MLS Real Salt Lake

Real Salt Lake Weekly Update

Published on November 11, 2008 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Real Salt Lake News Release


RSL Readies for Saturday's Western Conference Final at Rio Tinto Stadium against New York Red Bulls

After grinding through a 3-2 aggregate victory over Chivas USA in the Western Conference Semifinals, Real Salt Lake will continue its debut run in the MLS Cup Playoffs this Saturday, November 15, when the Utah side will host the New York Red Bulls at Rio Tinto Stadium in the 2008 MLS Western Conference Final. Festivities at Rio Tinto Stadium in advance of Saturday's showdown for the right to head to next weekend's 2008 MLS Cup will start at 7:00 p.m. MT, with kickoff to follow at 7:30 p.m. The match will be televised live via a pair of MLS' national TV partners - Fox Soccer Channel and HDNet - and will also be carried live on RSL's radio partners - JACK-FM 103.1 and "Ke Buena" AM-1600.

Tickets Going Fast for Saturday's Western Conference Final

Real Salt Lake is looking to pack Rio Tinto Stadium to the brim for its penultimate showdown with the New York Red Bulls in this Saturday's Western Conference Final, and fans can do their part by purchasing their seats for the historic contest in Sandy. Tickets remain on sale and can be purchased either online at www.RioTintoStadium.com, by calling (801) 924-8585, and in person through Friday at the team's Trolley Corners office (515 S. 700 East, Suite #2R) from 9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. or at the Rio Tinto Stadium East Side Box Office from 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

Individual tickets to the Western Conference Final start at $20, with groups of 20 or more able to purchase tickets at various discounted rates. RSL Royal Club (Season Ticket) members will be able to reserve their '09 season ticket locations through the end of the day on Wednesday and have the option of purchasing additional seats at reduced prices. Call, click or visit Rio Tinto Stadium's East Side box office or the team's Trolley Corners office for tickets or more information.

KFC Colonel's Corner Back for Western Conference Final

Real Salt Lake and KFC have once again teamed up to bring the KFC Colonel's Corner to RSL's final match of the season at Rio Tinto Stadium this Saturday. Vouchers to the KFC Colonel's Corner - located in sections 6 & 7 in the Stadium's southeast corner - for this Saturday's Western Conference Final are now on sale for $20 at eight KFC locations up and down the Wasatch Front. Fans are reminded that only a limited number of vouchers can be redeemed in the KFC Colonel's Corner for each contest, so early redemption at the team's Trolley Corners Front Office location (515 S. 700 East, Suite #2R) from 9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. through Friday is strongly encouraged. Vouchers can be purchased at the following KFC locations:

Salt Lake City

6890 Highland Drive 3890 S. State Street 2045 S. 1300 East 555 E. 400 South

Sandy

653 E. 9400 South 10710 S. State Street

Bountiful - 495 S. 500 West

Layton - 747 N. Main Street

RSL Encourages "Red Rally" at Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday

The Real Salt Lake Front Office is encouraging all fans attending Saturday's Western Conference Final at Rio Tinto Stadium to don their best Claret (or Claret-and-Cobalt) gear in an effort to turn the stands into a "Red Rally" for the pivotal contest against the New York Red Bulls.

To help outfit the RSL faithful in red, the Real Salt Lake Merchandise Department will be offering 25-40% off selected items all week long at its office in the Trolley Corners building in downtown Salt Lake City (515 S. 700 East, Suite 2-B1) and at its kiosks located throughout Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday. Deals includes great savings on official RSL/adidas 2008 jerseys, with adult kits selling for $50 and children's sizes available for $30, both selling for $20 off the retail price. In addition, a limited edition red hooded sweatshirt ($40 adult/$30 youth) and pennant ($20) to commemorate RSL's appearance in the Western Conference Final will be available in limited supplies. For more information on the RSL Merchandise Department and their specials throughout the week, please call 801-924-8572.

