Jason Kreis Named First-Ever
President of Soccer Operations Over Real Salt Lake and Utah Royals FC
SANDY, UT (Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025) — The Miller family and Miller Sports + Entertainment (MSE) announced today a new leadership structure for its Real Salt Lake and Utah Royals FC sporting operations, confirming the family’s commitment to and investment in the Club comprised of its Major League Soccer and National Women’s Soccer League teams, as well as Real Monarchs (MLS Next Pro) and the RSL Academy.
Twenty-two months after returning to Utah, Real Salt Lake’s first-ever player and its MLS Cup 2009-winning head coach, Jason Kreis, has been named the Club’s President of Soccer Operations. In this capacity, Jason will support and oversee both teams’ sporting structures and will report directly to Steve Starks, CEO of the Larry H. Miller Company, and ownership. While both teams will continue to be operated independently, this new sporting structure will enable greater development, collaboration, innovation and commitment to building championship cultures.
“Jason’s leadership, clarity of vision, and track record of elevating people and programs will align every part of Real Salt Lake and Utah Royals FC,” said Steve Miller, Chairman and Governor for Real Salt Lake and Utah Royals FC. “Jason knows this community, and I’m confident he will raise our standards and take the entire organization to new heights.”
“We are excited to formalize this new sporting structure for Real Salt Lake and Utah Royals FC,” said Starks. “Jason is an incredible leader who has a championship legacy and a commitment to building an elite culture. With the support of our ownership group, Jason will bring passion and experience to this new role and leverage synergies across both teams while creating a championship culture.”
Kreis returned to Utah in December 2023, as the Club’s Director of Club Operations & Special Projects. In that role, Kreis integrated and streamlined numerous business and community initiatives, while utilizing his nearly 30 years of expertise as a Major League Soccer player and coach.
“My family and I were elated to return to Utah and come back to the Club nearly two years ago,” said Kreis, whose youngest son recently graduated from the University of Utah. “With the Miller family and David Blitzer serving as the community stewards for our beloved Club, the opportunities here are boundless, as is my excitement to continue building and accelerating our development on and off the field.”
In October 2004, Kreis moved from FC Dallas to Real Salt Lake, becoming Utah’s MLS expansion team’s first-ever player. Kreis served as the Club’s Captain, earning the distinction as Major League Soccer’s first-ever 100-goal scorer while donning the Claret-and-Cobalt colors. In May 2007, Kreis traded in the armband to become RSL’s second-ever head coach, a seven-year run that saw him guide RSL to four various Cup finals, and the MLS Cup 2009 title, registering an overall record of 111-87-68 (W-L-T) across all competitions from 2007-13.
In 2014/15, Kreis established New York City FC as an expansion team playing at Yankee Stadium. In 2016, Kreis assumed the reins at Orlando City FC for a two-year run, with the combined NYCFC/Orlando stints seeing Kreis amass a 32W-47L-21T mark. Kreis then spent three seasons at Inter Miami FC, where he was instrumental in the creation of the Academy, served as the second team head coach for one year, and then finished as the first team assistant coach. Simultaneously, Kreis was tabbed by U.S. Soccer to serve as the federation’s U-23 coach from 2019 to 2021 for Olympic qualifying.
“Seeing what we now have at the Zions Bank Training Center, participating in the Utah Royals rebirth, and the support of Miller Sports + Entertainment and David Blitzer and Bolt Ventures, I’m excited to help our leaders all around the Club relentlessly pursue championships. I am committed to maintaining the highest levels of performance we have achieved at this Club throughout history and leading us to new heights and success going forward. We will be elite.”
Long-time RSL executive John Kimball will continue overseeing all business operations of Real Salt Lake and the Utah Royals FC.
Acerca del Real Salt Lake Club:
La familia Miller y Miller Sports + Entertainment adquirieron RSL Football Holdings de David Blitzer en abril de 2025, siendo Blitzer el segundo mayor propietario.
El Real Salt Lake completó su vigésima primera temporada de la Major League Soccer la semana pasada, su quinta temporada completa bajo el mando del entrenador Pablo Mastroeni, quien asumió el cargo de forma interina durante los últimos 100 días de 2021. El RSL es el único equipo de la Conferencia Oeste que ha avanzado a los Playoffs de la Copa Audi MLS en cada una de las últimas cinco campañas, acumulando 15 apariciones en la postemporada en los últimos 18 años, en particular en siete de las últimas ocho temporadas (2020).
La victoria del RSL en la MLS Cup de 2009 representó el único campeonato profesional importante del estado de Utah en casi 40 años, título que precedió a una histórica participación en la final de la Liga de Campeones de la CONCACAF 2010/11. Impulsado por una afición apasionada, con miles de abonados y el grupo de seguidores “RioT”, el RSL inauguró su estadio permanente en Sandy hace poco más de 17 años. Desde octubre de 2008, el RSL ha registrado un balance de 179 victorias, 72 empates y 90 derrotas en el America First Field, con un promedio de 1,84 puntos por partido y un porcentaje de victorias del 65,7%, cifras realmente impresionantes en el panorama deportivo norteamericano actual.
A partir de la temporada 2024, los propietarios del Real Salt Lake trajeron de vuelta la Liga Nacional de Fútbol Femenino (NWSL) a Utah, trayendo consigo al Utah Royals FC. Bajo la dirección deportiva de Kelly Cousins y la dirección técnica de Jimmy Coenraets, el Utah Royals FC busca aprovechar el asombroso éxito de la NWSL y la gran fortaleza del fútbol femenino en Utah.
En 2015, el Club amplió su programa de desarrollo con la incorporación del Real Monarchs. Desde la temporada 2022, el Real Monarchs compite en la MLS NEXT Pro, que conecta las canteras de la MLS NEXT con los primeros equipos de la MLS. Actualmente, más de 60 jóvenes deportistas representan a los equipos sub-16 y sub-18 de la Academia del RSL en la MLS NEXT.
Todos los equipos utilizan el extenso Centro de Entrenamiento Zions Bank en Herriman, Utah, como su centro de entrenamiento diario. El campus de 17 hectáreas incluye cinco campos de césped natural de primer nivel, dos campos de césped artificial cubiertos, una residencia estudiantil y el Estadio Zions Bank, con capacidad para 5000 espectadores. Hace casi 18 meses, el Utah Royals FC inauguró una ampliación de más de 1000 metros cuadrados en el centro de entrenamiento para contar con sus propias instalaciones exclusivas de primer nivel.
Acerca de Miller Sports + Entertainment:
Miller Sports + Entertainment (MSE) gestiona el Real Salt Lake y el Utah Royals FC, el Megaplex, los Salt Lake Bees, el estadio The Ballpark at America First Square y la Big League Utah, y su proyecto para traer un equipo de las Grandes Ligas de Béisbol a Salt Lake City. Más información en millerse.com .
