The RSL Way: A Club Handbook Focused On Cultural Developments & Continued Growth

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Real Salt Lake has published what they are calling “The RSL Way.” It is a club handbook designed to connect the various departments within the RSL organization and greater Utah community with the hope and aspiration that the club can operate at its maximum capacity.

The handbook consists of 15 pages and addresses subjects such as Utah’s history, ethics, cultural values, club philosophy, mission statement and creed.

The handbook was created by Assistant General Manager Tony Beltran, with help from General Manager Elliot Fall and numerous other employees inside the organization.

Lost Heart

Beltran took over as Assistant General Manager on December 1st, 2019. He was working alongside Fall, who was interim General Manager at the time, and one of the first conversations the two had was regarding the culture at RSL and how they could impact its revamp.

“We both have such a unique perspective, because we’ve been with the club for so long. And we’ve seen the club, you know, you could say at its peak, and then also during a very difficult period, in recent history as well. To be clear the team has performed on the field, certainly, but for whatever reason, a little bit of the magic, a little bit of the heart has been lost. And I think the fan base agrees with me there, and then I know internally as well,” Beltran told KSL Sports.

Our club does not belong to any one individual.

Our badge, shield & colors reside with the supporters & community it represents. 

Every player, coach & staff member is expected to uphold & be held accountable to the values & beliefs of the following document.

The RSL Way.

— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) January 18, 2021

“So that was the impetus for the document, that was its origin. How do we galvanize or re galvanize the fan base and everybody internally, and how do we make this shift and how do we make it authentic to RSL. Something that’s worthy of the club, even in its short history, so that was kind of the the idea for everything,” Beltran added.

The Moral Compass

RSL has endured countless scandals over recent years and the club is not shying away from its dark past, but rather, is attempting to learn from its mistakes to help create a brighter future.

“So I think it’s about acknowledging everything that’s happened in the past. But again, focusing on on moving forward. You know, there’s no reason to turn from the past disheartened, I think this is about uniting our strength and defending a great future, what we all believe is going to be a great future,” Beltran said.

“So this is our moral compass moving forward. The reason why we’re rolling this out publicly, is so that the fan base can know our moral compass and can hold us to a standard. It’s also for whoever our potential new owner is, as well, for he or she to know exactly who RSL is and the reason why we’re this way, and for them to know what’s good enough and what’s not good enough,” he added.

Pressure Is A Privilege

By releasing this handbook, the club is welcoming added pressure. Everybody that calls RSL home, everybody that wears the beloved RSL crest into the hallowed grounds of the training facility or stadium must now further focus and adhere to The RSL Way.

“We’re going through something that our club has never been through, and we’re in look, we’re in arguably our darkest moments right now. But as they say, you know, the dark night is darkest just before the dawn. So we’ll take the pressure and we will handle it. I know we can, and then we’ll move forward and then before we know it, I think we’re gonna be in brighter days,” Beltran concluded.