Nashville has four professional sports teams and recently hosted matches for a fifth major sport. The sports calendar here runs year-round in a way that wasn’t true 30 years ago.
Tennessee Titans (NFL)
The Titans moved from Houston in 1997, where they were the Oilers, and have been Tennessee’s NFL franchise ever since. They’ve been playing in a stadium at the East Bank of the Cumberland River since 1999, and that stadium, known in its later years as Nissan Stadium, is being replaced.
The new Tennessee Titans stadium broke ground in 2023 and will be a fully enclosed, climate-controlled venue with a capacity around 60,000. It sits adjacent to the old site. Construction completion was targeted for 2027. In the meantime, the Titans continue playing in the existing stadium.
The franchise won the 1999 AFC Championship and reached Super Bowl XXXIV. The team has had extended stretches of mediocrity since but remains Nashville’s most followed sports franchise by casual fans.
Nashville Predators (NHL)
The Predators have been Nashville’s hockey team since the 1998-99 season, playing at Bridgestone Arena at 501 Broadway, directly at the top of the honky-tonk district. The arena opened in 1996 and seats approximately 17,113 for hockey.
The Predators’ playoff run in 2017, when they reached the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time, transformed the franchise’s local standing. The “Smashville” atmosphere during that run became nationally recognized, and the team has maintained strong attendance since.
Predators games are consistently cited as one of the best live sports experiences in Nashville. The pregame crowd spills onto Lower Broadway, the atmosphere inside Bridgestone is loud, and the walk between the arena and the bars is short enough that the evening bleeds together naturally.
Nashville SC (MLS)
Nashville SC joined Major League Soccer in 2020 and moved into Geodis Park at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds in May 2022. With a capacity of 30,000, Geodis Park is the largest soccer-specific stadium in the United States and Canada.
The stadium’s opening was one of the most significant sports infrastructure moments in Nashville’s recent history. MLS attendance in Nashville has been among the league’s highest, and the club has developed a supporter culture faster than most expansion franchises.
The location, at the fairgrounds in south Nashville, requires a bit more logistical planning than the downtown venues, but the stadium itself is well-designed and the atmosphere during home matches has been strong.
Nashville Sounds (Triple-A Baseball)
The Nashville Sounds are the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers, playing at First Horizon Park at 19 Junior Gilliam Way. The ballpark opened in 2015 and seats approximately 10,000.
First Horizon Park is notable for its guitar-shaped scoreboard, which is exactly what it sounds like, the scoreboard is designed in the shape of a guitar. The stadium has been consistently recognized as one of the best minor-league ballparks in the country for fan experience.
Minor-league baseball in Nashville offers a casual, affordable sports experience with excellent sightlines. Tickets are significantly cheaper than major-league games, the ballpark food is competent, and the level of play is professional. For families and visitors looking for a relaxed evening, the Sounds offer one of the better options in the city.
FIFA World Cup 2025
Nashville hosted group stage matches for the 2025 FIFA World Cup at Geodis Park, marking the city’s entry into international soccer at the highest level.
Sources
- Tennessee Titans official site, tennesseetitans.com
- Nashville Predators official site, nhl.com/predators
- Nashville SC official site, nashvillesc.com
- Nashville Sounds, milb.com
- Nashville Sports reporting, tennessean.com