JJ Watt, Ryan Smith Confirm Interest In Real Salt Lake If Asking Price Drops
Jul 5, 2021, 1:20 PM | Updated: 1:25 pm
Photo courtesy: Getty Images
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith and NFL legend JJ Watt have pleaded for Real Salt Lake’s asking price to be dropped on social media.
After a fan asked JJ Watt to buy the club while he was in Salt Lake City over the 4th of July weekend, the comments were made.
tell them to drop the asking price a bit.
I want to bring the Royals back. https://t.co/DcxZUAFLiX
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) July 5, 2021
Then, Jazz owner Ryan Smith, who was reportedly interested in purchasing Real Salt Lake last summer, chimed in agreeing with the comments made by Watt.
There you go… well said
— Ryan Smith (@RyanQualtrics) July 5, 2021
Watt’s wife, Kealia Watt, is a professional soccer player who currently plays for the Chicago Red Stars, was born in Draper, Utah. The Watt’s were in Salt Lake City over the 4th of July visiting family, one can only assume.
In September 2020, former RSL owner Dell Loy Hansen was asking for $500 million for the franchise. That was before the Utah Royals was sold as a separate entity to owners in Kansas City.
Major League Soccer took over the sale process in January of this year. Don Garber stated that he hopes to sell RSL “at some point in 2021.” However, it remains unknown what the current asking price is.
Orlando City SC and Houston Dynamo were recently sold for roughly $400 to $450 million. RSL is in a smaller market than both those teams, the anticipated sale price for RSL lies between $350 to $400 million.
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Smith and Watt have forged a friendship through their mutual interest in purchasing the team. Smith was highly regarded as the front runner to own RSL before the news breaking that he bought the Jazz. While Watt was never suggested to be interested in buying RSL, Watt has been very vocal about purchasing the Utah Royals.
His recent comment confirms those thoughts. If Watt and Smith team up to purchase the franchise, Watt will likely do everything he can to bring the Utah Royals back to Utah over the coming years.
The message is clear. Smith and Watt are still interested in purchasing Real Salt Lake, if MLS Commissioner Don Garber lowers the asking price from whatever that may currently be, they will likely further pursue the negotiating process.
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