Real Salt Lake owner Dell Loy Hansen has been in the media over the last few days for his critical comments aimed at MLS players and now looks to be on the verge of leaving his position.
Hansen announced Sunday in a statement that he has begun plans to sell Utah Soccer Holdings, which owns the MLS side, NWSL club Utah Royals SC, and USL affiliate Real Monarchs. MLS also released a statement saying they will work with Hansen for the sale of the club as well as RSL for the daily operations.
Hansen hit out at MLS players for their decision to protest matches last Wednesday, which led to the postponement of five of the six matches scheduled.
The protests were part of growing movement across the sports world, which saw the NBA and NHL both postpone playoff games, as well as Major League Baseball postpone games as players joined together to protest racial injustice after police in Kenosha, Wisconsin shot Jacob Blake.
That movement included RSL’s scheduled match with LAFC, a match that was set to be played with fans in attendance. The decision by players not to play enraged Hansen, who went on a rant on Thursday criticizing the protest, and even mentioning the possible cutting of jobs within the club.
“We will not be inviting fans back to the stadium in the future, so tomorrow … I start cutting 40 to 50 jobs again,” Hansen said. “We would not go through the risk of inviting people back to have that kind of an outcome.”
“It’s taken a lot of wind out of my sails, what effort I want to put into recruiting players and building a great team. It just seems that’s not a very good path to take.”
Many teams have voiced its support for the protest, with teams continuing to wear “Black Lives Matter” shirts in warmups and several stadiums having banners hung with the saying on it.
RSL is coming off a thrilling 4-4 draw with the Portland Timbers on Saturday, its first match since last weekend.
To be fair they canceled their matches 20 minutes before game time. So he still has to pay all the staff who came to work, and refund all the fan tickets for those who came to the game. The owners worked hard to get MLS up and running and players cancel the game without notice. That does not mean he doesn’t feel it’s an important issue etc. They had all day to give notice but waited until 20 min before kickoff. I would feel slapped in the face too given all the support MLS and the owners have given to the cause. I have no problem with him stating his feelings on the matter. But we live in a time where if you speak your mind you get called a racist and lose your job. I do have a problem with the racist stuff he has done in the past but in this instance I don’t think he did anything wrong even if I don’t entirely agree with his opinion.
Speak your mind and you get called a racist?
Nope. I am an old man who ALWAYS speaks his mind.
if someone called me that it would only be as a joke.
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there is a strong correlation between his past racist history and his current actions and words. For a reason. that reason is why he is leaving
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Appreciate you presenting a balanced viewpoint….
I was closing this out and re-read the last line
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I was NOT being sarcastic there. I appreciate a viewpoint of people that were put out by the last minute cancellation.
My buddy got paid to work the game. so someone was out money.
Thanks for the reply, I totally understand the players point of view. There is a lot going on in the world and these are important issues. However, the decision was made last minute and I think the owner has a right to express his viewpoint as well since he is essentially footing the bill for it all. You are correct his racist past has clouded the issue. People should be able to offer a different point of view without getting labeled.
On the one hand, he’s done a lot to develop the sport and teams in Utah. On the other hand, don’t let the door hit you on the way out.
Bye bye
See ya if I look under a rock someday.
These white owners, loaded with cash, really piss me off with these illogical woe is me rants about being “disrespected” by the protest and “having the wind taking out of his sails” by the teams posture. He needs to step aside and let mature, non-bigoted folks run the club!
Weak-ass donald trump wannabe couldn’t handle being called out for being a piece of sh*te human being.