Nashville Sounds: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 23:52, 23 April 2026

The Nashville Sounds are a Minor League Baseball team competing in the International League as the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers.^[1] They're named after the city's deep connection to music, specifically the "Nashville sound", a country music subgenre that emerged here in the mid-1950s. Nashville's oldest active professional sports franchise, period. Founded in 1978, the team has become one of the most reliably attended squads in Triple-A baseball, playing home games at First Horizon Park in Germantown. After finishing their 48th season in 2025, the Sounds have played 6,725 regular-season games with a record of 3,490–3,233–2 (.519).

Founding and Early History

Larry Schmittou and his group of investors purchased expansion rights in the Double-A Southern League back in 1978, establishing the Nashville Sounds. Schmittou had coached the Vanderbilt baseball team and was already woven into Nashville's baseball fabric. He drove the push to bring professional baseball back to the city, tapping into a long history: the Nashville Americans played in the original Southern League from 1885 to 1886 at Sulphur Spring Park, later called Athletic Park and Sulphur Dell.

The franchise's name came straight from Music City's identity. Country legends like Larry Gatlin, Jerry Reed, Conway Twitty, and Richard Sterban (bass singer of the Oak Ridge Boys) became stockholders. Schmittou and general manager Farrell Owens landed the Cincinnati Reds as a Major League Baseball affiliate after meeting with Sheldon "Chief" Bender, Cincinnati's farm director, at the 1976 Winter Meetings. The Sounds played their first game on April 15, 1978, against the Memphis Chicks at Memphis' Tim McCarver Stadium. They lost, 4–2.

The 1978 expansion team led all of Minor League Baseball in attendance from day one. Over their seven seasons in the Southern League, they drew bigger crowds than anyone else year after year. Their original logo, used from 1978 into 1998, showed a mustachioed player nicknamed "Slugger" swinging a guitar instead of a bat, with G-clef letters spelling out the team name and an eighth-note cap logo.

After two seasons with Cincinnati, things changed. In 1980, the Sounds switched to become the Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees. This sparked the most successful period in franchise history. Five straight winning seasons. Five straight second-half Western Division titles. Five straight postseason berths. Manager Stump Merrill's 1980 Sounds team posted a franchise-best 97–46 record. Nashville set the league season attendance record that year: 575,676 fans showed up at Herschel Greer Stadium.

Championships and Competitive Milestones

Six consecutive second-half division titles from 1979 to 1984. Two Southern League championships, too: 1979 as Cincinnati's Double-A affiliate, and 1982. The 1982 Sounds, managed by Johnny Oates, finished 77–67 and won the second half. They beat the Knoxville Blue Jays, 3–1, in the Western Division finals, then took the Jacksonville Suns 3–1 in the league championship series. That's the franchise's second Southern League title.

Before the 1985 season, Schmittou and the owners purchased the Triple-A Evansville Triplets from the American Association and relocated them to Nashville. The move bumped the franchise up to Triple-A, where it's stayed ever since. In 1987, Nashville rejoined Cincinnati's organization this time as the Reds' Triple-A affiliate. Over the next three seasons, fans watched future members of Cincinnati's 1990 World Series championship team develop right there.

1990 was special. The Sounds drew 605,122 fans to Greer Stadium, an all-time record. They compiled an 86–61 record under manager Pete Mackanin. After tying the Buffalo Bisons in the regular season, they won the Eastern Division title in a one-game playoff. They made their first American Association championship series but fell to the Omaha Royals.

The Sounds joined the Triple-A Pacific Coast League in 1998 after that league dissolved following 1997. Their sole Pacific Coast League crown came in 2005. Manager Frank Kremblas led them to win the American Conference Northern Division title, then the conference title over the Oklahoma RedHawks, three games to two. They swept Tacoma, 3–0, to capture the Pacific Coast League championship. That's Nashville's first Triple-A championship since moving up in 1985 and their first since the 1982 Southern League crown.

Greer Stadium witnessed something remarkable on August 6 and 7, 1988. Back-to-back no-hitters. First, Indianapolis' Randy Johnson and Pat Pacillo combined on a no-hitter that Nashville beat them anyway. The next night, Jack Armstrong pitched the third no-hitter in franchise history, a 4–0 Sounds victory.

Herschel Greer Stadium

From 1978 through 2014, the Sounds called Herschel Greer Stadium home. The Metro Parks Board leased Schmittou the site of Nashville's former softball fields at Fort Negley, a Civil War fortification two miles south of downtown. That $1.5 million ballpark was named in honor of Herschel Lynn Greer, a prominent Nashville businessman and president of the Nashville Vols.

