Deseret News | Real Salt Lake: Team looks to shake road woes

Reader comments
Real Salt Lake: Team looks to shake road woes

T-Bone | 7:19 a.m. May 21, 2008

Does Utah still have a soccer team? I thought they had left with the WNBA team. I filled up my gas tank the other day and wasn't given 8 tickets to the game. Oh well...go team...good luck...I hope you score!!

To: T-Bone | 7:57 a.m. May 21, 2008

You obviously despise soccer, why don't you just stop reading these articles and stop posting your ignorant rantings.

Careful T-Bone | 8:13 a.m. May 21, 2008

You are going to upset the 12 soccer fans in Utah with your remarks.

Comments continue below

S | 8:33 a.m. May 21, 2008

They're still here. . . and will still be here when you're dead.

Re:T-bone | 8:44 a.m. May 21, 2008

The team is still here, unlike your sense of humor! I am sorry you were not always picked by the athletic kids to play soccer, not all is lost though.. at least you still have a WAY COOL name like "T-Bone." Can't wait to see you at one of the games when ReAL is in playoff contention.

Reader | 9:15 a.m. May 21, 2008

Real Salt Lake? Wake me when it's over.

Scot | 9:18 a.m. May 21, 2008

It's nice to see that the coach and players are not addressing the actual "cause" of their road problems...the personnel and tactics. RSL was built to play on the narrow, quick pitch at Rice Eccles. As soon as RSL hits a full sized pitch, the home team goes right around them on the outsides due to RSL's lack of flank pace. Until that issue is addressed, RSl is destined to fail.

Oh, and to anyone who thinks it is either funny or interesting to post obnoxious soccer-hater comments after a soccer article...grow up.

Real? | 9:18 a.m. May 21, 2008

12 soccer fans? ya right, did you forget the 2 million illegals that have invected our state? Problem is, they only do the jobs americans want and those jobs don't pay enough to buy tickets. Maybe we should use tax payer money and help build them a stadium and let them all in for free!!!

El Hombre | 9:20 a.m. May 21, 2008

I've seen T-bone before. He's one ugly mug. It's a good thing he doesn't come to any matches cuz he would scare both teams out of town.

Real Salt Lake | 9:51 a.m. May 21, 2008

The team, much like the Starzz of the WNBA, will be gone within five years and then the taxpayers will get to pay for a stadium no one uses.

Gone in 5 years? | 11:44 a.m. May 21, 2008

I keep hearing this number...5 years. So, is that from 3 years ago when we joined the league, or 5 years from now...or maybe 5 years from 2 years down the road?

Make up your mind...I need a solid date as to when this "league will fold", and when "RSL will be gone"

Another RSL article.... | 11:45 a.m. May 21, 2008

...wake up the 3 haters. We need some well thought-out comments on here.

Get Real | 12:10 p.m. May 21, 2008

For all the haters who post that the team will be gone in 5 years and leave an empty stadium: I dont think you understand that the new stadium is the EXACT reason they WONT be going anywhere. Its going to ensure they have financial stability for many years to come. Your only real gripe should be that you hate soccer but your tax dollars helped pay for it. Thank you :)

So why else do you think they'll be leaving? Because they suck? That leads me to my second point, which is that with one of the worst (if not worst) records in the league over the last 4 years, they still have one of the better attendance records in the league. 12 fans? Try >15k/game. Fans love the game, and will continue to attend and support even with a crappy team. Imagine your heartache when they're actually good. :)

Time for all soccerhaters to wake up and smell the coffee. MLS has weekly games on FoxSports, ESPN, and HDNet (hardly fly-by-night operations), American businessmen are buying into big European clubs (ManU/Liverpool), and you can even catch the occasional soccer highlight on Sportscenter.

Wakeup or go away!

Adam | 1:13 p.m. May 21, 2008

If they continue to lose they will be gone in 5 years, just look at the Jazz, when they played poorly attendance started to drop, the same thing will happen to Real if they don't improve their on field preformance. The fans will stop caring, especially because they aren't as established as other sports teams in the area.

Eve | 1:44 p.m. May 21, 2008

No, they won't be gone.

"Established"....haha, thats funny. What makes a team "established"?

Chris | 1:49 p.m. May 21, 2008

The continued feigned ignorance concerning the stadium is mind-boggling. I have a hard time believing that anybody that possesses the intelligence required to operate a computer and access this site could still think that their tax dollars are being "taken" for the stadium. But I guess you can't expect anything more than ignorance from people who spent their free time searching for news stories about RSL to post their clever little comments about how lame the world's most popular sport is. Grow up children.
If you don't like soccer, that is just fine; go watch throwball and leave the grownups alone to discuss the posted story.

Adam | 2:09 p.m. May 21, 2008

Heres the deal, when sports teams are bad, attendance drops because the fairweather fans stop showing up.
I also belive that RSL ownership projected that they would need to have their stadium mostly filled every game to generate a profit. So basicly
Poor Play=Lowered Attendance
Lowered Attendace=Less money
Too many season of not turning a profit and the team will move. Don't get me wrong, i am a huge RSL fan, thats why i think it is so important they do well, or we may end up loosing the team.

Losing | 2:41 p.m. May 21, 2008

No amount of losing will cause the team to move. Checketts faces a huge fine if the team moves before 2037 - that was part of the deal to get the land for the stadium. Frankly it would cost him less to operate the team with zero fans than it would to move the team and pay the fine.

And I get tired of this "if RSL keeps losing the fans will stop coming" argument. The fact is RSL has been losing for 4 years and people are still coming.....in fact, attendance is up this year. You have to understand that soccer fans are considerably more die-hard than typical American sports fans, and they will follow their team win or lose (unlike front-running Jazz fans, for instance).

