Sandy • The sun-stained seats around Rio Tinto Stadium were much more obvious than they were five months ago, when they were filled to the brim in Sandy, Royal gold and blue at every turn, scarves hoisted high, hopes even higher. That mid-April afternoon signaled a shift in the Utah sports realm, announcing the arrival of the state’s latest professional franchise, and the people rolled out a worthy welcome.
The 19,203 in attendance on that bluebird spring day turned Real Salt Lake’s red home base pure gold.
Five months later, as Utah Royals FC waved goodbye to its fan base as the inaugural NWSL season along the Wasatch Front came to its first-ever end, it was another sunny day.