In 1993, the stadium got one of its most beloved additions: a guitar-shaped scoreboard. Pure Nashville. The Sounds played their final season at Greer in 2014 with the hashtag #LastCheerAtGreer. The last home game on August 27, 2014, drew a standing room only crowd. The stadium was demolished in 2019.

Over 36 years, millions of Nashville fans passed through Greer Stadium's gates to watch some of minor league baseball's greatest moments. One that stands out: the 1994 visit by Birmingham Barons outfielder Michael Jordan during his famous baseball sabbatical.

First Horizon Park

Two big things happened before the 2015 season: the Sounds moved into a brand new First Horizon Park (built on the same grounds as Sulphur Dell, returning baseball to its historic home) and switched to the Oakland Athletics organization.

On April 17, 2015, First Horizon Park opened to a sellout crowd of 10,459. The franchise's 38th season was a smashing success. With 19 sellouts in 71 games, total attendance hit 565,548, the highest the Sounds drew in the previous 25 years. Former mayor Karl Dean pushed the stadium proposal. The Nashville Metro Council approved funding. Populous and Hastings Architectural Associates designed it. Barton Malow and Bell & Associates Construction built it.

The park got its name "First Horizon Park" in January 2020. It sits at 19 Junior Gilliam Way with roughly 10,000 seats and dimensions of 330 feet in left field, 403 feet in center, and 310 feet in right.

The most striking feature pays direct tribute to Music City's heritage. Beyond the right-center field wall sits an HD LED scoreboard measuring 4,200 square feet, one of the largest in minor league baseball. It's shaped like a guitar. The line score runs down the neck, a nod to the guitar scoreboard at old Greer Stadium. In 2021, Nashville led all of Minor League Baseball in both total attendance (436,868) and average attendance (6,721). They did it again in 2022 with 555,576 total fans.

The park hosts more than just baseball. MLB Home Run Derby X came to First Horizon Park on August 31, 2024. Four teams of three competed, racking up points for home runs and balls that fell short of the wall. Pedro Álvarez, Andruw Jones, Nick Swisher, and Manny Ramirez all participated.

Recent Seasons and Outlook

Nashville switched to the Texas Rangers organization in 2019. Then came 2021: they rejoined the Milwaukee Brewers, and it's been productive. The 2025 season finished 85–63, tied for fifth-most wins in the International League with Durham. Manager Gary Sweet finished his fifth consecutive season and is the Sounds' all-time winningest manager with a 484–379 record (.561).

When Major League Baseball reorganized Minor League Baseball in 2021, Nashville went into the Triple-A East, which became the International League in 2022. The franchise has served eight different Major League organizations. Twenty-nine managers have managed the club. More than 1,500 players have worn Sounds uniforms.

The bigger picture keeps getting attention. ESPN's senior baseball insider Jeff Passan listed Music City first among likely expansion candidates during a Pat McAfee Show interview in 2025. Dave Dombrowski, the former Red Sox executive leading the Nashville expansion effort since 2019, said it's "clear to him that Nashville is ready for Major League Baseball." A 2023 poll showed 69% of MLB players think Nashville's the best fit for an expansion franchise. The plan includes a privately funded 42,000-seat stadium next to Nissan Stadium, estimated to cost roughly $1.2 billion. For now, the Nashville Sounds remain the city's primary professional baseball institution and one of minor league baseball's most storied franchises.

