John Kimball named Real Salt Lake president

Real Salt Lake announced today the permanent hiring of John Kimball as club president, who has been acting as interim president since Dell Loy Hansen announced his intention to sell the team in September 2020.

Kimball was one of the first employees at Real Salt Lake under then-owner Dave Checketts in 2004, and prior to returning to Real Salt Lake, he served as president of Vivint Arena, home of the Utah Jazz.

From a club-issued release, RSL co-owner David Blitzer:

We very much want to acknowledge the phenomenal job done over the last year-plus by John Kimball and the entire staff, as this team of people are obviously committed every day to building a world-class organization, winning championships, investing in the growth and success of the sport at all levels.

From the same release, co-owner Ryan Smith:

John has demonstrated great leadership while running the Club and we’re excited to make his appointment as president official. RSL is an amazing asset to our community and with a strong team on the pitch and a loyal and passionate fan base, we know the Club is in a great position to continue to thrive.

Kimball:

It’s such an honor to work with this Club, it’s amazing fans and our new ownership to carry on the incredible legacy of Real Salt Lake. When MLS Commissioner Don Garber introduced David Blitzer and Ryan Smith’s Smith Entertainment Group as new RSL ownership, we witnessed the immense amount of pride regarding our place in Utah’s sports landscape. We know we are just scratching the surface of what we can accomplish, how we can motivate, and our place in various local, national and international soccer and corporate communities.