Global Soccer and Sports Leader David Blitzer to Partner with Miller Organization
Miller-Blitzer Partnership Delivers Strong Commitment to Sports and Community
SANDY, UT (April 18, 2025) – The Miller family and Miller Sports + Entertainment (MSE) announced today they have finalized the acquisition of the controlling interest in RSL Football Holdings (the Club). The purchase includes Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer (MLS) and the Utah Royals FC of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), along with the Real Monarchs of MLS NEXT Pro and the RSL Academy. Real estate assets include America First Field, Zions Bank Stadium and Zions Bank Training Center.
David Blitzer will remain the second largest shareholder, forming a powerful partnership with MSE that combines local and global sports leadership in building world-class professional teams.
“We are honored to join the Real Salt Lake Club and invest in the highest levels of men’s and women’s soccer in both RSL and the Royals,” said Steve Starks, CEO of the Larry H. Miller Company. “We are grateful for David Blitzer’s trust, and I am confident our combined experience in sports leadership will elevate soccer within Utah and support the Club’s goal of winning championships. We are proud to join the ‘RioT’ and an incredibly passionate fanbase.”
“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome the Miller family into the Club,” said Blitzer. “We are aligned in our values and commitment to building a great culture and championship-level teams. Our sports teams are best when we have a strong, local partner, and Miller Sports + Entertainment will truly enable Real Salt Lake Holdings to accomplish our visionary goals. I’ve loved my experience in Utah, and this is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our strong fanbase and loyal soccer supporters.”
“The future of Real Salt Lake is in great hands with the Miller organization and David Blitzer,” said MLS Commissioner Don Garber. “The Millers have a long-standing commitment to community, youth sports, and sound business operations, and we have a proven history with David, one of the most accomplished sports owners in the world. Together, this group is perfectly positioned to strengthen the club and grow soccer in Utah and the region.”
“This powerful partnership between the Miller family and David Blitzer will elevate women’s soccer in Utah and continue to build fandom for the Royals FC,” said Jessica Berman, NWSL Commissioner. “Miller Sports + Entertainment has consistently demonstrated commitment to building sport and community both on and off the pitch- aligning with our values at the NWSL – and we welcome this new ownership group to the league.”
Steve Miller, Chairman of the Larry H. Miller Company Board of Directors, will serve as Chairman and Governor for Real Salt Lake, with David Blitzer serving as alternate Governor. Steve Miller will also serve as Chairman and Governor for the Utah Royals FC, with Steve Starks serving as the alternate Governor.
“Our family is excited to join Real Salt Lake and the Utah Royals. We love the growth of soccer as a family-friendly and unifying experience in our state. We are grateful to partner with David Blitzer and the other dedicated investors in building these strong teams,” said Steve Miller.
MSE will also partner with Unrivaled Sports, a David Blitzer-backed network of premier youth sports venues and programming, led by CEO and Chairman Andrew Campion, an RSL Club investor, that enables athletes to develop the building blocks for success. Utah currently has over 190,000 kids participating in youth soccer, baseball and basketball. RSL’s Junior Recreation Program extends to nearly 100,000 active youth players in partnership with Utah Youth Soccer Association.
“Our family’s investment in and commitment to youth sports cannot be overstated,” said Steve Miller. “We remain grateful to promote health and wellness and the value of participating in sports for the rising generation.”
The Miller family and its MSE business platform are pioneers of professional sports and entertainment in Utah and have a legacy of commitment to the community that spans more than four decades. MSE manages and operates the Salt Lake Bees (MiLB’s Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels), The Ballpark at America First Square and Megaplex theaters. Their experience includes long-term stewardship of professional sports franchises, such as the Utah Jazz from 1985-2020, and constructing and operating best-in-class venues, including the Delta Center and The Ballpark at America First Square. MSE regularly attracts and hosts prominent events such as the Olympic Winter Games, NBA All-Star Games, the Savannah Bananas, and Béisbol en Salt Lake.
ABOUT REAL SALT LAKE CLUB
Global sports entrepreneur David Blitzer acquired the RSL compendium of companies in January 2022.
