Utah Royals FC

Utah Royals FC
Full name Utah Royals Football Club
Founded December 1, 2017 (2017-12-01)
Stadium Rio Tinto Stadium
Sandy, Utah
Capacity 20,213
Owner Dell Loy Hansen
General Manager Craig Waibel
Head Coach Laura Harvey
League National Women's Soccer League
Website Club website

Utah Royals FC is an American women's professional soccer club based in the Salt Lake City suburb of Sandy, Utah, that plays in the National Women's Soccer League, the top flight of American women's soccer. The club was established on December 1, 2017, and began their first professional season in 2018.

History

Establishment

On November 16, 2017, Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer announced that it had acquired a franchise in the National Women's Soccer League.[1] On November 20, 2017, the league announced that FC Kansas City of the National Women's Soccer League would fold their club, and the team's player contracts, draft picks, and other rights would be transferred to the new Salt Lake City club.[2] As of August 2017, Utah's six Division 1 women's soccer teams outnumber the men's[3][4] and the state has the highest rate of girl high school soccer players recruited by Division 1 colleges.[5] Attendance at Division 1 women's soccer games in Utah is among the highest in the NCAA.[5] The decision to bring a NWSL team to Utah was based on the established interest in women's soccer in the state as well as Dell Loy Hansen's gut feeling and longtime interest in a team.[5]

The new Salt Lake City team announced its hiring of former Seattle Reign FC coach Laura Harvey as its inaugural head coach on November 27, 2017.[6]

Team name, badge, and colors unveiled

The team was officially launched on December 1, 2017 with the announcements of its name, branding, season tickets, and social media.[7] The badge features a gold Lioness head and “Claret Red” (Pantone 201 C), “Cobalt Blue” (Pantone 2758 CV) and “Victory Gold” (Pantone 1235 CP) colors. Two stylized balls surround the name “UTAH ROYALS FC” in the lower half of the badge which represent the team's connection to the organization's MLS and United Soccer League teams.[8] Rio Tinto Stadium was named as the team's playing grounds.[9] By the end of the month, more than 2,000 season tickets had been sold.[10] By early April 2018, the number of season ticket holders had increased to 5,000.[11]

Inaugural season

Gunnhildur Yrsa Jónsdóttir scored the first goal in franchise history on March 24, 2018 in the third minute of the club's inaugural match against Orlando Pride in Orlando.[12] 18,500 tickets were sold ahead of their first home match (with only club seats and standing-only tickets remaining).[13] Official attendance the day of the match, in which they played the Chicago Red Stars, was reported as 19,203.[14]

Sponsorship

In February 2018, the Royals announced a three-year multimillion-dollar deal with Conservice, a utility company based in Logan, Utah.[15] The company's logo is featured on the front of the team's jerseys.[16]

Stadium

Name Location Years in use Capacity
Rio Tinto Stadium Sandy, Utah 2018–present 20,213
Rio Tinto Stadium

Utah Royals FC play at Rio Tinto Stadium located 15 minutes from downtown Salt Lake City in Sandy, Utah, as the men's team, Real Salt Lake, does.[7] Rio Tinto is a soccer-specific stadium which opened on October 9, 2008.[17] The pitch features Kentucky Bluegrass[18] and is 120 × 75 yards.[19] The stadiums seats 20,213 for soccer matches.[19]

Players and coaches

Current squad

As of July 20, 2018[20]
No. Position Player Nation
1 Goalkeeper Abby Smith  United States
2 Defender Rachel Corsie  Scotland
3 Defender Becca Moros  United States
4 Defender Becky Sauerbrunn  United States
5 Defender Kelley O'Hara  United States
6 Defender Katie Bowen  New Zealand
7 Midfielder Mandy Laddish  United States
8 Forward Amy Rodriguez  United States
9 Midfielder Lo'eau LaBonta  United States
10 Midfielder Diana Matheson  Canada
11 Midfielder Desiree Scott  Canada
12 Midfielder Taylor Lytle  United States
14 Defender Alex Arlitt  United States
15 Midfielder Erika Tymrak  United States
16 Defender Samantha Johnson  United States
17 Defender Sydney Miramontez  United States
18 Goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart  United States
19 Midfielder Katrina Gorry  Australia
20 Forward Elise Thorsnes  Norway
21 Forward Christen Press  United States
23 Midfielder Gunnhildur Jónsdóttir  Iceland
24 Forward Katie Stengel  United States
25 Forward Brittany Ratcliffe  United States

Coaching staff

Position Name
Head coach England Laura Harvey
Assistant coach England Scott Parkinson

