 | |||
| Full name | Utah Salt Ratz | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Salt Ratz | ||
| Founded | 2003 | ||
| Dissolved | 2004 | ||
| Ground | Rice-Eccles Stadium Salt Lake City, Utah | ||
| Capacity | 32,500 | ||
| Owner | Ralph Hansen | ||
| Head coach | Mike Hickman Sr. | ||
| League | National Premier Soccer League | ||
| 2004 | Regular season: 4th Playoffs: Champions | ||
Utah Salt Ratz were an American soccer team founded in 2003 that was a member of the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), the fourth tier of the American soccer pyramid. The team folded in 2004, when the then-new Real Salt Lake franchise joined the first division, Major League Soccer.
The National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) is an American soccer league commonly recognized as being a fourth tier league although it has been given no official designation by U.S. Soccer. Although the league is officially affiliated to the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) and qualifies for the U.S. Open Cup through USASA channels, the league is generally considered to be at the fourth tier of competition in the United States soccer pyramid, behind Major League Soccer (MLS), the USL Championship (USLC), USL League One (USL1), and roughly equal with USL League Two (USL2). It is the successor of the Men's Premier Soccer League, a regional league originally based in the Western United States, which has now expanded nationwide to encompass teams from 29 states. The league's motto is "A National League with a Regional Focus". Some of the clubs are former USL clubs.
Real Salt Lake (RSL) is an American professional soccer franchise that competes as a member club of Major League Soccer (MLS) Western Conference. RSL began play in 2005 as an expansion team of the league. The club was founded in 2004 when the club's first owner and founder was awarded an expansion berth in Major League Soccer.
Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 24 teams—21 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada and constitutes one of the major professional sports leagues in both countries. The regular season runs from March to October, with each team playing 34 games; the team with the best record is awarded the Supporters' Shield. Fourteen teams compete in the postseason MLS Cup Playoffs through October and November, culminating in the championship game, the MLS Cup. MLS teams also play in domestic competitions against teams from other divisions in the U.S. Open Cup and in the Canadian Championship. MLS teams also compete against continental rivals in the CONCACAF Champions League.
Contents
They played their home games at Juan Diego Catholic High School and Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah, and were hugely successful in their brief history, finishing first overall in the NPSL regular season in 2003 and winning the NPSL Championship title in 2004.
Juan Diego Catholic High School is a private, Catholic school located in the Salt Lake City suburb of Draper, Utah, United States. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City. Founded in 1999, it primarily serves the southern portion of the Salt Lake Valley. Situated upon 57 acres (230,000 m2) of former farmland, the school is part of a campus called the Skaggs Catholic Center which includes Saint John the Baptist Middle School, Saint John the Baptist Elementary School, and Guardian Angel Day Care, as well as being home to St. John the Baptist Parish.
