Real Salt Lake Owner Dell Loy Hansen: I Felt 'Disrespected' by MLS Player Strike

Toronto FC star Jozy Altidore and Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell called upon Real Salt Lake owner Dell Loy Hansen to sell the team after he criticized the decision of players to protest Wednesday night's MLS games.

MLS postponed five matches on Wednesday once it became clear players would decline to take the field following the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin on Sunday. 

During an interview on X96 in Salt Lake City, Hansen was critical of the protests.

"It's a moment of sadness," he said (via Matt Montgomery of RSL Soapbox). "It's like somebody stabbed you and you're trying to figure out a way to pull the knife out and move forward. That's what it feels like. The disrespect is profound to me personally."

Hansen then implied the protests would impact the extent to which he'd invest in the club: "It's taken a lot of wind out of my sails, what effort I want to put into recruiting players and building a great team. It just seems that's not a very good path to take."

RSL legend Nick Rimando quickly condemned the comments:

Altidore and Mitchell then went a step further, with Altidore saying he is part of a group that is ready to buy the club:

US Women's National Team legend Megan Rapinoe was also quick to condemn the comments: 

Hansen owned a minority stake in the club before purchasing a controlling stake in Real Salt Lake in January 2013. He also owns Utah Royals FC of the National Women's Soccer League.