Statistics and records

Season-by-season

As of September 8, 2018
Season NWSL Finals Top Scorer
P W D L GF GA Pts Position Player Goals
2018 24 9 8 7 22 23 35 5th Did not qualify United States Katie Stengel 6

Head coaches record

As of September 8, 2018
Name Nationality Tenure P W D L GF GA Win%
Laura Harvey  England December 1, 2017–Present 24 9 8 7 22 23 037.50

Broadcasting

As part of a three-year agreement with A&E Networks that started in 2017, Lifetime broadcasts one NWSL Game of the Week on Saturday afternoons.[21][22] The Royals will be featured in six NWSL Game of the Week broadcasts during the 2018 season on: April 14, April 21, May 19, July 14, August 11, and September 8.[23] Since 2017, many league matches are streamed by Go90 for American audiences and via the NWSL website for international viewers.[24]

Utah Royals home games are broadcast via local television on KMYU TV and streamed via the KSL OTT app.[25] On local radio, ESPN700 AM will carry the majority of Royals games – as it does for Real Salt Lake and Real Monarchs.[25]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Torres, Maria (November 16, 2017). "Announcement of new team in Salt Lake means women's pro soccer is likely done in KC". Kansas City Star. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  2. ↑ Torres, Maria (November 20, 2017). "FC Kansas City women's soccer team folds, NWSL sends players to Salt Lake City". Kansas City Star. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  3. ↑ "Utah's only Division 1 men's soccer program taking shape at UVU | KSL.com". Retrieved 2018-04-14.
  4. ↑ Coon, John (2008-07-12). "De-flated: With soccer popular among boys, why only one NCAA-sanctioned men's team in Utah?". DeseretNews.com. Retrieved 2018-04-14.
  5. 1 2 3 "Can the new women's pro soccer team generate a following in Utah?". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 2018-04-14.
  6. ↑ Lee, Maddie (November 27, 2017). "Real Salt Lake hires Laura Harvey to coach new women's soccer team". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved December 2, 2017.
  7. 1 2 "Utah Royals FC unveils name, identity for 2018 NWSL season". Real Salt Lake. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  8. ↑ "Newest NWSL club Utah Royals FC unveils crest, social media presence – Equalizer Soccer". Retrieved 2018-04-14.
  9. ↑ "Utah Royals: Logo, season ticket prices announced". RSL Soapbox. Retrieved 2018-04-14.
  10. ↑ "Utah Royals are off to a fast start at the box office". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 2018-04-14.
  11. ↑ McDonald, Ryan (2018-04-11). "A look at the fans who will be backing Utah Royals FC as its home debut draws near". DeseretNews.com. Retrieved 2018-04-14.
  12. ↑ "The Iceland international who scored the first goal in Utah Royals history is making an immediate impact in the NWSL". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 2018-04-14.
  13. ↑ "Utah Royals sell out Rio Tinto Stadium for their inaugural home game against the Chicago Red Stars on Saturday". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 2018-04-14.
  14. ↑ Ltd, Simplestream. "Utah Royals FC vs. Chicago Red Stars". www.nwslsoccer.com. Retrieved 2018-04-14.
  15. ↑ "Utah Royals land Conservice as jersey sponsor". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 2018-04-14.
  16. ↑ "Utah Royals ink jersey deal with Utah company Conservice; release secondary kit". RSL Soapbox. Retrieved 2018-04-14.
  17. ↑ "RSL confirms Oct. 9 stadium opening". The Salt Lake Tribune. August 5, 2008. Archived from the original on September 30, 2008. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
  18. ↑ "Real Salt Lake: Long-awaited field renovation underway at Rio Tinto Stadium". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved January 4, 2018.
  19. 1 2 "Rio Tinto Stadium | Sandy, UT 84070 | Salt Lake City Sports". Visit Salt Lake. Retrieved January 4, 2018.
  20. ↑ "Utah Royals Players". Utah Royals FC.
  21. ↑ "Lifetime To Air National Women's Soccer League Games As A+E Networks Kicks In For Equity Stake". Deadline.com. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
  22. ↑ "A+E Networks, National Women's Soccer League Ink Major Deal". Variety. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
  23. ↑ "2018 NWSL Game of the Week Broadcast Schedule | Lifetime". Lifetime. Retrieved 2018-04-14.
  24. ↑ "NWSL, go90 announce exclusive streaming partnership". Black and Red United (SBNation). Vox Media. Retrieved April 14, 2017.
  25. 1 2 "Utah Royals FC Unveils Inaugural Season Broadcast Options". March 22, 2018. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
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