'We will stay here in Sandy': RSL's 2nd ownership change in 3 years brings stability to Utah soccer clubs
The Miller family and Miller Sports and Entertainment acquired a controlling interest in the Utah's pro soccer pyramid Friday from David Blitzer, who will remain as a minority investor.
SANDY, Utah — Utah’s soccer history is littered with clubs that have started up, even succeeded for a moment, and ultimately got lost to the dustbin of history.
From Freezz to Blitzz to Salt Ratz, Real Salt Lake and Utah Royals FC won’t be the latest additions to the list.
Not if the club’s current owners — a group synonymous with keeping professional sports on the Wasatch Front and proving they can thrive. That group, the Miller family and Larry H. Miller Sports + Entertainment, is now all-in on Utah soccer.
And Utah soccer is all in on the city of Sandy.
The RioT — currently known as America First Field, but forever nickname’d for its previous corporate sponsor Rio Tinto — won’t be going anywhere, not any time soon. Quite the contrary says Larry H. Miller Companies CEO Steve Starks, whose company is headquartered just east of the stadium in Sandy.
Fans should probably even expect a fresh coat of paint in the form of more building, renovations and updates coming to the 20,000-seat stadium at 9000 South and State Street that is now owned by the group that specializes in real estate, Megaplex movie theaters, and the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees.
“We will stay here in Sandy,” Starks said definitively with a small group of media following Friday’s announcement of the ownership change. “We don’t think it would be good stewardship to knock this stadium down or try to go build a new one. This is a really strong stadium; the bones are good.
“We’ll go through that process, and then we’ll make the enhancements to improve the gameday experience and world-class facilities for the players.”
Led by the Miller family that is currently presided over by matriarch Gail Miller, the family knows a thing or two about facility updates, too. From multiple renovations to the Delta Center to what is now the Ballpark at America First Square in Daybreak, Starks isn’t afraid to drop the “R” word about RSL’s current facilities: renovations.
What that means is currently only up to speculation and prognostication. But it isn’t hard to imagine a Sandy city stadium district built around America First Field, with one of the group’s larger Megaplex movie theaters directly to the east and 22 acres of land that could be used to expand parking, add dining options, and create what Stark calls “a flow in” from the nearby 90th South Trax station for fans to incorporate mass transit into their gameday routine.
“We have our theater that brings in a million people a year across the street. This stadium brings in a million people a year. Then you also have the Mountain America Expo Center to bring in hundreds of thousands of people a year,” he added. “There’s already a ton of activity at this intersection; we just look at it as opportunity everywhere to improve the experience.”
Former majority owner David Blitzer will stay on in a partner role, with Larry H. Miller Board of Directors chair Steve Miller serving as chairman and governor for Real Salt Lake and Blitzer as the alternate governor for the team.
On the NWSL side, Miller will maintain the same role with Utah Royals FC, while company CEO Steve Starks will act as alternate governor.
That local investment can’t be understated, especially from a majority stakeholder in the club, RSL president John Kimball explained.
“I think that’s exactly what David Blitzer likes to have in these situation,” Kimball opined of the sports business executive who lives in New Jersey. “He loves sports, and he is a fan of everything. But it’s really important he knows that the club he is involved with has the culture in the community and that resource that can turn something around very quickly.
“I think he’s been very smart about how he sets this up. He loves the state of Utah. I couldn’t be happier that he remains involved; I think that shows his commitment to our community and our club. But he also knows that a group like the Miller Group coming in can really take us to a whole new level.”
For a club that has changed ownership from Dave Checketts to Dell Loy Hansen to David Blitzer and Ryan Smith to the current combo of Blitzer and the Miller family, that stability is appreciated.
With the new arrangement, the Millers get to return to top-level professional sports in their home state, Blitzer remains involved in an MLS club to link to his Global Football Holdings network, and Smith can focus on the NBA and NHL team he’s owned together for exactly one year.
Stability is the common denominator.
“For me, that’s something that keeps me up at night: Making sure the stability is there, and we have the backing of all the right people,” Kimball said. “With what Ryan and David brought to the table in keeping the club here was fantastic — and what the Millers will bring to this organization is stability in our community, and being supportive across the board. They’ve proven that in 40-plus years across this community.
“I really think timing is everything … The timing is right now, and what is going to happen in this sport, in this community, in our club, and in the United States, we’ve got exceptional things happening in the sport of soccer.”