Dell Loy Hansen is the owner of Utah Soccer, the organization that oversees operations for Real Salt Lake, the Utah Royals FC, and the Real Monarchs. Through his ownership, Hansen has been a central figure in the professional soccer landscape in the state, expressing a desire to increase women’s soccer exposure in Utah. This ambition was noted by Taylor Isom, who was selected as the inaugural pick for the Utah Royals FC in the 2018 NWSL draft. Isom stated that she loved that Hansen wanted to put women's soccer exposure in the state of Utah.
However, Hansen's tenure has been marked by significant controversy and investigations. On August 28, 2020, the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and Major League Soccer (MLS) began investigating Hansen following allegations of sustained racist behavior. These investigations were prompted by a report from The Athletic that detailed stories from multiple sources regarding years of racist comments and behavior. Following these reports and controversial comments made on a local radio station, Utah Soccer announced that Hansen would take a leave of absence from all operations for Real Salt Lake, the Utah Royals FC, and the Real Monarchs. During this leave, the existing Soccer Executive Group was tasked with assuming all management of the organization.
The controversy was preceded by comments Hansen made on a local radio station on August 27, 2020. During the broadcast, Hansen expressed disagreement with Real Salt Lake players' decision not to play a scheduled game in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. Hansen described the situation as a "moment of sadness" and stated, "The disrespect was profound to me personally." He also discussed the financial implications of the player boycotts on his organization, noting that he would have to cut 40-50 jobs. Hansen later apologized for these comments in a second interview on another station.
As a result of the investigations and the fallout from his comments, reports surfaced regarding the potential sale of Utah Soccer Holdings. In September 2020, sources indicated that early-stage talks regarding the sale of the company were beginning around $500 million. The holdings include Real Salt Lake, the Real Monarchs, Utah Royals FC, and Rio Tinto Stadium. While various entities and individuals expressed interest in the assets, the goal was to sell all assets together. The investigations by the NWSL and MLS into Hansen's conduct and the potential for removing his rights to the RSL franchise remained a focal point of the professional soccer community during this period.
What this means for Roy
For residents of Roy, Hansen's role as a major sports investor means his business decisions and the investigations into his conduct directly impact the professional soccer landscape and organizations that local fans follow and support across the state.
