Rio Tinto Stadium Attendance Back Among The Best In MLS
Apr 11, 2022, 3:18 PM
Photo courtesy: Laura Dearden of Real Salt Lake
SALT LAKE CITY – Real Salt Lake has played three matches at home this season and all three fixtures have been sellouts at Rio Tinto Stadium.
The RSL faithful is back, following years of empty seats and a lackluster atmosphere. But new ownership, combined with spirited performances under manager Pablo Mastroeni, has reinvigorated the local community.
This week, Real Salt Lake ranked third in league-wide attendance as 20,136 fans enjoyed a 2-2 draw with Toronto.
MLS Attendance this weekend…
Charlotte: 32,496
LA Galaxy: 25,174
Salt Lake: 20,136
Kansas City: 18,852
Vancouver: 16,772
Orlando: 16,051
Dallas: 15,893
NY Red Bulls: 15,734
Houston: 15,414
Miami: 11,472
Philadelphia: No report— Mike Conti (@MikeConti929) April 10, 2022
The fixture with Toronto provided captivating soccer by the hosts as they created a number of clear-cut goalscoring opportunities that they were unable to finish. Regardless, the crowd was loud and full of passion as they willed Real Salt Lake to a result against the formidable Bob Bradley led Toronto FC.
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According to SoccerStadiumDigest.com, Real Salt Lake is averaging 20,063 home fans throughout the three matches played at Rio Tinto Stadium. For reference, the stadium can hold up to 20, 213 fans.
March to the Match had some new leaders today 👀#RSLvTOR | #RSL pic.twitter.com/e63miRT7oc
— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) April 9, 2022
The club currently ranks 10th in the league for home crowd attendance. Unsurprisingly, Atlanta United lead the league in attendance numbers averaging 51, 052 fans per home game.
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It has been a remarkable turnaround for a club that was in constant turmoil under previous owner Dell Loy Hansen. Prior to the worldwide global pandemic, Real Salt Lake averaged 18, 121 fans per home game in 2019.
Real Salt Lake last averaged 20,000 or more fans in 2015. Assuming that Real Salt Lake continues its impressive form and increased emphasis on fan engagement during match days, Real Salt Lake should average more than 20,000 fans in 2022.
Next Match
Real Salt Lake will head back onto the for a date with New York City at Yankee Stadium scheduled for next Sunday, April 17. Kickoff is slated for 11 a.m. and will be available to stream for free via the KSL Sports and KSL 5 TV apps or on KSL Sports dot com.
The next home game for Real Salt Lake is scheduled for Wednesday, April 20, against Northern Colorado Hailstorm of the USL League One. Real Salt Lake and Northern Colorado will play in the U.S. Open third round with the winner slated to qualify for the round of 32.
