SANDY, Utah - Real Salt Lake in Midst of Back-to-Back Bye Weeks from League Play
Real Salt Lake (9-11-7, 34 pts.) will have plenty of time to gear up for the final three contests of its 2009 MLS regular season schedule, as the Claret-and-Cobalt began an 18-day layoff from League play on Sunday thanks to a schedule quirk that resulted in back-to-back bye weeks to kick off the month of October. The break comes at the most nerve-wracking of times for Real Salt Lake, which begins a fortnight of scoreboard watching three points out of the last potential "Wild Card" spot in this year's MLS Cup Playoffs, currently held by the New England Revolution:
MLS Cup Playoff Chase (as of 9/27/09)
Western Conference qualifiers
1) Houston Dynamo - 43 pts. from 27 GP (1.59 pts/gm)
2) LA Galaxy - 41 pts. from 27 GP (1.52)
Eastern Conference qualifiers
1) Columbus Crew - 46 pts. from 26 GP (1.77)
2) Chicago Fire - 41 pts. from 27 GP (1.52)
Wild Card Standings
1) Colorado Rapids - 39 pts. from 27 GP (1.44)
2) Chivas USA - 38 pts. from 25 GP (1.52)
3) Seattle Sounders FC - 38 pts. from 27 GP (1.41)
4) New England - 37 pts. from 25 GP (1.48)
x) D.C. United - 36 pts. from 27 GP (1.33)
x) Toronto FC - 35 pts. from 27 GP (1.30)
x) Real Salt Lake - 34 pts. from 27 GP (1.26)
RSL Readies for Friday's "Futbol Before Football" Exhibition at BYU Cougars
Real Salt Lake may not have League action on its docket in the near future, but that doesn't mean the next two weeks will be a vacation for the Claret-and-Cobalt, who will look to stay sharp this Friday, Oct. 2, by taking on the PDL's Brigham Young University Cougars in an exhibition contest at South Stadium in Provo. Kickoff for the "Futbol Before Football" showdown on the BYU campus is set for 5:00 p.m. MT this Friday, with the game leading up to that evening's BYU-Utah State football contest at LaVell Edwards Stadium at 7:00 p.m. Tickets for the exhibition match are $6 for adults and children and $5 for BYU students with a valid student ID and can be purchased in advance at www.byutickets.com or at South Stadium on gameday. Friday's match will mark RSL's first visit to Provo since the Claret-and-Cobalt helped the Cougars open up the renovated South Stadium venue last July.
Mexico's Chivas de Guadalajara Takes on RSL at Rio Tinto Stadium next Wednesday, Oct. 7
Only a week remains until legendary Mexican club Chivas de Guadalajara makes its first-ever visit to Utah to square off in an international friendly against Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium on Wednesday, Oct. 7 (7:00 p.m. MT kickoff). The match will be RSL's second against international competition at its new Sandy home, following on the heels of a 1-0 victory over another Mexican giant, Club América, back on July 11, a result brought the Utah side's career record in friendlies to 6-4-2.
All Real Salt Lake season ticket holders have first right of refusal for their current seats and will enjoy special, deeply-discounted pricing for the contest against Chivas de Guadalajara. All existing RSL season ticket holders will also have the ability to purchase additional tickets at a special discounted rate. For more information, please call the season ticket holder hotline at (801) 727-2702.
Advance sale ticket prices for the international friendly begin at $20, with group and season ticket holder purchase discounts available in every section of Rio Tinto Stadium. Prices start at just $20 for Upper Deck seats and those in the North and South Goals, $25 in the Corner Flag sections, $30 on the Lower Sidelines and $60 in the Front Row and Midfield areas. Advance purchase is encouraged, as day of game prices will increase $10 per ticket, regardless of location, for all seats purchased on Wednesday, October 7. For more information, please visit www.RioTintoStadium.com .
