Most years, an MLS team would be disappointed by an 11-12-7 regular-season record. That wasn't the case for Real Salt Lake. In 2009, RSL rode that very record to the final spot in the MLS playoffs. Embracing a "Team is the star" philosophy, the squad banded together and swept through the playoffs, besting some of the league's top franchises to capture their first ever MLS Cup. Ever since, the team has been a Western Conference powerhouse behind head coach Jason Kreis, who started his career at Real Salt Lake as team captain before trading his captain's armband for a coach's sense of accountability. Real Salt Lake plays their home games in Rio Tinto Stadium, a 20,000-spectator facility that opened its massive doors in 2008 with advanced technology that includes a 60-foot video screen and LED video ribbons stretching 200 feet across both sidelines.
