New Real Salt Lake chief optimistic

Real Salt Lake has a new president, Bill Manning, who says he is already working on "building a winning organization both on and off the field."

Manning took over as the soccer team's president on April 15, replacing interim president Alan Pace.

"I am excited by the opportunity in Utah, and in many ways it is a return to my roots, which is the sport of soccer," he said.

Before coming to RSL, Manning was vice president of sales and service with the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League. He also has been director of corporate development with the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association and has held positions in Major League Soccer, the United Soccer Leagues and the Continental Indoor Soccer League.

Manning was named MLS Executive of the Year by the Washington Post in 2000, when he was president and general manager of the Tampa Bay Mutiny.

He said he wants to develop the Utah franchise into a leader in the Salt Lake area's small business community. The scheduled fall opening of the new Sandy stadium is the major driver in moving the team and its business fortunes forward, he said.

"The main focus is to have a great opening, build the fan base for the new stadium and maximize our sponsorship opportunities," Manning said.

The team is currently in negotiations with three potential sponsors for the naming rights for the team's new stadium. Confidentiality agreements prohibit the team from discussing the ongoing talks, he said.

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E-mail: jlee@desnews.com

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