References

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-The '''Nashville Sounds''' are a [[Minor League Baseball]] team competing in the [[International League]] as the Triple-A affiliate of the [[Milwaukee Brewers]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Ballpark Guide |url=https://www.milb.com/nashville/ballpark/ballparkguide |work=MiLB.com |access-date=2026-02-25}}</ref> They are named for the city's association with the music industry, specifically the "[[Nashville sound]]", a subgenre of country music which originated in the city in the mid-1950s. They are the oldest active professional sports franchise in Nashville. Founded in 1978, the club has grown into one of the most reliably attended teams in Triple-A baseball, playing its home games at [[First Horizon Park]] in the city's Germantown neighborhood. As of the completion of the 2025 season — their 48th year in Nashville — the Sounds have played 6,725 regular-season games and compiled a win–loss record of 3,490–3,233–2 (.519).
+The '''Nashville Sounds''' are a [[Minor League Baseball]] team competing in the [[International League]] as the Triple-A affiliate of the [[Milwaukee Brewers]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Ballpark Guide |url=https://www.milb.com/nashville/ballpark/ballparkguide |work=MiLB.com |access-date=2026-02-25}}</ref> They're named after the city's deep connection to music, specifically the "[[Nashville sound]]", a country music subgenre that emerged here in the mid-1950s. Nashville's oldest active professional sports franchise, period. Founded in 1978, the team has become one of the most reliably attended squads in Triple-A baseball, playing home games at [[First Horizon Park]] in Germantown. After finishing their 48th season in 2025, the Sounds have played 6,725 regular-season games with a record of 3,490–3,233–2 (.519).
 == Founding and Early History ==
-The Nashville Sounds were established in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1978, after Larry Schmittou and a group of investors purchased the rights to operate an expansion franchise of the Double-A Southern League. Schmittou, who had been involved in the Nashville baseball scene for several years as the head coach of the [[Vanderbilt University|Vanderbilt]] collegiate squad, was instrumental in the re-emergence of pro baseball in Nashville. The franchise carried forward a long civic tradition: the city's professional baseball history dates back to 1884 with the formation of the Nashville Americans, who were charter members of the original Southern League from 1885 to 1886 and played their home games at Sulphur Spring Park, later renamed Athletic Park and [[Sulphur Dell]].
+Larry Schmittou and his group of investors purchased expansion rights in the Double-A Southern League back in 1978, establishing the Nashville Sounds. Schmittou had coached the [[Vanderbilt University|Vanderbilt]] baseball team and was already woven into Nashville's baseball fabric. He drove the push to bring professional baseball back to the city, tapping into a long history: the Nashville Americans played in the original Southern League from 1885 to 1886 at Sulphur Spring Park, later called Athletic Park and [[Sulphur Dell]].
-Schmittou employed the city's entertainment scene in the team's nickname, and country and western stars such as Larry Gatlin, Jerry Reed, Conway Twitty, and Richard Sterban (bass singer of the [[Oak Ridge Boys]]) became Sounds stockholders. Schmittou and general manager Farrell Owens landed the [[Cincinnati Reds]] as a Major League Baseball affiliate after meeting with Sheldon "Chief" Bender, Cincinnati's farm director, at the 1976 Winter Meetings. As the Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, the Sounds played their first game on April 15, 1978, against the Memphis Chicks at Memphis' Tim McCarver Stadium, which they lost, 4–2.
+The franchise's name came straight from Music City's identity. Country legends like Larry Gatlin, Jerry Reed, Conway Twitty, and Richard Sterban (bass singer of the [[Oak Ridge Boys]]) became stockholders. Schmittou and general manager Farrell Owens landed the [[Cincinnati Reds]] as a Major League Baseball affiliate after meeting with Sheldon "Chief" Bender, Cincinnati's farm director, at the 1976 Winter Meetings. The Sounds played their first game on April 15, 1978, against the Memphis Chicks at Memphis' Tim McCarver Stadium. They lost, 4–2.
-Established as an expansion team of the Double-A Southern League in 1978, the Sounds led all of Minor League Baseball in attendance in their inaugural season and continued to draw the Southern League's largest crowds in each of their seven years as members. The team's original visual identity was as music-forward as its name: Nashville's original logo, used from 1978 into 1998, depicted a mustachioed baseball player nicknamed "Slugger" swinging at a baseball with an acoustic guitar in place of a bat, with letters that resembled G-clefs used to display the team name and a cap logo which resembled an eighth note.
+The 1978 expansion team led all of Minor League Baseball in attendance from day one. Over their seven seasons in the Southern League, they drew bigger crowds than anyone else year after year. Their original logo, used from 1978 into 1998, showed a mustachioed player nicknamed "Slugger" swinging a guitar instead of a bat, with G-clef letters spelling out the team name and an eighth-note cap logo.
