After playing their first two seasons at Nissan Stadium, Nashville SC will open their new stadium on May 1st against the Philadelphia Union.
Nashville lost just 2 games at Nissan across two seasons and had a combined overall record of 20-11-26 (W-L-D) in their first two seasons in MLS. Needless to say, they have been among the most successful expansion teams in league history, winning three playoff games.
They have opened 2022 with 8 away games as we wait for the stadium to be completed. Their first home game in the countries' largest soccer specific stadium will be against the Union, who defeated Nashville on penalties in the 2021 playoffs.
The stadium stands at The Fairgrounds less than one mile south of Downtown Nashville. It is located on 117 acres of land and is in the area which was formerly used by the Tennessee Flea Market. The stadium is also adjacent to the Nashville Speedway, where NASCAR sanctioned events could happen in the future.
Photos from November 2021
Since Nashville was first granted an MLS team in 2017, there has been constant discussion about the stadium. Ground did not break until February of 2020 after the fairgrounds, the club's owner John Ingram, and Mayor John Cooper could not decide on location or price.
Ultimately, the stadium cost $335m which is $85 more than expected. 100% of the funding came from private dollar's through Nashville Soccer Holdings.
In March, the club announced their stadium partnership with Geodis, a global supply chain operator who has their U.S. headquarters in Brentwood. The stadium will be known as 'GEODIS park' and the company will have branding across the stadiums interior and exterior.
In the same week, the club announced a partnership with Valkyrie Investments. The company was added as a founding partner and payed Nashville SC for the partnership entirely in Bitcoin. The newly named 'Valkyrie Premiere Club', an 850 seat premium club at GEODIS park, has been sold out for over a year.
The stadium has an intriguing set of seating options. Here are some of the most interesting:
They have a Corner Kick Section, located in the southwest and southeast corners. This premium section comes with food and beverages including beer and wine. In the southwest corner, you can sit directly beside the team as they enter the field. At the top of the section, there is a private bar. Importantly, you get a unique view from the corner and are close to the action.
Nashville supporters, known as the 'backline' will reside in the the supporters section. At just $20 per match, it is reasonably priced, has a safe standing section, and has a supporter-exclusive bar.
Even in the 200 level seating, you are just 150 feet from the field at the furthest point, something few stadiums can say. In part because of the subterranean field, there is not a bad seat in the stadium.
Needless to say, this is an extremely exciting milestone for Nashville Soccer Club. After two great seasons in MLS, the team finally has a home stadium to continue their success in. The May 1st opening will have a great feel and will be a packed house.
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