In addition, the KFC Colonel's Corner will remain in Sections 6 & 7 for the Oct. 7 exhibition, with fans able to pick up their $15 ticket vouchers for the match against Chivas at the following nine KFC Restaurants along the Wasatch Front:
Salt Lake City
3890 S. State St.
2045 S. 1300 East
6890 Highland Dr.
132 N. Redwood Rd.
Sandy
653 E. 9400 South
10710 S. State St.
Bountiful
495 S. 500 West
Taylorsville
1765 W. 4700 South
Orem
433 N. State St.
New Ticket Packages Available for RSL's Stretch Run at Rio Tinto Stadium
Only three home games remain on Real Salt Lake's 2009 schedule at Rio Tinto Stadium - the Oct. 7 friendly against Chivas de Guadalajara, the New York Red Bulls' visit on Oct. 14, and the Rocky Mountain Cup season finale v. Colorado Rapids on Oct. 24, presented by XanGo - so now's the time to secure your seats for the team's stretch run in Sandy! The Real Salt Lake Ticketing Department has plenty of options to choose from to make sure you have the best seats in the house, including the eight-voucher Flex Pack (starting at $128), single-game Family 4-Packs ($88), KFC Colonel's Corner vouchers ($15) and single-game tickets ($18-$60). To order any of these outstanding ticket deals, or to find out more information on a specific package, please call 800-838-3380, go online to www.RioTintoStadium.com, or visit the Rio Tinto Stadium Box Office in person during regular business hours, Monday-Friday from 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
In addition, two more multi-game options - the "Chivas-Plus Pack" and "OctoberFest Pack" - have been introduced to get fans ready for the final month of the campaign. These following ticket packs can only be purchased by calling the Real Salt Lake Ticketing Department at 801-727-2700 and will not be available online or in person at the Rio Tinto Stadium box office:
• Chivas-Plus Pack: Offers convenience and flexibility, with the package including a seat to the Oct. 7 friendly against Chivas de Guadalajara, an exclusive pass to a Chivas training session during their Utah visit (time/date/location TBA), and a ticket to either of RSL's two remaining MLS regular season contests, all for $35 (North Goal) or $55 (Sideline).
• OctoberFest Pack: Grants access to all three of Real Salt Lake's remaining Rio Tinto Stadium tilts against Chivas de Guadalajara, New York & Colorado. The OctoberFest Pack can be purchased for just $33 for seats in the North Goal, South Goal and Corners sections, providing a $21 savings in the goal sections and a $42 savings for the corner areas!
2010 Real Salt Lake Season Ticket Packages Now Available
Real Salt Lake has unveiled its 2010 Season Ticket Package, and whether you need to renew or add additional seats, or are looking to purchase season tickets for the first time, Real Salt Lake has what you are looking for. Prices for 2010 RSL Season Tickets will offer at least a 20% discount over day-of-game pricing in all general seating areas, with packages starting as low as $275! The 2010 RSL Season Ticket Package will include tickets to 15 MLS regular season contests and five (5) ticket vouchers for designated international exhibition and other cup competitions in addition to numerous additional benefits, including 25% off all items at the RSL Team Store, special rates on parking, an invitation to the annual "Meet the Team" event, and much more.
Current RSL Season Ticket Holders have until Saturday, Oct. 24, to renew their current seats and can do so by calling the RSL Season Ticket Holder Hotline at 801-727-2702, while those looking to purchase new Season Ticket packages can call 801-727-2700 to lock in their seats for RSL's sixth MLS season. To see the full range of 2010 Season Ticket package options and benefits, visit www.RioTintoStadium.com .
Youth Being Served with RSL Team Store's "Item of the Week" Special
It's all about the kids for the "Item of the Week" at the RSL Team Store at Rio Tinto Stadium, which is offering half-off any youth-sized RSL T-shirt with the purchase of a youth RSL home or away jersey at $50. The RSL Team Store also wants to help you "cap off" your week right during this Friday's "Real Hours" from 4:00-6:00 p.m., when all RSL hats will be on sale for only $12 - a 40% savings off the retail price! With a fresh shipment of gear just arriving this past weekend, the RSL Team Store is once again stocked with all merchandise in all sizes, so there's no better time to swing past the Stadium's Northeast Concourse to check out the full line of officially-licensed RSL/adidas gear.
To get a better look at this week's featured items, make sure to check RSL's >Behind the Shield blog, located at www.RSLtothecore.com. To take advantage of the store's weekly deals and to see the full range of RSL gear, drop by the RSL Team Store during regular business hours: Monday-Saturday from 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. MT. For more information on the Real Salt Lake Team Store - including the $10 shipping offer, phone orders, autographed and personalized merchandise, and how you can get 25% off all your purchases - call the RSL Merchandise Hotline at 801-727-2888.
