David Blitzer, the owner of the National Basketball Association (NBA) franchise, Philadelphia 76ers and Ryan Smith, the owner of Utah Jazz, have purchased the Major League Soccer’s franchise Real Salt Lake in an enormous deal. In this deal with Blitzer and Smith Entertainment Group (SEG), the ownership rights of RSL and Real Monarchs of the USL championship are included. The associate properties of the aforementioned clubs are also sold in this deal such as Rio Tinto Stadium, Zions Bank Training Center and RSL Academy in Herriman, Utah.
Following this agreement, Blitzer has been appointed as the governor and SEG, the alternate governor of the MLS club. Along with Blitzer and SEG, Arctos Sports also joins as a limited partner in the ownership group of Real Salt Lake.
On this huge deal, David Blitzer said, “My family and I are thrilled to partner with Ryan Smith and his SEG team on the acquisition of Real Salt Lake. Ryan’s track record with Qualtrics as a technology innovator and leader in the state of Utah made his SEG group the ideal partner. Together, we look forward to leveraging our experiences to take Real Salt Lake to even greater heights. Real Salt Lake is a world-class club with an amazing fanbase, strong infrastructure and a longstanding commitment to the Utah community. We will work to build upon the legacy and tradition of Real Salt Lake by investing not only in the team and its facilities but also in the communities our team serves. We have the opportunity to use Real Salt Lake’s unique platform to drive positive change on the pitch, in the local community and across Utah. We are excited and honored to be a part of what the future holds.”
Ryan Smith also appreciated this partnership and said, “My wife Ashley and I are 100% committed to the State of Utah. As my partners and I looked to expand SEG, it was clear that Real Salt Lake is an amazing asset for Utah, exemplifies the way we want to invest and be involved here, and David Blitzer is the perfect partner. David has world-class soccer experience, is a person of integrity, and has a strong commitment to elevate the organizations and communities he is invested in. There is an incredible soccer community here in Utah from youth and outreach programs to the passionate RSL supporters and fans. We look forward to continuing to work with the region and state to do big things with professional sports.”
MLS Commissioner Don Garber also commented on this undertaking and said, “The combination of David Blitzer and Ryan Smith’s SEG form a dream partnership for Real Salt Lake. David and Ryan’s teams have become synonymous with how athletics and community intersect, as they have demonstrated leading world-class organizations outside of professional soccer. Both understand the tremendous value that sports teams bring to a community, and they are deeply committed to Utah. This is a proven ownership group that brings resources and experience to elevate every aspect of the RSL organization.”
This humongous deal enhanced the brand value and stance of all the concerned signatories and will result in the huge development of the veteran MLS club.