MLS Real Salt Lake

Real Salt Lake Weekly Update

Published on February 10, 2009 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Real Salt Lake News Release


Real Salt Lake Training Camp Update: Wingert Joins, Bhembe Released

The first training camp of the 2009 preseason for Real Salt Lake is ramping up in Southern California, as the first week ended with the squad's first chance to kick someone other than themselves, while the second started with the camp's first comings and goings on the player side. RSL kicked off the exhibition portion of its spring schedule on Sunday evening, when a split-squad dueled to a 0-0 draw against the Ventura County Fusion of the USL Premier Development League. Third-year netminders Chris Seitz and Kyle Reynish combined to gather the clean sheet for Real Salt Lake, while 20 different field players put in 45 minutes each for the Claret-and-Cobalt. Monday was an off day for the squad, but there was still some action in camp, as DF Chris Wingert joined the team for the first time this spring after the breaking of the U.S. Men's National Team's training camp at The Home Depot Center, while recent draftee FW Futhi Bhembe was the first player released from camp.

With three more days of two-a-day sessions ahead through Thursday, Real Salt Lake will build towards a pair of scrimmages that will end the camp this weekend, with the Utah side first taking on defending Chinese Super League champion Shandong Luneng Taishan on Friday before squaring off against 2008 NCAA Men's College Cup participant UC-Irvine on getaway day on Saturday. To stay up to date during the current California excursion and all of Real Salt Lake's preseason trips across the next two months, visit the team's official blog, Behind the Shield, at www.RSLtotheCore.com.

Real Salt Lake 2009 Preseason Schedule (subject to change)

Feb. 2-14: Preseason Trip #1 to Oxnard/Ventura, Calif.

Sun., Feb. 8 - Real Salt Lake 0 : 0 Ventura County Fusion - Buena H.S.; Ventura, Calif.

Fri., Feb. 13 - RSL vs. Shandong Luneng Taishan (China) - 5:00 p.m. MT

Sat., Feb. 14 - RSL vs. UC-Irvine - 11:00 a.m. MT

Feb. 15-16: Off days

Feb. 17: Training at New Park field house in Park City - 2:00-4:00 p.m. MT

Feb. 18-28: Preseason Trip #2 to Tampa, Fla.

Sat., Feb. 21 - RSL vs. opp. TBD @ Univ. of South Florida - 5:00 p.m. MT

Tues., Feb. 24 - RSL vs. opp. TBD @ Univ. of Tampa - 5:00 p.m. MT

March 1-3: Training in Utah (sites/times TBD)

March 4-15: Preseason Trip #3 to Charleston, S.C. - Carolina Challenge Cup

Sat., March 7 - RSL vs. D.C. United - 3:00 p.m. MT

Wed., March 11 - RSL vs. Charleston - 5:15 p.m. MT

Sat., March 14 - RSL vs. Toronto FC - 3:00 p.m. MT

Saturday, March 21: Exhibition contest - Opponent/Site TBD

MLS Jersey Auction to Benefit Soccer Unites Utah Begins Valentine's Day

Real Salt Lake and Soccer Unites Utah have announced that the organizations will sponsor an online auction during the month of February featuring 25 player-worn MLS jerseys from throughout the League's history. All proceeds from the auction, which will launch on Valentine's Day this Saturday, February 14, will go directly to Soccer Unites Utah, a grass roots charitable group raising funds to offset medical costs for Marcia Williams - the wife of RSL MF Andy Williams - who has waged a fight against a rare form of Leukemia since being diagnosed with the disease last summer.

Beginning on Valentine's Day, RSL and Soccer Unites Utah will put up two jerseys a day for auction on eBay, with every jersey available for bidding for seven days. Real Salt Lake's official team blog, Behind the Shield - found online at www.RSLtotheCore.com - will preview each jersey the day before they appear for auction and will also provide direct links to the eBay pages where the auctions will be housed. A full list of the 25 jerseys available for auction is available by clicking here or visiting the Behind the Shield blog.

This MLS jersey auction is just the latest effort by Soccer Unites Utah and the American soccer community at large to assist the Williams family during these difficult times. Please visit www.SoccerUnitesUtah.com for more ways in which you can help assist the Williams family.

