One of two new teams in MLS, Real Salt Lake, playing homage to European Soccer with its name and logo, will begin playing at legendary Rice-Eccles Stadium, home of University of Utah football and the 2002 Winter Olympic Opening Ceremonies. On April 16, in front of a capacity crowd at Rice-Eccles Stadium, Real Salt Lake played their inaugural home game against rival Colorado Rapids.

The game would be held scoreless until Brian Dunseth sent fans wild with a goal in the 81st minute to beat their rivals in their first home game. That would be the lone bright spot for RSL as the rest of the season was filled with losses and some ties, including a ten-game losing streak through the summer.

RSL, with a record of 5-22-5, finished in fifth place in the West in front of expansion counterparts Chivas USA. The talent on the team is deep with Clint Mathis, Eddie Pope, Jason Kreis, Andy Williams, and Scott Garlick.