The Utah Royals are back in the NWSL, making their official return in 2024, the club and league announced Saturday at an event held ahead of Real Salt Lake’s MLS home opener at America First Field.
RSL owners Ryan Smith and David Blitzer will be part of the new Royals ownership structure, via Smith Entertainment Group (which includes the Utah Jazz and RSL, among other properties) and Global Football Holdings (Blizer’s investment group which has stakes in the Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Devils, Cleveland Guardians and multiple European soccer clubs, including Crystal Palace and FC Augsburg). Blitzer will serve as the team’s primary representative on the NWSL’s board of governors.
“When we acquired Real Salt Lake last year, we said it was a matter of when, not if, the NWSL would return to Utah. This has always been an integral part of our mission and a top priority. With today’s announcement, we are thrilled to fulfill our promise we made to our incredible fan base,” Blitzer said in the team’s official release, promising to use their “resources and platform” to grow the game.
The Royals will also have additional investment from 42 Futbol Group, made up of five individuals largely from the business sector. The key name from the group is Jessica Gelman, CEO of…