-After two seasons with Cincinnati, the Sounds switched affiliates. After the split with Cincinnati, the Sounds made their first affiliation switch in 1980, becoming the Double-A affiliate of the [[New York Yankees]] — the most successful period in team history. They experienced five consecutive winning seasons and won five consecutive second-half Western Division titles, propelling them to the postseason each year. Under manager Stump Merrill, the 1980 Sounds posted a franchise-best 97–46 record. Nashville set the league season attendance record that year when 575,676 fans attended games at [[Herschel Greer Stadium]].
+After two seasons with Cincinnati, things changed. In 1980, the Sounds switched to become the Double-A affiliate of the [[New York Yankees]]. This sparked the most successful period in franchise history. Five straight winning seasons. Five straight second-half Western Division titles. Five straight postseason berths. Manager Stump Merrill's 1980 Sounds team posted a franchise-best 97–46 record. Nashville set the league season attendance record that year: 575,676 fans showed up at [[Herschel Greer Stadium]].
 == Championships and Competitive Milestones ==
-On the field, the team won six consecutive second-half division titles from 1979 to 1984 and won the Southern League championship twice: in 1979 as the Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds and again in 1982. The 1982 Sounds, managed by Johnny Oates, finished with a 77–67 record and won the second half. After defeating the Knoxville Blue Jays, 3–1, in the Western Division finals, the Sounds advanced to the league championship series against the Jacksonville Suns, where they won the franchise's second Southern League championship with a 3–1 series victory.
+Six consecutive second-half division titles from 1979 to 1984. Two Southern League championships, too: 1979 as Cincinnati's Double-A affiliate, and 1982. The 1982 Sounds, managed by Johnny Oates, finished 77–67 and won the second half. They beat the Knoxville Blue Jays, 3–1, in the Western Division finals, then took the Jacksonville Suns 3–1 in the league championship series. That's the franchise's second Southern League title.
-In an effort to position Nashville to contend for a Major League Baseball franchise in the future, Schmittou and team owners purchased the Triple-A Evansville Triplets of the American Association and relocated the team to Nashville before the 1985 season. The move elevated the franchise to Triple-A status, where it has remained ever since. In 1987, the Sounds rejoined the Cincinnati farm system, this time as the Reds' Triple-A affiliate. Over the first three seasons (1987–89), Nashville fans had the opportunity to watch players who eventually made up two-thirds of Cincinnati's 1990 World Series championship roster.
+Before the 1985 season, Schmittou and the owners purchased the Triple-A Evansville Triplets from the American Association and relocated them to Nashville. The move bumped the franchise up to Triple-A, where it's stayed ever since. In 1987, Nashville rejoined Cincinnati's organization this time as the Reds' Triple-A affiliate. Over the next three seasons, fans watched future members of Cincinnati's 1990 World Series championship team develop right there.
-In 1990, Nashville set its all-time attendance record when 605,122 fans attended games at Greer Stadium. The Sounds experienced their most successful season with the Reds that year when they compiled an 86–61 record under manager Pete Mackanin. Ending the regular season in a tie with the Buffalo Bisons, the Sounds won the Eastern Division title in a one-game playoff. They advanced to their first American Association championship series, but ultimately lost to the Omaha Royals.
+was special. The Sounds drew 605,122 fans to Greer Stadium, an all-time record. They compiled an 86–61 record under manager Pete Mackanin. After tying the Buffalo Bisons in the regular season, they won the Eastern Division title in a one-game playoff. They made their first American Association championship series but fell to the Omaha Royals.
-The Sounds joined the Triple-A Pacific Coast League in 1998 following the dissolution of the American Association after the 1997 season. Their lone Pacific Coast League crown came in 2005: manager Frank Kremblas led the club to win the American Conference Northern Division title, then the team went on to win the conference title against the Oklahoma RedHawks, three games to two, before sweeping the Tacoma Rainiers in three games to win the Pacific Coast League championship — Nashville's first championship at the Triple-A level since moving to the classification in 1985 and their first since the 1982 Southern League crown.
+The Sounds joined the Triple-A Pacific Coast League in 1998 after that league dissolved following 1997. Their sole Pacific Coast League crown came in 2005. Manager Frank Kremblas led them to win the American Conference Northern Division title, then the conference title over the Oklahoma RedHawks, three games to two. They swept Tacoma, 3–0, to capture the Pacific Coast League championship. That's Nashville's first Triple-A championship since moving up in 1985 and their first since the 1982 Southern League crown.
