5 Things You Should Know About Nashville’s New Professional Soccer Team
There is a lot of excitement around the arrival of Nashville’s new professional soccer team, who are set to start their MLS journey next season. The team - who currently plays in the USL - will still go by the name of Nashville SC.
As is the case with any expansion team in the MLS, there are a lot of questions from Nashville locals about who exactly the Nashville SC are, including what their colors are going to be, who their owner is and what happens to the current USL franchise. The following are five of the more important things to know about the future of Nashville SC as they begin play in the MLS.
Nashville Will Play in The MLS in 2020
The Nashville SC franchise has been accepted as an expansion franchise into the MLS, which is the nation’s largest professional soccer league. There are currently twenty-four teams in the MLS, which are broken down into an eastern conference and western conference. Nashville SC - who is in the middle of their season with the USL - will play their first MLS game next season, which starts in March of 2020.
They Will Play at Nashville Fairgrounds Stadium
Nashville is set to break into the MLS in style as they have a very nice stadium currently being constructed at the historic Nashville Fairgrounds in Nashville, TN. The stadium will be able to hold as many as 30,000 fans and will feature one of the league’s biggest and most expensive scoreboards. Several delays in building have pushed back the opening date of the new stadium, so the Nashville SC will play out of Nissan Stadium until the 2021 season.
The Majority Owner is John Ingram
The owner of the Nashville SC franchise is John Ingram - who is the heir to Ingram Industries and currently serves as chairman of the Ingram Content Group. Ingram has thus bar been very hands on as the team begins its MLS journey, and he is largely responsible for the production of their new $275 million dollar stadium at the Nashville Fairgrounds.
What Happens to The USL Franchise?
If the Nashville SC is joining the MLS, then the future of the USL franchise becomes uncertain. It is important to note that they are two different franchises, so they can operate simultaneously and other cities have done exactly that in the past. Otherwise, the USL franchise may choose to move to another city or discontinue its participation, although there is a good chance they continue to have a separate Nashville SC team in the USL.
The Season is From March to October
The MLS season starts in March and continues through October, and the playoffs take place in November. There is likely to be a lot of excitement and good attendance in their inaugural season, so getting tickets early is never a bad idea. In the meantime, you can show your support to the Nashville SC team in the USL by attending their home games and checking out their gear.
Annette Masterson is a licensed broker with EXIT Realty Bob Lamb & Associates in Murfreesboro, TN. She has developed one of the most successful real estate teams in Rutherford County, known as Masterson Network, that specializes in new home construction and residential listings and sales throughout Middle Tennessee. You can email Annette at mastersonnetwork@gmail.com or call her at 615-896-5656 (Office) or 615-533-1660 (Cell) for more information.