Real Salt Lake yesterday announced that the club "had parted ways" with team President Bill Manning "amid a front office restructuring that is being implemented" by RSL Owner Dell Loy Hansen, according to Christopher Kamrani of the SALT LAKE TRIBUNE. Manning, who was named MLS Exec of the Year in '12 and '14, "becomes the third major departure" since Hansen "became the franchise's primary owner" in Jan. '13. Hansen yesterday said that Manning's contract "was pieced together as 'a very hierarchical contract that basically had Bill running all the visions of the team.'" Hansen added that Manning's contract "kept the RSL organization a 'very tight pyramid,' which hampered the franchise's ability to grow into a broader sports organization." Manning said that the decision "was a joint and cordial" one with "no animosity from either side." Manning: "It was different visions and it allows me an opportunity to pursue some other things and Dell Loy to get more involved in the organization." Kamrani notes the restructuring "will now feature Hansen assuming the role of club president on an interim basis until mid-December." Hansen said that RSL Technical Dir Craig Waibel "will likely be promoted to fill an augmented general manager role." Kamrani notes RSL's season-ticket numbers "are nearing 15,500 -- over three times the amount the club had when it moved into Rio Tinto Stadium under Manning's watch" in '08. During Manning's tenure, "annual sponsorship revenue ballooned" from $4M to nearly $12M (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 8/19). Hansen said that the organization -- "growing from 48 to 120 employees -- is too big for the role of president as it was drawn up." He added, "We both came to the decision as the club became more horizontal with more authority diffused through the organization, that that may not be the organization that he would want to lead" (DESERET NEWS, 8/19).