"RSL on the Air": Tonight's Rocky Mountain Chevy Dealers RSL Coach's Corner Treks North to Murdock Chevrolet in Woods Cross
The Rocky Mountain Chevy Dealers RSL Coach's Corner on KALL 700 Sports will head to Davis County for a second week in a row from 6:00-7:00 p.m. MT this evening, when RSL sideline boss Jason Kreis will join hosts Bill Riley and Spencer Checketts at Murdock Chevrolet in Woods Cross (2375 S. 625 West) for the weekly hour on all things Claret-and-Cobalt. As always, RSL fans are invited to join the trio in person to ask their questions and voice their opinions, while those that can't make it are still encouraged to take part in the show by calling 877-353-0700 or texting 29909. Also, make sure to mark your calendar for future Rocky Mountain Chevy Dealers RSL Coach's Corner appearances at Gus Paulos Chevrolet in West Valley City (Oct. 6), Gene Harvey Chevrolet in American Fork (Oct. 13), and Brent Brown Chevrolet in Provo (Oct. 20).
Real Salt Lake In the Community: Wednesday's G.O.A.L.S. for Greatness Golf Outing & BBQ Cancelled
With a week off from League play this week, Real Salt Lake players and coaches will have ample time to head out and about the Salt Lake Valley this week on behalf of the Claret-and-Cobalt at the following events. Please note that, due to inclement weather slated to hit Utah this week, Wednesday's scheduled Golf Outing & BBQ at Stonebridge Golf Course on behalf of G.O.A.L.S. for Greatness has been cancelled. For more information on any of these upcoming events, please contact the RSL Communications Department at 801-727-2716.
Who: MF Jean Alexandre, DF Tony Beltran, DF Nat Borchers, FW Pablo Campos & GK Chris Seitz
When: Tuesday, Sept. 29, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. MT
Where: Dick's Sporting Goods; The Gateway, 41 S. Rio Grande in Salt Lake City, UT
What: For a second straight year, Dick's Sporting Goods and Real Salt Lake will team up to help underprivileged children, with RSL serving as one of nine MLS teams hosting a special "Shop with the Stars" event. The RSL "Shop with the Stars" date is scheduled to take place at The Gateway location of Dick's Sporting Goods next Tuesday, Sept. 29, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. MT, when RSL players Pablo Campos, Chris Seitz, Tony Beltran, Nat Borchers and Jean Alexandre and mascot Leo the Lion will give 30 children from the Capital Boys & Girls Club and Guadalupe Schools an opportunity of a lifetime. Participating children will be given a complimentary Dick's Sporting Goods gift card before being accompanied throughout the store by the RSL players, who will help them pick out merchandise to purchase.
Who: RSL GK Kyle Reynish & FW Tino Nuñez
When: Thursday, Oct. 1, from 12:30-1:30 p.m. MT
Where: South Towne Expo Center (Exhibit Hall #5), 9575 S. State St. in Sandy, UT
What: The Utah Education Association and Real Salt Lake will team up on Thursday at the UEA's annual convention at the South Towne Expo Center in Sandy to teach kids how to "Get a Kick Out of Reading." RSL's Kyle Reynish and Tino Nuñez will help show kids how exciting reading can be through the "Get a Kick Out of Reading" program, designed to have the sport of soccer deliver positive messages about the value and fun of reading. All of the children are challenged to read a specified amount of time everyday of the school week for one month while parents and teachers help keep track of students' progress.
Follow Real Salt Lake on Your Favorite Social Networking Sites!
Now you can connect with Real Salt Lake through Twitter, Facebook and TXTwire text messaging to get all the behind-the-scenes news and insider scoop on your favorite MLS side. Real Salt Lake is continuing its live, in-game messaging with GM Garth Lagerwey, who continues to provide his entertaining and insightful thoughts to the masses via Twitter and Facebook during the squad's contests. To follow along with future guest Tweeters and receive exclusive scoops, specials, and promotions on Twitter, Facebook and TXTwire, click on the following links to sign up:
Official Real Salt Lake Twitter feed: www.twitter.com/realsaltlake
Click here for the Official Real Salt Lake Facebook page
Real Salt Lake TXTwire sign-up page: http://www.riotintostadium.com/mobile_alerts.php
