According to Rebecca Palmer and James Edwards at the Desert News (click here for the original article and all the details),

“SCP Worldwide Chairman Dave Checketts is in ‘advanced’ talks with Utah real estate developer Dell Loy Hansen about selling 49 percent ownership of Real Salt Lake.Last week, Hansen joined Checketts in Columbus, Ohio, to watch Real Salt Lake’s playoff victory over Columbus. Hansen also accompanied Checketts into the locker room after the match to congratulate the team. Hansen is president of Wasatch Property Management Inc., and Checketts believes Hansen’s experience will be a great asset for the franchise.”

According to the Cache Valley Daily (click here for the original article and all the details), “Hansen is known to be a fan of soccer, as in 2005 he was involved in a bid to build a $1.6 million indoor soccer facility in North Logan. Proposals for such a facility were to construct the building south of the George S. Eccles Ice Center, but Hansen later withdrew the proposal to build the facility.”

What do you think? Will local ownership help the RSL brand and soccer or is this more about land development around Rio Tinto? In general, is more than one owner good for a team (like in DC) or is a single owner the way to go? What other local wealthy businessmen would be good minority owners in other MLS clubs? What could their impact be for some of these teams?

-Patrick Beatty