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A precedent for an event of this kind was set in mid-January. The New York Red Bulls held a Town Hall meeting with season-ticket holders in an attempt to explain the sudden, severe change in the front office. Gone was head coach Mike Petke, who lead his former club to a Supporter's Shield crown in 2013 and back-to-back playoff appearances.

It was a venom-filled evening. Profanities were lobbed at the general manager, new sporting director and new head coach. Some, fed up with the recent moves, urged the energy drink company to sell the organization.

On Tuesday night in downtown Salt Lake City, Real Salt Lake held its own Town Hall, following its own set of drastic change, which has recently been a constant around the club. President Bill Manning moved on last month, the latest of front office moves that has also seen the departure of former general manager Garth Lagerwey.

Inside the club at 50 West at the base of the Broadway Media building, Craig Waibel took the stage in a bright red sweater vest alongside Andrew Carroll, the club's newly-promoted chief business officer. Owner Dell Loy Hansen tabbed Carroll to lead the club's business side into the future as he further refigures the way he wants to the franchise to operate moving forward.

The intimate setting did not replicate the Red Bull Town Hall of nine months ago. Waibel, who was promoted from his technical director role on Aug 27, was predictably peppered with questions of RSL's inconsistencies this season. The 40-year-old who had a lengthy stay as a defender during his 11-year career in MLS, didn't shirk the tough ones.

He was advised by one fan to give Jeff Cassar more time to make his imprint as head coach, citing the amount of time Jason Kreis was allotted before RSL first turned the corner in 2008. The topic of dealing the club's all-time leading scorer Alvaro Saborio was broached, to which Waibel shot down rumors of the Costa Rican star being a "locker room cancer."

Questions of locker room chemistry were brought up, followed by being asked to pinpoint why this RSL team — unlike those in the last seven seasons — hasn't managed to find its footing. As he's said earlier this year, Waibel discussed the need of formulating a newer, younger core.

A few newsworthy bits:

» Javier Morales: Waibel said he's in negotiations with the 35-year-old midfielder who continues to defy age. The Argentine has seven goals and 10 assists this year. Since 2013, he has 24 goals and 32 assists, more than any other player in the league.

» Luis Silva: Waibel traded Saborio for the 26-year-old attacking midfielder for the ability to re-sign him. The UC Santa Barbara product's contract expires at the end of the season and has garnered interest from clubs in Mexico, as has been reported in recent months.

» Offseason needs: It was clear earlier in the season the club needed more attacking depth, which Waibel addressed by trading for Silva and signing former Boca Juniors star 'Burrito' Martinez as the club's newest Designated Player. However, this offseason will likely be zeroing in on defenders.

Carroll joined RSL as its vice president of corporate partnerships in Nov. 2012. He know oversees business operations at RSL and the club's USL club, Real Monarchs. His other managing duties include ticket sales and operations, marketing, communications, public relations and media and game operations.

The inevitable question regarding the status of the Monarchs stadium surfaced. Hansen and West Valley City entered into an exclusive negotiating window in March for a potential 8,000-seat stadium for the USL franchise. But commercial rules between MLS and its partnership with USL have left the stadium process up in the air.

"We're not saying it's dead," Carroll said.

Monarchs president Rob Zarkos told the Tribune in July the club plans on staying at Rio Tinto Stadium through 2017.

Carroll dropped another hint regarding more change to RSL's stadium. He said there have been "discussions internally" about possibly expanding Rio Tinto Stadium, adding if that decision was to be made, it wouldn't be for a few more years.

Season-ticket prices will increase $1 dollar in 2016, overall a $20 hike from this season. With RSL's season-ticket base around 15,500, that hike alone would bring in over $300,000 in revenue.

"We're looking to sign new players," Carroll said, "and felt like it was important to make an increase, but also to make it as marginal as we can make it."

ckamrani@sltrib.com

Twitter: @chriskamrani