Real Salt Lake commenced its 21st Major League Soccer season this February, its fourth full season under Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni, who led the Utah side on an interim basis for the final 100 days in 2021. RSL is the lone Western Conference side to have advanced to the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs in each of the last four campaigns, amassing 14 postseason appearances in the last 17 years, as well as six occasions in the last seven seasons.
RSL’s MLS Cup 2009 victory marked the state of Utah’s only major professional championship in nearly 40 years, the title preceding an historic run to the 2010/11 CONCACAF Champions League Final. Buoyed by a passionate base boasting several thousand season ticket holders and opening its permanent home in Sandy just over 16 years ago, since October, 2008, RSL’s 179-72-90 (W-L-T) mark at America First Field – home of the “RioT” Supporters Group umbrella – equates to a 1.84 points per game average and a 0.657 win pct, one of the truly amazing value proposition in North American sporting landscape today.
Beginning with the 2024 season, Real Salt Lake ownership brought the National Women’s Soccer League back to Utah, as Utah Royals FC returned. Led by Sporting Director Kelly Cousins and Head Coach Jimmy Coenraets, Utah Royals FC aims to seize upon the overall success of the NWSL and tremendous popularity of women’s soccer in Utah.
In 2015, the Club expanded its development pyramid with the addition of Real Monarchs. Since the 2022 season, Real Monarchs have competed in the “MLS NEXT Pro”, which connects youth academies in MLS NEXT to first teams in Major League Soccer. There are currently over 60 student athletes representing the RSL Academy’s U-16 and U-18 teams in MLS NEXT.
All teams call the expansive Zions Bank Training Center in Herriman, Utah their daily training home. The 42-acre campus includes five world-class grass fields, two indoor turf fields, a residential dormitory, and the 5,000-seat Zions Bank Stadium.
The RSL Community Foundation was established in 2016, created with the goals of being active in the community year-round, utilizing the popularity and reach of RSL, the Utah Royals, the Monarchs and the Academy in promoting health and wellness in children throughout the region, engaging supporters of soccer to raise funds and volunteer time for various local initiatives.
Financing was provided by J.P. Morgan and Zions Bank. The Larry H. Miller Company was advised by Katten Muchin Rosnman, York Howell, and Holland & Hart; Bolt Ventures was advised by Morgan Lewis. Clean Sheet Capital LLC, represented by its founder, Nishant Tella, served as the principal advisor to Bolt Ventures on the transaction.
ABOUT THE LARRY H. MILLER COMPANY
The Larry H. Miller Company is a family investment firm built on the Miller family’s legacy of business leadership, community building, and philanthropic giving. The Larry H. Miller Company oversees the organization’s portfolio of business platforms and companies spanning real estate, healthcare, sports + entertainment, and investments. For more information, visit lhm.com.
ABOUT MILLER SPORTS + ENTERTAINMENT
Miller Sports + Entertainment (MSE) manages Real Salt Lake and Utah Royals FC, Megaplex, the Salt Lake Bees, The Ballpark at America First Square, and Big League Utah and its quest to bring a Major League Baseball team to Salt Lake City. Learn more at millerse.com.
David S. Blitzer is the Founder and Managing Partner of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE), which includes in its portfolio the New Jersey Devils (National Hockey League), top-5 world ranked venue Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, the Philadelphia 76ers (National Basketball Association), and the Penn Medicine 76ers Training Complex in Camden, NJ. He was recently named to the NHL’s Executive Committee. Under HBSE’s umbrella, properties have grown to include an investment in Crystal Palace of the Premier League, five-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Joe Gibbs Racing, the Delaware Blue Coats (NBA G League), the Utica Comets (American Hockey League), the Dignitas e-sports franchise, White Eagle Hall in Jersey City, NJ, the Sixers Innovation Lab and HBSE, a venture fund. On June 27, 2022, Blitzer purchased a minority stake in the Cleveland Guardians (Major League Baseball). Additionally, he is a member of the group that purchased the Washington Commanders in July 2023. Blitzer is an investment partner in FC Augsburg of the Bundesliga and Brondby IF of the Danish Superliga, amongst other international soccer properties. He recently became the first person to hold team equity in the five major sports leagues of North America: the NBA, NHL, NFL, MLS, and MLB. Bolt Ventures, which serves as the Blitzer family-office, also manages a diverse and innovative portfolio focused on other sports, media, and technology assets.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.rsl.com ’