Sorry to disappoint so many of you, but RSL is here to stay.....forever. Go away, find your buddy Larry Miller, and you can continue your tantrum together.

RSLFans.com | 3:20 p.m. May 21, 2008

As it relates to the article, RSL does need to find a way to win on the road. I personally think that most of the failures are due to strategy and personnel decisions. I just don't think that this team is built for a 4-4-2 formation. RSL does need to generate more width on the pitch, especially away from home. I think that Jason Kreis needs to reassess his approach to the game and use his personnel better.

However, right now RSL is facing a lot of injuries and key losses to international tournaments. With Sturgis, Beltran, Morales, Seitz, and Espindola all likely out for this weekend and possibly longer, other players are going to have to step up. Kreis is going to have to get creative. Lets give Cordoba a chance. Perhaps even Nimo to energize the midfield. Changes need to be made and now is the perfect time to tinker.

Mankind | 3:42 p.m. May 21, 2008

Let's see...how does the saying go; soccer is to sports, what candy is to nourishment!!! My nephew plays soccer and he's moving to California to get married to his best friend, Bruce.

To: Mankind | 4:23 p.m. May 21, 2008

The only comeback I have....

Bruce must know how to "Bend it like Beckham"

Winger... | 4:33 p.m. May 21, 2008

We need someone to step up and play wing so we can at least attempt to have some width. Even Colorado beat us cause we were playing catch up on their wide field. Hopefully coach took note and will change some tactics to help us spread the field more and generate some space in the middle for our attacking midfielder (hopefully cordoba) to work with. Andy should play the right wing and Beckerman should play D-mid, Dema should man the left, he has better crossing touch and played a bit of wing for RBNY.

Good news is we are pretty successful at our teeny little turf field at Rice-Eccles. Now we just need to figure this width problem out and we might stand a chance at post season play.

Go REal.

ps. I kind of like the soccer hater comments, they are funny to read because of how ignorant they are. I hate baseball, but i don't bash it cause I respect that it takes a lot of skill to play and i know lots of people like it. I say let them bash, humor me.

Bi-Polar Wannabe | 4:34 p.m. May 21, 2008

Wow, now that the Jazz are out of the Playoffs, looks like all the one-trick pony's are bored out of their minds (people who can only be entertained by 1 sport).

RE: Mankind | 5:01 p.m. May 21, 2008

You sound like a wonderful Uncle, bashing your nephew like the ignorant homophobe that you are. Trying to blame his decision on soccer is hilarious since there are many homosexuals who play every pro sport (most are closet).

Maybe his situation could be blamed on his family support (or lack thereof which your horrible example would suggest).

Ask David Beckham which team he plays for. I'm sure his wife would beat any one of your ex-wives in a beauty contest.

Play to score 2 goals | 5:06 p.m. May 21, 2008

Every road game we come out looking like we are playing for a 0-0 tie. Then we get scored on and try harder. We must score 2 goals on the road to avoid losing. So attack from the beginning. You don't score you are going to lose. Mantilla will easily cause 1 to 2 goals to be scored on us. We need at least 2 just for a tie.

By the way if Mantilla plays again it proves Kreis is insane. Easily the worst defender in MLS.

Did I mention we need to score 2 goals.

Mantilla | 5:49 p.m. May 21, 2008

Play to score 2 goals, I think you are too hard on Mantilla. He's not as bad as he seems, he just lacks intelligence. Olave definitely needs the start this weekend though after the ridiculous hand ball. And RSL just needs to score first on the road, then keep pressure on instead of lay back. Their best defense is a steady pressure on offense. It all starts with the forwards and attacking midfielders. They need to be playing defense on the opponents half of the field. However, the backline and defensive mids need to be holding their shape so that the attackers can afford to take the risk of pressuring the ball in the other guys' half of the field. They've learned how to do all this at home, now they need to learn it on the road.

To: Adam | 6:31 a.m. May 22, 2008

You are right! I too am a huge RSL fan but if the team doesnt start winning it wont matter and all the haters will be right. I have been a season ticket holder from day one and I am not a fair weathered fan but as this goes along, my interest even waivers. I have been involved with soccer either as a player, coach, admin, or something for over 30 years. I love soccer but these guys arent keeping my interest.

Now the Champions League final and Champions League that kept my interest. GO MAN U... Red Devils for life....

Drogba with a classic "Zidane" moment. He slaps Vidic, slaps?! Maybe their ladies can duke it out later. Bla ha ha.... Sorry Mr. Terry, so sad. Although someone has got to do something about the way Ronaldo takes PK's, I hate it....

Anyway, back to RSL we are staring a 3 game losing streak right in the face. Here's to a good weekend.

U WILL C | 5:37 p.m. May 22, 2008

I think it is interesting to note that RSL has almost as many blog posts as the Jazz. Hmm.. RSL almost has as many spectators at the games as the Jazz. Double Hmm.. Neither the Blaze nor Buzz, err, Beezz, double err, Bees have 1/10th the amount of blog posts as Real. They don't have the attendance either. I don't know what that means, but I am sure it means something. How about translating literally into RSL being much more popular than the Blaze or Bees here in good ol' SLC.

You will see this post again. I just want to keep reminding the haters.

6 Bees Fans | 5:39 p.m. May 22, 2008

There have only been 6 posts on the Bees blog since May 1st. What does that mean? Maybe nobody cares about baseball anymore. Did you count how many posts RSL has in the same timeframe? The number of articles is about the same.

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