real Soccer and Dave Checketts.

Talk About Misinformed | 4:16 p.m. Sept. 29, 2008

Though Rio Tinto is not the worlds most environmentally friendly company in the world, they are also in the mining business, it is hard to be and from everything I have read after reading the comments on here it seems as though they are the only mining company taking strides to become better. The mining industry has a bad history and Africa and that won't change, but this company seems to be one of the best if not the best when it comes to that. I am just glad the team will have more revenue and found a sponsor at all in the current economic climate. It seems that the people of Utah are never happy with anything that ever happens when it comes to RSL...well I for one am.

Julia | 4:35 p.m. Sept. 29, 2008

Its just really too bad that in times like this when we are having so many environmental and human rights issues that we cant be the ones to stand up proudly and make a statement in support of the earth and the creatures that inhabit it. We had a chance to have the most environmentally friendly stadium in the world and we just blew it...BIG TIME. Sorry, I love my team and I always will, but I am embarrased and saddened by this announcement.

If you want a good example of the way to do it right...go to the Battery's stadium in Charleston... Oh and they have an awesome soccer pub that is part of the stadium too, not a private club that only the high rollers can get into...

Grow Up!!! | 4:40 p.m. Sept. 29, 2008

I love the Jazz Andrewute1, but Energy Solutions is much worse than Rio Tinto. I don't love the name, but I am excited for this stadium.

Awesome name | 9:04 p.m. Sept. 29, 2008

I love it! I was really pulling for Victoria Secret Stadium, but Rio Tinto is good.

Rio Tinto | 4:41 p.m. Sept. 30, 2008

Rio Tinto is a better company than most. They are not that environmentally unfriendly as posted here. In fact, if you look it up, Rio Tinto has a good standing and has improved many mining methods to be environmentally friendly. As for the human rights stuff, it has been a consequence of global location rather than corporate policy.

Also, it makes a great name! I hope Rio Tinto will sponser the jerseys so we can have Rio Tinto on the jerseys as well.

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