The Utah Royals formally announced joining the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) as the league’s newest expansion team in 2024 on the sixth day of March in the year of our Lord 2023. The NWSL is famous for its expertise in soccer as the best league in America.
We have learned that the Real Salt Lake (RSL) franchise in Major League Soccer and the chance to buy an expansion team in the NWSL were previously bought by David Blitzer and Ryan Smith, who now control the Utah Royals. According to Blitzer, when they bought Real Salt Lake last year, the NWSL’s return to Utah was always a key component of their objective.
It is crucial to remember that Blitzer has shares in the Philadelphia 76ers of the NBA and many European soccer teams, notably Crystal Palace of the Premier League. In addition, Smith is the owner of the Utah Jazz, an NBA team.
The Royals formerly competed in the NWSL from 2018 to 2020 for three seasons. Dell Loy Hansen, the previous owner of both RSL and the Royals, sold both organizations after claims of racial conduct and a toxic work environment at both the Royals and RSL. The Royals ceased operations in 2020, and its players were moved to the Kansas City Current, an expansion club in the NWSL that debuted in 2021.
The NWSL will have 13 teams by the time the Royals join it the following season, up from the league’s first eight teams in 2013. According to NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman, the return of women’s soccer to Utah, where soccer has a long history, is a triumph for both players and supporters.
In conclusion, we are thrilled to see the Utah Royals return to the National Women’s Soccer League. We are certain that this expansion will result in new successes and possibilities for soccer.
