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Richard Piatt ReportingThe Real Salt Lake soccer team no longer has the immediate prospect of getting a stadium of its own, but the players have something else on their minds right now: Breaking a 17 Game WINLESS streak.
The team is more involved, and interested in what's happening in the sports arena than what's happening in the political arena. But there's no question, everyone involved with Real Salt Lake wants a stadium.
As a team, Real Salt Lake is focused on winning Saturday's game. That's one reason most of the team isn't focused on the fate of their new stadium, which is a big question mark right now.
Jason Kries, Real Salt Lake Team Captain: "My reaction was pretty much no reaction. I had no idea that was going on. Like I said, we've got a lot of things we can worry about on the field right now."
They're so focused on breaking a 17-game winless streak that they're not focused on the big political setback that has outright stalled their stand alone stadium.
All along, Real Salt Lake officials have made it clear it needs its own stadium, with real grass, not turf. In fact this team is the last the league is allowing to come into existence without its own stadium.
Wednesday, the Salt Lake County mayor said there were just to many unanswered financial questions about Real Salt Lake. He nixed the approval of 35-million dollars the team needs for improvements at the site in Sandy. For the team, it's a setback among other the other setbacks they're dealing with.
John Ellinger, Real Salt Lake Head Coach: "I'm sure that, like stadiums of the past, they've gone through the same thing we're going through. So, I feel it's going to be rectified."
Still, in the midst of feeling the pressure to win Saturday, the stadium is still on most of the players minds. It's what the team needs in the long run.
What happens next? Nobody is giving up yet. Team owner Dave Checketts will address the situation Saturday.
