How Nashville Has Become a Sports City

©Journal Communications/Jeff Adkins

When Phil Bredesen became the mayor of Nashville in 1991, he often spoke about the need for creating more “civic furniture” downtown. If Nashville is a house, then downtown is the living room, and no living room is complete without furnishings that enhance its residents’ quality of life.

While that concept may not have been sports-specific at the time, there is no doubt that it would eventually be a key component in the city’s construction. And sure enough, by the end of the 1990s, downtown Nashville had a new stadium and arena, plus an NFL team (the Tennessee Titans) and NHL team (the Nashville Predators) to take up residence.

Suddenly, Music City was striking a different chord, as major professional sports continued to contribute to Nashville’s 21st-century growth. In addition to the longtime Triple-A Minor League Baseball team, the Nashville Sounds, the Nashville Soccer Club joined the city’s pro sports lineup in 2016 before being elevated to the top-tier Major League Soccer in 2020.

In addition, Nashville has since hosted several major sports events, including the NFL Draft, the NHL All-Star Game, the NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four, the U.S. Gymnastics National Championships and the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. And many more are on the way, including the NFL’s Super Bowl LXIV in 2030.

Photo Courtesy of the Titans

“It’s amazing to see how things have changed over the last 30 years,” says Deana Ivey, president and CEO of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. “Sports bring people together. When you have the games or big events in your backyard, it’s a way for people to get together and have some fun.”

Power Play

©Journal Communications/Jeff Adkins

But when did Nashville actually become a sports city? Ivey credits the Predators’ run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2017. Unlike football games, which are held only once a week, the NHL playoff games take place every two or three days over a two-month span, allowing the excitement to steadily build and engulf the city.

“That created an unbelievable environment,” Ivey says. “The community wrapped their arms around the team and got so excited. We had watch parties for the games, and they grew from a few thousand people during the opening round of the playoffs to having 50,000 people in the streets on Broadway and another 20,000 in the arena for the finals.

“That really created momentum for sports in Nashville. The NFL was paying attention, which led to us getting the NFL Draft in 2019. It was festive, with 600,000 people here over a three-day span. Those milestones have changed Nashville into a major sports city.”

Slam Dunk

As a Nashville City Council member from 2015 to 2023, Nancy VanReece had a front-row seat to plenty of these pivotal wins. But in the midst of the excitement, she noticed something missing in the makeup: women’s sports.

Lucky for VanReece and the city, that’s about to change. In 2027, Nashville will welcome its first women’s professional basketball UPSHOT League. VanReece is president and CEO of the new Nashville Vibe, which will kick off its season in May at Vanderbilt University’s Memorial Gymnasium.

“This is going to provide sports entertainment during the summer months when there isn’t as much going on,” VanReece says. “The other professional teams and businesses in the city immediately provided support for this. It’s going to be a new civic asset for Nashville.

“I think this will just be the start of more women’s professional sports in the city. I think we’ll see women’s professional soccer and volleyball within the next decade because of the momentum the UPSHOT League will build.”

Ivey agrees, stating that the league “gives us a chance to enter into the world of women’s sports.” And she sees no signs that Nashville’s overall growth will be slowing down anytime soon. The city is currently pursuing numerous opportunities, including the College Football Playoff National Championship, the NCAA Men’s Final Four and the 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

“We have a strategy to go after events that fit well in the city, and at the times of year that we need events,” Ivey says. “Sports have been a big part of the growth of Nashville, and we know it will be a big part of our future as well.”