What Went Wrong With the Utah Royals

When the NWSL first announced Kansas City would cease operations and be replaced by a new franchise in Utah, there was a feeling of tremendous optimism. Two years later, no one could’ve guessed the Royals would disband and be replaced by a new franchise in, you guessed it, Kansas City. It was a great two-year run, but here’s a closer look at what went wrong with the Utah Royals.

Before allegations of racism and sexism were brought forward, Utah, with their state-of-the-art facilities and resources, seemed like a place any player would want to go. Surely, there are still some players who wish they could stay in Utah with a stadium and fans really only second to Portland. However, the toxic work environment spelled doom for the franchise. 

All of the Royals’ issues start at the top. From the outside, owner Dell Loy Hansen seemed well-respected and revered by almost everyone. But he actually cultivated a toxic environment at both the Royals and Real Salt Lake. He’s finally being held accountable, but it comes at the cost of a beloved (and still new) NWSL franchise. And where does this leave the rest of the people who worked for the Royals? What of those who were complicit in Hansen’s behavior? And those who were powerless to do anything about it, but still tried to build up a franchise?

Dell Loy Hansen has been around for a long time, he’s owned other teams before the Royals. There’s a good chance his behavior has been this way for ages and he hasn’t been checked.

When no one on the inside is willing to say something it creates a trickle-down effect within the organization. While the allegations against Hansen were being investigated, then-coach Craig Harrington was put on leave and subsequently fired. Though no official reasoning was given, sources claimed Harrington was “verbally abusive.” At a time when women’s soccer is growing at a rapid rate, stories like these can seriously threaten the women’s game. 

Once the Royals announced Dell Loy Hansen would sell the team, the question remained, what happened next? Soon rumors started swirling a Kansas City ownership group was trying to bring the team back to the city they left just a couple years ago. And that’s exactly what happened. But that doesn’t mean the NWSL is gone from Utah forever. In fact, the Royals could re-enter the league as early as 2023. This might be the best possible outcome from the NWSL’s prospective.

As a league, the NWSL is running operations almost flawlessly and their focus has primarily been on growth. That’s likely why the team is going back to Kansas City. A team relocating is much different than a team folding, and has a more positive impact on the image of the league as well.  With this scandal hopefully in the rearview, the league will shift its focus to making 2021 the best year yet. 

Featured Image via @UtahRoyals on Instagram

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