-Among the many memorable on-field moments across the team's history, Greer Stadium was home to a rare baseball occurrence on August 6 and 7, 1988, when Nashville and the Indianapolis Indians exchanged no-hitters on back-to-back nights. First, Indianapolis' Randy Johnson and Pat Pacillo combined for a no-hit loss against the Sounds; the following night, Nashville's Jack Armstrong pitched the third no-hit game in franchise history, a 4–0 Sounds victory.
+Greer Stadium witnessed something remarkable on August 6 and 7, 1988. Back-to-back no-hitters. First, Indianapolis' [https://biography.wiki/r/Randy_Johnson Randy Johnson] and Pat Pacillo combined on a no-hitter that Nashville beat them anyway. The next night, Jack Armstrong pitched the third no-hitter in franchise history, a 4–0 Sounds victory.
 == Herschel Greer Stadium ==
-The Sounds played their home games at Herschel Greer Stadium from its opening in 1978 until the end of the 2014 season. The Metro Parks Board agreed to lease to Schmittou the site of Nashville's former softball fields on the grounds of Fort Negley, a Civil War fortification approximately two miles south of downtown, on which to build. The US$1.5 million ballpark was named Herschel Greer Stadium in posthumous honor of Herschel Lynn Greer, a prominent Nashville businessman and president of the Nashville Vols.
+From 1978 through 2014, the Sounds called Herschel Greer Stadium home. The Metro Parks Board leased Schmittou the site of Nashville's former softball fields at Fort Negley, a Civil War fortification two miles south of downtown. That $1.5 million ballpark was named in honor of Herschel Lynn Greer, a prominent Nashville businessman and president of the Nashville Vols.
-One of Greer Stadium's most beloved features, added in 1993, was its guitar-shaped scoreboard — a nod to Nashville's musical identity that would later be reinterpreted at the team's next home. The Sounds played their final season at Herschel Greer Stadium in 2014, the team's #LastCheerAtGreer. The final home game was played on August 27, 2014, in front of a standing room only crowd. The stadium was subsequently demolished in 2019.
+In 1993, the stadium got one of its most beloved additions: a guitar-shaped scoreboard. Pure Nashville. The Sounds played their final season at Greer in 2014 with the hashtag #LastCheerAtGreer. The last home game on August 27, 2014, drew a standing room only crowd. The stadium was demolished in 2019.
-Over the course of its 36-year run, Greer Stadium served as the backdrop for some of minor league baseball's most storied moments and welcomed millions of Nashville fans, including an era-defining 1994 visit by [[Birmingham Barons]] outfielder Michael Jordan during his well-publicized baseball sabbatical.
+Over 36 years, millions of Nashville fans passed through Greer Stadium's gates to watch some of minor league baseball's greatest moments. One that stands out: the 1994 visit by [[Birmingham Barons]] outfielder [https://biography.wiki/m/Michael_Jordan Michael Jordan] during his famous baseball sabbatical.
 == First Horizon Park ==
-Prior to the 2015 season, two major changes occurred for the Nashville Sounds franchise: the team moved into a new playing facility — state-of-the-art [[First Horizon Park]], located on the same grounds as [[Sulphur Dell]] (returning baseball to its historic home in the city) — and the Sounds switched to a new Major League affiliate, joining forces with the Oakland Athletics.
+Two big things happened before the 2015 season: the Sounds moved into a brand new [[First Horizon Park]] (built on the same grounds as [[Sulphur Dell]], returning baseball to its historic home) and switched to the Oakland Athletics organization.
-On April 17, 2015, First Horizon Park opened its doors to a sellout crowd of 10,459 fans to cheer on the Nashville Sounds in the opener to the team's 38th season. With 19 sellouts in 71 openings, the first season welcomed a total of 565,548 fans to the park, which was the highest attendance the Sounds had over the previous 25 years. The stadium proposal was spearheaded by former mayor Karl Dean and received project funding approval by the Nashville Metro Council. The ballpark was designed by Populous and Hastings Architectural Associates and constructed by Barton Malow and Bell & Associates Construction.
+On April 17, 2015, First Horizon Park opened to a sellout crowd of 10,459. The franchise's 38th season was a smashing success. With 19 sellouts in 71 games, total attendance hit 565,548, the highest the Sounds drew in the previous 25 years. Former mayor Karl Dean pushed the stadium proposal. The Nashville Metro Council approved funding. Populous and Hastings Architectural Associates designed it. Barton Malow and Bell & Associates Construction built it.
-The ballpark was renamed First Horizon Park in January 2020. The park is located at 19 Junior Gilliam Way, Nashville, TN 37219, with a capacity of approximately 10,000 and dimensions of 330 feet in left field, 403 feet in center field, and 310 feet in right field.
+The park got its name "First Horizon Park" in January 2020. It sits at 19 Junior Gilliam Way with roughly 10,000 seats and dimensions of 330 feet in left field, 403 feet in center, and 310 feet in right.