Rio Tinto Stadium Launches Veritix' Innovative FlashSeats™ Technology

Utah's world-class sports and entertainment venue, Rio Tinto Stadium, has partnered with Veritix, the industry leader in end-to-end electronic ticketing and relationship marketing applications, to provide its revolutionary FlashSeats™ paperless ticketing technology for several Stadium events. FlashSeats™ will launch in time for the 2009 Real Salt Lake regular-season, allowing Rio Tinto Stadium and RSL to present a convenient paperless method of ticket delivery to the venue's customers and fans. The FlashSeats™ website for purchasing tickets to the Eagles' May 9 concert - the first ever concert at the new Sandy venue - is now live at riotintostadium.flashseats.com, while the opportunity for customers to digitally manage tickets for other Rio Tinto Stadium events will be added in the near future.

Veritix' innovative Flash Seats™ paperless technology eliminates the need for a ticket holder to carry a paper ticket for venue access. Instead, customers enter one or more credit card numbers into an online account, and use any of those as identification to enter the event. Upon arriving at Rio Tinto Stadium - the first MLS venue to provide the Flash Seats™ system - customers simply swipe their credit card through a hand-held device, which prints a colorful, commemorative seat locator. The entire process allows fans quick access into the Stadium without the concern of forgotten, lost or stolen tickets, offering for the first time an end-to-end paperless ticketing method to customers in both the primary and secondary marketplaces.

For more details on Flash Seats™ technology at Rio Tinto Stadium visit www.RioTintoStadium.com.

Secure Your Spot for Opening Night this April with a 2009 RSL Season Ticket Package

The best way to get ready for Real Salt Lake's fifth MLS season - and currently the only way to secure tickets for opening night at Rio Tinto Stadium on April 2 against the Columbus Crew - is to become a Real Salt Lake Season Ticket holder. RSL Season Ticket packages for the club's first full season at its new Sandy home start at just $300, with benefits including:

- Tickets to RSL's 15 MLS regular season games, the 2009 MLS All-Star Game and additional exhibitions (TBA)

- First right of refusal for additional events taking place at Rio Tinto Stadium throughout 2009

- 25% off all merchandise purchased at the RSL Team Store at Rio Tinto Stadium

- A group rate for any additional tickets to RSL matches

- An invitation to the annual RSL Meet the Team event

- Access to a Personal Account Service Manager

- A free RSL gift (TBD)

For more information on how to become an RSL Season Ticket holder in time for kickoff this spring, contact the RSL Front Office at 801-727-2701 or visit www.RioTintoStadium.com.

RSL Team Store "Item of the Week": RSL Training Jersey Comes with Free T-Shirt!

The Real Salt Lake Team Store at Rio Tinto Stadium (located on the east side of the stadium at 9256 S. State Street in Sandy) is making its "Item of the Week" a two-for-one special, as anyone who purchases the official RSL/adidas training jersey at the retail price of $45 will get their choice of any RSL short-sleeve T-shirt in stock for FREE (up to a $20 value), a deal that will run through the close of business this Saturday, Feb. 14. To take advantage of this deal, and to see the full range of officially licensed RSL and adidas merchandise, drop by the RSL Team Store during regular business hours: Monday-Saturday from 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. MT. In addition, the RSL Team Store will be open for business during its regular hours on Presidents' Day next Monday, Feb. 16.

The RSL Team Store is also still chock-full of gear that will keep you warm and toasty during the remaining winter months, including long-sleeve home and away jerseys, scarves, fleece blankets and hooded sweatshirts. As always, fans are also invited to drop by for "Real Hours" every Friday from 4:00-6:00 p.m., with this week's special helping you get "committed to your core" by featuring the RSL Core Workout Ball for 50% off! For more information on the Real Salt Lake Team Store - including $10 shipping, phone orders, autographed and personalized merchandise, and how you can get 25% off your purchases - call the RSL Merchandise Hotline at 801-727-2888.

Tickets for the Eagles May 9th Concert at Rio Tinto Stadium Now on Sale to the Public

Following the success of their No. 1 album, Long Road Out of Eden, the Eagles will perform live at Sandy's state-of-the-art Rio Tinto Stadium in the venue's first-ever concert on Saturday, May 9, with the show beginning at 8:00 p.m. MT. Tickets for the historic concert - marking the Eagles' final appearance in the United States before the launch of their European tour - are now on sale to the public for $50-$175, and can be purchased online at www.RioTintoStadium.com, or in person at Rio Tinto Stadium via the west side box office or the RealTix ticket kiosks located in the west/VIP lobby and RSL Team Store from Monday-Friday from 10:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m. MT. For more information, including how to purchase handicap-accessible seating, please call the customer service call center at 888-4RSLTIX (888-477-5849).

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Major League Soccer Stories from February 10, 2009


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