Real Salt Lake Logo PNG
The “Real Salt Lake” logo demonstrated a commitment to the Spanish style of soccer. The club’s graphics reflected its “imperial” status and aspirations for high-class play. This special status was emphasized with a crown and a rich color palette.
Real Salt Lake was awarded as the 12th MLS franchise on July 14, 2004, with rights granted to SCP Worldwide. The club began play in 2005, bringing top-level professional soccer to Utah.
Dave Checketts, a former Utah Jazz executive, led the bid. Inspired by European football, he pushed for the name “Real,” referencing clubs like Real Madrid, despite limited local support for that option.
A public vote favored names like “Highlanders,” yet in October 2004, the club was officially introduced as Real Salt Lake at Rice-Eccles Stadium. The choice drew criticism from fans unfamiliar with Spanish naming traditions.
The team adopted red and blue, echoing FC Barcelona and reflecting local rivalries between the University of Utah and BYU, to unite supporters under a single identity.
In 2006, uncertainty over stadium funding led to discussions about relocating the franchise to St. Louis. The move was avoided after pressure from Real Madrid and public support influenced local authorities.
Funding was eventually approved for Rio Tinto Stadium, securing the club’s place in Salt Lake City and stabilizing its long-term position in MLS.
In 2013, ownership changed when Dave Checketts sold his stake to minority owner Dell Loy Hansen, marking a transition in the club’s management structure.
Meaning and History
The soccer club has two logos. The Real Salt Lake logo emphasizes the royal status and reflects the official color palette borrowed from the “Barcelona” soccer club. Both logos have a similar design but differ in minor details. The second version of the “Real Salt Lake” logo features a silver star in honor of the 2009 MLS Cup.
What is Real Salt Lake?
Real Salt Lake (abbreviated as RSL) is an American professional soccer team, part of the Western Conference and a member of MLS. It was founded in 2004 and is owned by businessmen David S. Blitzer and Ryan Smith. The club is based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Its home arena is called America First Field.
2005
One year stands out in the club’s history: its debut logo did not include any yellow. The graphic sign resembled a blue heraldic shield set in a red-orange striped frame. Inside were symbols important to “Real Salt Lake”: a crown, a soccer ball, and a monogram of the letters “R,” “L,” and “S” in an open circle. The top third of the shield was occupied by the team’s full name, written in an unusual serif font.
2006 – 2009
The debut logo of “Real Salt Lake” is rendered as a cobalt-blue triangular shield outlined in claret-red and true gold. In the lower corner, a stylized soccer ball features geometric patterns in various colors. Above it is an outlined monogram, “RSL,” representing the team’s initials.
The word “Real,” outlined in thin strokes, appears at the top of the shield. The letters “R,” “A,” and “L” are uppercase, and “e” is lowercase. Their size on the Real Salt Lake emblem indicates the correct pronunciation of the Spanish word and eliminates associations with the English word “real.” Above the letter “E” is an imperial crown, a symbol of the soccer club’s special status. The inscription “Salt Lake” appears below the letter “AL”. The font of all inscriptions is serif.
2010 – today
After the team’s victory in the MLS Cup (in 2009), Dave Checketts decided to add a silver pentagonal star to the “Real Salt Lake” logo. While working on the logo, designers made minor adjustments to other details. They reduced the heraldic shield and removed the phrase “Real Salt Lake” and the surrounding monogram “RSL.” The crown became larger and now sits above the letter “R.”
Font and Colors
The crown on the logo reflects the word “Real,” which in Spanish means “royal.” This exclusive nickname is given to all soccer clubs under the patronage of the Spanish monarch. However, the team from Salt Lake City decided to disregard such formalities: they took the name “Real”. They boldly adorned the emblem with a golden crown, placing it directly above the monogram “RSL.”
In the first version of the emblem, the full club name was written in two separate serif fonts. The word “Real” looked regal. Especially original was the capital letter “R” with an extended diagonal leg and the lowercase “e” lying on its side.
Now the shield displays only the club’s initials: “R,” “L,” and “S” as a monogram. The letters overlap, but it is clear that the designers did not use a standard font; instead, they used a custom, old-style font for the “Real Salt Lake” emblem.
The logo is executed in three colors, taken from the team’s official palette. The primary one is cobalt blue (#013A81). It creates a dark background for the crown, monogram, open shield, and ball. Some elements are red (Claret Red, #B30838), and the second is gold (Real Gold, #F5E700). These same two shades are combined in the shield’s border.