Weekly Update: Picking up the pace

RSL Stadium Opening Day Confirmed for October 9 v. New York Red Bulls

Real Salt Lake Owner and SCP Worldwide Chairman Dave Checketts announced on Tuesday that the club has successfully agreed with the Layton-Turner Construction joint venture to accelerate construction in order to accommodate an early opening of the Real Salt Lake Soccer Stadium in Sandy, Utah, allowing RSL to host its final two 2008 regular-season games - Thursday, October 9 vs. New York (8:00 p.m. MT, live on ESPN2) and Saturday, October 18 vs. FC Dallas (7:00 p.m. MT, live on Fox Soccer Channel) - at MLS's seventh soccer-specific stadium.

Season Tickets for the 2009 Real Salt Lake campaign are now on sale, offering the general public its first opportunity to secure a piece of real estate inside the RSL Stadium in Sandy. Current RSL Royal Club Members - 2008 Season Ticket Holders - will face NO additional charge for the two Sandy games, with their seats assigned PRIOR to any public sale. Existing RSL tickets for the October 9 or 18 games at Rice-Eccles Stadium are NOT valid and will need to be replaced, via mail for 2008 Royal Club Members or at the RSL Front Office (515 South 700 East, #2R, Salt Lake City). Fans which have already purchased 2008 or 2009 Season Tickets will have a one-week window of exclusivity to purchase additional tickets in the new Stadium prior to individual game public sale, which commences at 10:00 a.m. MT on Tuesday, Sept. 2. For more information, please call the RSL Front Office at 801-924-8585 or visit www.RSLstadium.com.

RSL Reserves Gain Share of First in West with 3-2 win at FC Dallas

The Real Salt Lake Reserves appear to be taking their cues from the first team, as the squad posted a 3-2 win over the FC Dallas Reserves this morning at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas, to move into a first-place tie alongside the Houston Dynamo atop the Reserve Division's Western Conference standings. After former RSL midfielder Jamie Watson put the FC Dallas Reserves (2-2-2, 8 pts.) up in the 35th minute, Fabian Espíndola would draw RSL even just before the half with a blast from just inside the penalty area that beat Dallas 'keeper Josh Lambo. The RSL Reserves (4-1-1, 13 pts.) would take the lead in the 63rd minute on a goal by FW Tino Nuñez, but Watson's second goal of the match just three minutes later would even the match at 2-2. However, "RSL Original" Kenny Cutler would take back the lead for the Utah side in the 70th minute, and Real Salt Lake would hold on from there to post its fourth win in six Reserve Division contests. The RSL Reserves will return to action in just under two weeks' time, when the squad will face off against the Dynamo Reserves (4-1-1, 13 pts.) in a first-place showdown on Sunday, Aug. 17 at Carl Lewis Field on the campus of the University of Houston.

Chart Chris Seitz's Olympic Adventures on RSL's Behind the Shield Blog

The United States Men's Olympic Team will begin its gold medal quest on Thursday morning (U.S. time), and Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Chris Seitz is giving his first-hand accounts from the Asian continent during his month-long trip with the Stars-and-Stripes via dispatches to RSL's official team blog, Behind the Shield, located at www.RSLtotheCore.com. After Seitz played a scoreless 45 minutes in the USA's final warm-up contest against Cameroon in last Sunday's ING Cup finale in Hong Kong, he and his U.S. teammates traveled to Tianjin, China, on Monday, where the squad will play the first two of its three group stage contests against Japan (Thursday) and The Netherlands (Sunday) before concluding pool play against Nigeria (Aug. 13) in Beijing.

U.S. Men's Olympic Team - Group B Schedule

Thursday, Aug. 7: USA v. Japan - Tianjin Olympic Sport Stadium in Tianjin - 3:00 a.m. MT (live on MSNBC, Universal HD & NBC Olympic Soccer Channel)

Sunday, Aug. 10: USA v. The Netherlands - Tianjin Olympic Sport Stadium in Tianjin - 5:45 a.m. MT (live on USA Network & NBC Olympic Soccer Channel)

Wednesday, Aug. 13: USA v. Nigeria - Workers' Stadium in Beijing - 3:00 a.m. MT (live on USA Network & NBC Olympic Soccer Channel)

Real Salt Lake Schedule, August 7-19: RSL to Host Claret-Cobalt Scrimmage Saturday in Park City

Real Salt Lake will have a second straight weekend off from League play, but that doesn't mean the squad won't be in action for the remainder of the week, as RSL has announced the team will play a Claret-Cobalt intrasquad game at Quinn's Junction in Park City this Saturday, August 9. The scrimmage, which is free and open to the public, will kick off at 10:00 a.m. MT. Saturday's Claret-Cobalt match will mark one of two chances fans will have to watch Real Salt Lake in action during the month of August, with the team's lone home contest in League play not coming until August 29 against Colorado. Fans in attendance can also take advantage of special deals from the RSL Merchandise Department, which will be on hand with sale items and the full line of '08 adidas/RSL gear.

Real Salt Lake's practice and match schedule through Sunday, August 19, is listed below. All RSL practices are open to members of the media and the general public unless otherwise noted, with media availability for all players and coaches to immediately follow each session. Those planning on attending any session can confirm the time and location of that day's training by contacting the RSL Communications Department at 801-924-8584.

Western Union Presents Second Annual RSL-CALLE Street Soccer Tourney on Aug. 23

Real Salt Lake is once again teaming up with CALLE to sponsor the Second Annual Western Union RSL-CALLE Street Soccer Tournament presented by The Truth, this year being held on Saturday, August 23, at Highland High School (2166 South 1700 East in Salt Lake City). Check-in for the tournament is at 7:30 a.m. MT, with the first games kicking off at 8:00 a.m.

This year's 4-v-4 tournament is divided into five divisions based on age - 17 & up, U-16, U-14, U-12, and U-10 - with divisions for both men and women. The entrance fee is $150 per team, with each team needing at least four players and no more than six. Every registered team will receive a registration package including six tickets to an RSL game and a CALLE Premero Ball and cinch sack. The adult men's and women's division champion will receive a cash prize, while the youth champions will receive CALLE gear.

For more information on the Second Annual Western Union RSL-CALLE Tournament, including how to register, please visit the "IN THE COMMUNITY" section of www.RealSaltLake.com and click on the tournament link. Interested participants may also contact Rachel King in the RSL Front Office at rking@realsaltlake.com or 801-924-8586, for more information. To find out more on CALLE, please visit their website at www.callesoccer.com.

RSL Announces Coldwell Banker Summer Soccer Series Clinics in Orem and West Valley City

As part of Real Salt Lake's continuing outreach to Utah's Hispanic community, the MLS side will conclude its Coldwell Banker Summer Soccer Series with upcoming clinics in Orem and West Valley City. The final two clinics in this year's event for children ages 6-17 will be held on Tuesday, August 26, at Orem's Lakeside Park (1850 W. 400 South) and Tuesday, Sept. 16, at Centennial Park in West Valley City (5415 W. 3100 South), with both clinics taking place from 6:00-8:00 p.m. MT. Registration for the Coldwell Banker Summer Soccer Series is open to the public and available on-site at all clinics, but a limited number of spots are available. For more information or to register for an upcoming clinic, please contact Juan Maldonado (jmaldonado@realsaltlake.com ; 801-924-8592) or Rachel King (rking@realsaltlake.com ; 801-924-8586) in the Real Salt Lake front office.