Season ticket holder op-ed: Dick Smith

DICK SMITH, USA RUGBY CO-FOUNDER, US RUGBY HALL-OF-FAMER AND UTAH WARRIORS SEASON TICKET HOLDER –

It is said by some that rugby is the game they play in heaven. In 1964, when I was first introduced to rugby, I had no idea this was the case. I just knew that the speed, fluidity, controlled violence and post-game camaraderie made rugby the ideal sport for me. Over the next few decades, I devoted myself to building US rugby from the ground up; I started first with the Chicago Lions and culminating the formation of the United States of America Rugby Football Union in 1975. As I coordinated US rugby’s “Continental Congress” and affixed my name to the USARFU Charter, it was my hope to one day see rugby introduced to a wider American audience, with world-class athletes bringing this incredible game to the masses. Purchasing our Utah Warriors season tickets was the fruition of that long-held dream.

As an “elder statesman” of US rugby, I find it enormously gratifying to see that Major League Rugby is expanding the scope and reach of not just the game of rugby, but the culture of rugby.  Whether collegiate, club or professional, rugby teams today are committed to community outreach and community service, supporting everything from wheelchair rugby to the Special Olympics to those serving in our military and their families. Additionally, MLR teams, the Warriors included, are offering youth and touch rugby camps and clinics, bringing the sport and its values of inclusion, diversity, sportsmanship and camaraderie to fans, both new and old.

If you’re looking for more bang for your sports entertainment buck, look no further than season tickets for the Utah Warriors. If you’re looking for a sporting event that’s both safe and fun and affordable for an entire family, bring your family to a Warriors game. New to the sport? The folks in the neighboring seats will be happy to fill you in on the basic rules – just be prepared for them to go on at length about why they love rugby so much. And, of course, if you sit next to me, I might take you back to that day in March of 1964 when I fell in love with the game they play in heaven… and in Utah.

ABOUT DICK SMITH:

Dick and his wife Carolie live in Sandy. They’ve been married for 35 years and have a family that includes four grown children and five grandchildren. Dick spent more than 50 years in the securities business, recently retiring as CEO of the municipal bond firm he founded, RW Smith & Associates. He was inducted into the US Rugby Hall of Fame in 2013. Dick has been a Utah Warriors season ticket holder since the inaugural season in 2018.