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THE TEAMS
Professional sports bring year-round big league-action to Music City from the first pitch to the last dropped puck.
National Football League: Tennessee Titans – Tennessee’s franchise team is one of 31 teams participating in the prestigious National Football League (NFL). In 1999, the team moved into the new 68,800-seat coliseum located on the east bank of the Cumberland River downtown, known as LP Field after sponsor Louisiana Pacific.
National Hockey League: Nashville Predators – Music City has taken to the “Preds” following the team’s debut in the Sommet Center in 1998. Nashville has matured into a solid franchise, known for its hard-hitting, never-give-up style of hockey as well as its supportive and boisterous fans.
Pacific Coast League Baseball: Nashville Sounds – The 2005 PCL Champion Nashville Sounds call Greer Stadium home. The professional baseball team has operated since 1978. The Nashville Sounds is a AAA affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers and member of the 16-team Pacific Coast League.
American Basketball Association: Nashville Broncs – The American Basketball Association returned to Nashville in November 2008. Home games are played at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium.
THE EVENTS
Big-ticket events turn the national and international sporting spotlight on Nashville throughout the year. Professional, amateur and college athletics all bolster Nashville’s profile as a sports town to be reckoned with. The 2008-2009 events calendar is already full with more events being announced every week.
Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl – Pitting a Southeastern Conference team against an ACC rival, the nationally televised post-season matchup is in its twelfth year.
NCAA Basketball – Men’s and Women’s NCAA First and Second rounds have been hosted here. The NCAA Women’s Final Four will be held in Nashville in 2014.
Country Music Marathon and ½ Marathon – (April 25, 2009) A full 26-mile and half 13-mile courses let the more than 12 pros and thousands of weekend runners run Music City every spring. Sporting a uniquely Nashville touch, the Country Music Marathon features over 50 live bands, 28 high school cheer squads along the race course, and welcomes the field home with a postrace concert by a country music superstar.
68th Running of the Iroquois Steeplechase – (Second Saturday in May) The nation’s oldest, continuously-run, weight-for-age steeplechase. A seven-race card with the featured Iroquois Memorial benefits the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt and features some of the most elaborate tailgating in the city. The race is held at Percy Warner Park.
John Merritt Classic Weekend – (Labor Day Weekend) Held in tandem with the Music City Jazz, Blues & Heritage Festival, Tennessee State University (TSU) will also host the John Merritt Classic, which pits the football teams (and marching bands) of two historically black colleges against each other in this game honoring the legendary TSU coach. The action takes place downtown at LP Field.
THE FACILITIES
World-class facilities make great venues for fans and players alike. In addition to pro and college fields, ice rinks and baseball diamonds, Nashville is in the heart of NASCAR country. With three tracks in and around the city, Nashville can accommodate stock car and open wheel racing, as well as drag racing and funny cars.
Sommet Center – The 20,000-seat multipurpose arena opened in the winter of 1996. The Sommet is home to the NHL Nashville Predators and has hosted a variety of significant sporting and musical events, including the World Figure Skating Championships, NCAA and SEC basketball tournaments and the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.
Centennial Sportsplex – Complex housing an indoor aquatic center with an Olympic- size, 50 meter pool and a recreational pool; a tennis tournament complex with 16 lighted outdoor courts plus a 2,600-seat stadium. Housing what was originally the city’s only ice rink, Centennial is now one of four ice rinks in the city and is the practice site for the NHL Nashville Predators.
Nashville Superspeedway – Nashville Superspeedway has hosted its share of Busch Cup Series and Indy car racing events. The Superspeedway is a 40,000 seat state-of-theart facility in nearby Lebanon.
Fairgrounds Speedway – Rated the NASCAR “Number One Short Track in America,” the Tennessee Fairgrounds is home to weekly NASCAR Winston Racing Series March through September. “The Fairgrounds” served as training grounds for such NASCAR standouts as Darrell Waltrip and Sterling Marlin.
Music City Raceway – Serving Nashville’s speed lovers for more than 50 years with NHRA championship drag racing, Music City Raceway is Nashville’s playground of power.
Allen Arena at Lipscomb University – State-of-the-art arena with 5,000 permanent seats and up to 13,000 square feet of floor space. Glass enclosed hospitality suite and seven luxury suites on-site.
LP Field – One of the premier sports and entertainment facilities in the country, LP Field is home to the NFL Tennessee Titans in addition to the Tennessee State University football team, Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl and the annual CMA Music Festival. The stadium has 68,900 seats, 176 luxury suites, two 13,000-square-foot club lounges for a total of 26,000 square feet of event space, plus large expanses of parking area that can be tented.
Curb Event Center at Belmont University – This 5,000-seat facility features permanently mounted Triax video installation, digital sound and lighting, 1,800 threephase amps on the floor, 40’x 60’ staging and in-house catering.
Gentry Center – The Howard C. Gentry Complex, on the campus of Tennessee State University, includes an arena with 10,000 permanent seats and 24,090 square feet of exhibit space. A portable stage is available.
Memorial Gym – Located on Vanderbilt University’s campus, the gymnasium was built in 1952 as a memorial to Vanderbilt men and women who served in the armed forces during World War II. Renovation completed in spring 2002 added a new practice gym with three courts and new office space for men’s and women’s basketball. The gym seats approximately 14,100.
COLLEGE SPORTS
Before the pros came to play in Nashville, Music City was a college sports town, with cross-town traditions and interconference rivalries running deep through the area’s 16 colleges and universities. Nashville still loves its college sports. Vanderbilt University takes pride in its Southeastern Conference (SEC) teams. Tennessee State University, Belmont University and Lipscomb University play Division 1-A basketball.
PLAYING IN MUSIC CITY'S GREAT OUTDOORS
For those who’d rather get into the game than just watch it, Nashville’s four resort golf courses feature 108 holes of championship play. The city also offers golfers more than 14 public courses. Travelers looking for more wild in their greens will find an extensive network of public parks within the metro city limits perfect for hiking, running, horseback riding and exploring. Fishing, hunting, boating, hiking, water sports and camping also lie nearby, with boat and water recreation equipment rentals available on Percy Priest and Old Hickory lakes.
Click on any of the linked Press Kit pieces below to view.
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