RSL restructures FO

montgjules · 05-02-2006, 05:26 PM

SALT LAKE CITY (Tuesday, May 2, 2006) – Real Salt Lake President and CEO Dean Howes today unveiled the details of a front-office restructuring designed to allocate additional resources to the competitive side of the organization.

General Manager Steve Pastorino’s move to the team’s training facility location at 10376 South, Jordan Gateway now allows him to focus full-time on working with Head Coach John Ellinger to manage the team’s salary budget, administrate to the team’s player development, aggressively attack on-field issues, and scout for talent both stateside and abroad. Ellinger and Pastorino will work hand-in-hand at improving all elements of RSL’s soccer operations.

In a related move, John Kimball now assumes the title of Vice President, Business Operations and will oversee all day-to-day front office issues. Kimball, formerly the Senior Director of Corporate Partnerships for Real Salt Lake, now supervises all sales, marketing, operations, business and human resources aspects for the second-year club.

“We enjoyed a very successful inaugural season on many levels as an expansion organization,” said Howes. “Now as we begin our sophomore campaign, it has become apparent that we need more specific focus on both soccer operations and day-to-day front office maintenance in order to build on that success and take it to the next level.

“This move will allow Pastorino to focus all of his time and energy towards improving our on-field product. By spending all of his time around the team, Steve will then be able to generate a more accurate assessment of what needs to be changed in order for us to improve, and improve quickly. Steve has been around this game and this league for a long time; he will be expected to utilize his soccer knowledge and experience to assess our competitive situation and give us proper feedback on what needs to change in order for us to be successful.

“This restructure also allows John Kimball to strictly focus his time on not only maintaining the success we have developed as a front office, but to strategically find ways to build on that success. Our goal from day one remains; we want to become a world-class organization. John’s local knowledge and leadership has been invaluable to us on the corporate sponsorship side, and now he will bring that same energy, focus and motivation to the entire front office. It’s an exciting day for the entire franchise.”

“I am very excited and humbled that Dean Howes and Dave Checketts have shown this faith in me. I believe that this organization is headed in a very positive direction. What our front office achieved in our first year is the new standard that other MLS expansion franchises will now strive to obtain. I look forward to the challenge of taking this company to the next level. We have been very good up to this point; it is my goal to make us great. I am a local guy with many ties to this great community; I have been working in sports marketing for over a decade and I believe that I have a good feel for what needs to be done in this market in order to provide a positive, entertaining atmosphere for our fans. We have the base in place for success; now we need to build on that base and become what Dave Checketts believes we can be: A first class organization that this state can be proud to call its own.”

- John Kimball, Vice President, Business Operations, Real Salt Lake

“From a team perspective, we are always striving to create environments for our players to be successful – our stadium, training facilities, practice fields, coaching, scouting and much more. I am not satisfied with the results to date, and the process of building is ongoing. This restructure will allow me the time that I need to allocate towards soccer operations. It is the right change at the right time and I believe that overall health and attitude of the organization will benefit from it.”

- Steve Pastorino, General Manager, Real Salt Lake

Discuss.

Rover · 05-02-2006, 05:29 PM

Sound like someone's getting a longterm visit from corporate headquarters.

Maybe we should try a motivational retreat.

dysko · 05-02-2006, 05:33 PM

John Kimball is a stud... he will whip the business end of things into shape in a hurry.

Good move from Uncle Dave. Let Steve P do soccer... that is what he knows. Let John do corporate stuff... that is what he has made his living doing.

AreliusIV · 05-02-2006, 05:45 PM

Not the announcement I was hoping for but any change is good...

Czar Jake · 05-02-2006, 05:49 PM

I like this. Get a Suit doing the business mumbo-jumbo and get Pastorino working more closely with the team. Sounds like maybe they are looking at some roster moves? Just reading between the lines... like maybe Pastorino wants to make some moves but hasn't been close enough to the team to know who to look at or what the needs are? Just thinking aloud.

AreliusIV · 05-02-2006, 05:59 PM

Or, maybe they're putting Ellinger on a shorter leash...

xlyte · 05-02-2006, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AreliusIV

Or, maybe they're putting Ellinger on a shorter leash...

either that or just watching him closer ... trying to figure out why the team isn't winning ... if training routines need to be changed etc.

AreliusIV · 05-03-2006, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xlyte

either that or just watching him closer ... trying to figure out why the team isn't winning ... if training routines need to be changed etc.

That's what I meant...

Old Ska · 05-03-2006, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by montgjules

[INDENT]SALT LAKE CITY (Tuesday, May 2, 2006) – Real Salt Lake President and CEO Dean Howes...
(snip)
Discuss.

Okay, two things that jump out at me here.
1. Isn't Dan Checketts the President? When did that change? And if it did change why doesn't the RSL webpage show it? This suggests to me that there is a fair amount of turmoil in the FO.

2. Pastorino is historically the marketing genius, and since the beggining has claimed relative ignorance of soccer operations. Why relieve him of the stuff he is strong at only to put him in charge of something he has little experience in? That actually frightens me a fair amount and further indicates that there is a fair amount of turmoil at the highest levels. Maybe it is punishment for not managing the marketing side of the stadium effectively. However, this makes it painfully clear that Ellinger and Pastorino's fates are tied together, and the future isn't rose colored for them.

dysko · 05-03-2006, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Ska

Okay, two things that jump out at me here.
1. Isn't Dan Checketts the President? When did that change? And if it did change why doesn't the RSL webpage show it? This suggests to me that there is a fair amount of turmoil in the FO.

This changed before the season ended last fall. The RSL web page doesn't always show the latest information because it is run by the league, not the team.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Ska

2. Pastorino is historically the marketing genius, and since the beggining has claimed relative ignorance of soccer operations. Why relieve him of the stuff he is strong at only to put him in charge of something he has little experience in? That actually frightens me a fair amount and further indicates that there is a fair amount of turmoil at the highest levels. Maybe it is punishment for not managing the marketing side of the stadium effectively. However, this makes it painfully clear that Ellinger and Pastorino's fates are tied together, and the future isn't rose colored for them.

They are taking Steve P out of the business marketing end of things because John Kimball is really that good. He is widely recognized as the top marketing guy in Utah and that means he understand the Utah market. The Utah market is unique in a lot of ways, so putting the guy whom most consider the best mind in the market in charge is smart.

I guess I just don't share your doomsday outlook on this change.