Early Events Entice RSL Fans to Pack Rio Tinto Stadium for Saturday's Showdown

Real Salt Lake encourages fans heading to this Saturday's Western Conference Final at Rio Tinto Stadium to arrive early so that every seat is full when the contest against the New York Red Bulls kicks off at 7:30 p.m. A sellout crowd is expected to descend upon RSL's new Sandy home for this weekend's affair, and the following events and specials will take place to get fans into the stadium leading up to the match. For more information about the Stadium, including how to purchase tickets and details regarding parking and public transportation options, please visit www.RioTintoStadium.com.

6:00 p.m. - Gates at Rio Tinto Stadium will open to the public.

6:00-7:00 p.m. - The popular Carnival Real pre-game festival will open up to keep the masses entertained leading up to kickoff, with an array of entertainers and vendors on hand to get folks ready for the contest.

6:00-7:00 p.m. - To reward early-arriving fans, Real Salt Lake and Stadium concessionaire Levy Restaurants are teaming up once again to offer a "Dollar Dog" special for the first hour after gates open. All customers in line at Stadium concession stands by 7:00 p.m. will be able to purchase regular hot dogs for just a buck each.

7:00 p.m. - Fox Soccer Channel will begin its live pre-game coverage at its in-stadium studio set, located in the southwest corner of the concourse level behind sections 13 & 14. Fans are encouraged to drop by the FSC set and make some noise in support of the Claret-and-Cobalt as kickoff approaches.

MF Will Johnson Needs Your Vote to Continue Sierra Mist Goal of the Year Bid

Fan voting has determined the top 10 "semifinalists" for the 2008 Sierra Mist Goal of the Year, and the people have deemed Real Salt Lake MF Will Johnson's spectacular full volley from RSL's 3-1 win over FC Dallas on Oct. 18 worthy of continuing on in the election process. Fans may continue to vote online at www.MLSnet.com to determine the best goal of the 2008 regular season. Voting started last month, with fans able to select from 35 regular-season goals, which included the 31 winners of the Sierra Mist Goal of the Week and four additional nominees. Fan voting to whittle down the 10 semifinalists to five finalists will run through tomorrow, Wednesday, Nov. 12. The five finalists will then be voted on from Nov. 13-18 to determine the Sierra Mist Goal of the Year, to be announced by the League next Wednesday, Nov. 19.

To watch and vote for the 10 remaining nominees, click on the link below:

https://securemls.mlsnet.com/mls/awards/2008/goal_of_the_year/

RSL Assistant Coach Robin Fraser One of 25 Finalists for National Soccer Hall of Fame Induction

The National Soccer Hall of Fame has released the list of 25 former players that will be eligible for induction into the Hall's "Class of 2009," a distinguished group that includes Real Salt Lake assistant coach and 10-year MLS veteran Robin Fraser. Fraser is one of 19 players with Major League Soccer roots on the impressive 2009 ballot, from which eligible voters will be able to determine their selections through December 3. The Hall's "Class of '09" will be announced at the National Soccer Coaches Association of America National Convention in St. Louis on January 15. For a full list of nominees on the 2009 ballots for both the Player Election and Builder Election, please visit www.soccerhall.org.

Fraser, 41, was one of the most dominant defenders in Major League Soccer throughout his 10 seasons of play in the formative years of America's top-flight division from 1996-2005 (L.A. Galaxy, 1996-2000; Colorado Rapids, 2001-03; Columbus Crew, 2004-05). The Kingston, Jamaica-born Fraser earned the respect of teammates and opponents alike for his hard-but-fair style of play and on-field leadership, traits that earned him five nods to MLS' Best XI Team (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2004) and a pair of MLS Defender of the Year Awards in 1999 and 2004.

The Board of Directors of the National Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum revamped the threshold for the election of recently retired players this past August, as now nominees listed on 66.7% of the ballots will be elected to the Hall of Fame (previously 75%). If there is a tie for most points, all those tied will be elected to the Hall of Fame, Voters in the annual Player Election include:

- Selected members of the media,

- Hall of Famers,

- Past and present U.S. Men's and Women's National Team coaches and select MLS coaches, and

- Selected MLS, WPS, and U.S. Soccer administrators.

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Major League Soccer Stories from November 11, 2008


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