Since current Real Salt Lake owner Dell Loy Hansen announced his plans to sell the club, more than a few names have already indicated interest. Hansen's Utah Soccer Holdings company owns RSL, Utah Royals (NWSL) and Real Monarchs (USL).
Hansen is selling the teams on the heels of an investigation launched by MLS into alleged conduct and language in an article on The Athletic.
Toronto FC and U.S. national team star Jozy Altidore was the first to show interest and the co-founder and CEO of Utah-based software company Qualtrics, Ryan Smith, tweeted "I'm in.... they got my number."
The latest name to express that he is "genuinely interested" is NFL star JJ Watt:
Watt is married to U.S. national teamer Kealia Ohai Watt, who plays for the Chicago Red Stars of the NWSL and previously starred for the Houston Dash.
Real Salt Lake started as an expansion team in MLS in 2005 under the ownership of Sports Capital Partners (SCP) Worldwide, headed by former NBA executive Dave Checketts. Dell Loy Hansen became a minority owner in 2009, before taking over the club outright in 2013.