-The park's most distinctive visual element is a direct tribute to Music City's cultural heritage. The scoreboard located beyond the outfield wall in right-center field features an HD LED screen that measures 4,200 square feet, making it one of the largest in minor league baseball — and it is shaped like a guitar. The guitar-shaped videoboard, with the line score running down the neck, is a throwback to the guitar scoreboard at the Sounds' former home at Greer Stadium. Nashville led all of Minor League Baseball in 2021 in total attendance (436,868) and average attendance (6,721). In 2022, the Sounds again led the minors in total attendance (555,576).
+The most striking feature pays direct tribute to Music City's heritage. Beyond the right-center field wall sits an HD LED scoreboard measuring 4,200 square feet, one of the largest in minor league baseball. It's shaped like a guitar. The line score runs down the neck, a nod to the guitar scoreboard at old Greer Stadium. In 2021, Nashville led all of Minor League Baseball in both total attendance (436,868) and average attendance (6,721). They did it again in 2022 with 555,576 total fans.
-First Horizon Park has also played host to events beyond baseball. First Horizon Park hosted MLB Home Run Derby X on August 31, 2024. The competition pitted four teams of three hitters apiece against each other as teams vied for points earned by hitting home runs or catching balls that fell short of clearing the outfield wall. Participants included former MLB players Pedro Álvarez, Andruw Jones, Nick Swisher, and Manny Ramirez.
+The park hosts more than just baseball. MLB Home Run Derby X came to First Horizon Park on August 31, 2024. Four teams of three competed, racking up points for home runs and balls that fell short of the wall. Pedro Álvarez, Andruw Jones, Nick Swisher, and Manny Ramirez all participated.
 == Recent Seasons and Outlook ==
-Nashville became the Triple-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers in 2019. The Sounds subsequently rejoined the Milwaukee Brewers organization beginning with the 2021 season, a return that has been productive on the field. Nashville finished the 2025 season with a record of 85–63, tied for the fifth-most wins in the International League with Durham. Manager Gary Sweet finished his fifth consecutive season as Nashville's manager in 2025 and is the Sounds' all-time winningest manager, with a record of 484–379 (.561) during his tenure.
+Nashville switched to the Texas Rangers organization in 2019. Then came 2021: they rejoined the Milwaukee Brewers, and it's been productive. The 2025 season finished 85–63, tied for fifth-most wins in the International League with Durham. Manager Gary Sweet finished his fifth consecutive season and is the Sounds' all-time winningest manager with a 484–379 record (.561).
-In conjunction with Major League Baseball's reorganization of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the Sounds were placed in the Triple-A East, which became the International League in 2022. Nashville has served as a farm club for eight Major League Baseball franchises. A total of 29 managers have led the club and its more than 1,500 players.
+When Major League Baseball reorganized Minor League Baseball in 2021, Nashville went into the Triple-A East, which became the International League in 2022. The franchise has served eight different Major League organizations. Twenty-nine managers have managed the club. More than 1,500 players have worn Sounds uniforms.
-The broader context of Nashville's baseball future is also the subject of ongoing national discussion. ESPN's senior baseball insider Jeff Passan listed Music City first among likely expansion candidates during a Pat McAfee Show interview in 2025. The MLB expansion initiative in Nashville began in 2019 and is led by former Red Sox executive Dave Dombrowski, who stated that it was clear to him "that Nashville is ready for Major League Baseball." In a 2023 poll, 69% of MLB players selected Nashville as the best fit city to receive an MLB expansion team. Expansion into Nashville would include a privately funded 42,000-seat stadium adjacent to the new Nissan Stadium, which the Music City Baseball board estimates would cost roughly $1.2 billion. For now, however, the Nashville Sounds remain the city's primary professional baseball institution — and one of the most storied franchises in minor league history.
+The bigger picture keeps getting attention. ESPN's senior baseball insider Jeff Passan listed Music City first among likely expansion candidates during a [https://biography.wiki/p/Pat_McAfee Pat McAfee] Show interview in 2025. Dave Dombrowski, the former Red Sox executive leading the Nashville expansion effort since 2019, said it's "clear to him that Nashville is ready for Major League Baseball." A 2023 poll showed 69% of MLB players think Nashville's the best fit for an expansion franchise. The plan includes a privately funded 42,000-seat stadium next to Nissan Stadium, estimated to cost roughly $1.2 billion. For now, the Nashville Sounds remain the city's primary professional baseball institution and one of minor league baseball's most storied franchises.
 == References ==