Nashville awarded Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise
December 2017
Major League Soccer (MLS) | Sports and Entertainment | Creative Direction | Advertising Campaign | Project Management | Lobbying | Marketing | Merchandise | Brand Identity | Community Engagement | Grassroots Marketing | Concepting
Overview
In December 2017, Nashville was awarded the MLS expansion bid, marking a major milestone for the city’s sports landscape. The successful bid was the result of a coordinated effort between Nashville SC, city officials, and the MLS2Nashville campaign.
Securing Nashville’s MLS expansion bid required overcoming skepticism about whether a city known for music could support a professional soccer team. At the time, soccer was growing in popularity across the U.S., but Nashville was still considered an unproven market. We needed to demonstrate that the city's rapidly expanding, diverse population—fueled by young professionals and newcomers—could rally behind the sport. Additionally, we faced the challenge of gaining political and community buy-in, showing that Nashville SC would be more than just a sports team, but a cultural and economic asset for the city.
Amidst Nashville's urban transformation, we tapped into the city’s evolving identity by positioning soccer as a cultural unifier. Our strategy centered on aligning the team’s brand with the city's vibrant creativity, diverse population, and deep community pride. By connecting soccer with Nashville’s core values and growth, we were able to build a compelling case that garnered support from local leaders, businesses, and fans, securing the expansion bid and setting the stage for the team’s MLS launch.
The Challenge
Nashville, an underdog in the bid for MLS expansion, faced competition from larger markets with established sports infrastructures. The city had to prove its viability as a soccer destination and overcome skepticism about its ability to sustain a professional soccer team. Engaging the entire community while navigating political and financial hurdles made this a complex, high-stakes challenge.
Nashville faced several critical challenges during its bid for MLS expansion:
Underdog Status
Competing with larger cities that had established sports infrastructures, Nashville had to prove its viability as a soccer city.
Building Local Support
Engaging a diverse and growing community to unite behind a sport not historically prominent in Nashville.
Securing Political and Business Backing
Convincing city leaders and businesses to invest in a $275 million stadium deal and long-term team support.
Navigating Financial & Regulatory Hurdles
Ensuring that the stadium deal aligned with local economic policies and financial regulations.
Creating a Sustainable Plan
Proposing a long-term vision that would not only bring a team to Nashville but ensure its success through community engagement and infrastructure development.
The Solution
Nashville SC successfully secured the MLS expansion bid through a combination of community engagement, strategic partnerships, and political backing. The MLS2Nashville campaign rallied fans and showcased public support, while collaborations with city officials and businesses led to a $275 million stadium deal. A historic Community Benefits Agreement ensured long-term community investment, and the bid positioned Nashville as a fast-growing city ready to embrace soccer at the highest level.
Team-Led Initiatives
Nashville SC spearheaded community engagement efforts and led meetings with local leaders to gain support.
MLS2Nashville Campaign
A grassroots movement that rallied the city behind the bid, engaging fans, securing endorsements from local influencers, and highlighting Nashville’s love for soccer.
Targeted Fan Engagement
To ensure authenticity, we used real Nashville SC fans as models, representing different neighborhoods across the city. This approach not only showcased the city’s diversity but also made the campaign relatable and genuine. Fans could see themselves in the campaign, strengthening their emotional connection to the team. We also engaged key community groups and influencers to help spread the message, ensuring that authenticity and local pride were at the heart of our outreach.
Marketing and PR Strategy
This was a unifying campaign designed to spread the Nashville SC brand across the city and beyond. We deployed a multi-channel marketing strategy that included digital ads, radio, TV spots, partnerships, and community engagement initiatives. These efforts ensured the campaign reached diverse segments of the city and reinforced the message of unity and pride leading up to the club’s MLS debut. This included a mix of earned and paid advertising.
Living Beyond Just a Marketing Campaign
The "One Nashville Under Gold" campaign wasn’t just about marketing—it created a movement. We produced genuine video content featuring fans as ambassadors for the club, building deeper connections. Additionally, the campaign inspired a Tifo project, a fan-driven effort that visually embodied the spirit of the campaign during matchdays, ensuring it lived beyond just the launch and continued throughout the season.
Team-Led Initiatives
Nashville SC spearheaded community engagement efforts and led meetings with local leaders to gain support.
MLS2Nashville Campaign
A grassroots movement that rallied the city behind the bid, engaging fans, securing endorsements from local influencers, and highlighting Nashville’s love for soccer. View more videos here involving celebrities and influencers with authentic ties to Music City.
Political and Business Support
Collaborations with local officials and businesses led to a $275 million stadium deal, backed by the city’s leadership and supported by a Community Benefits Agreement.
Unified Vision
Presenting Nashville as a growing city with a diverse, engaged fanbase, and a commitment to becoming a soccer hub.
Strategic collaborations with national (and international) opportunities
Nashville SC helped recruit and partner with the US National Mens team for their Gold Cup game vs. Panama and the International Champions Cup (ICC) where Tottenham played Man City on our home turf. This included strategic promotions, ticket deals, programming, and exclusive access for our fan base.
The Outcome
In December 2017, Nashville’s MLS expansion bid was accepted, securing the city’s place as the league’s 24th team. The grassroots MLS2Nashville campaign demonstrated overwhelming public support, and the stadium deal included historic community benefits, ensuring local involvement and long-term sustainability for the team.
Record-breaking attendance
The Man City vs. Tottenham match drew 56,232 spectators, the highest attendance for a soccer game in the state of Tennessee, bringing people from across the state and country to Nashville for the event.
The MLS2Nashville campaign mobilized over 10,000 fans through rallies and events, while the collaboration with city officials secured a $275 million stadium deal. This included a $50 million private investment from Nashville SC’s ownership and a historic Community Benefits Agreement. The bid also led to the sale of 5,000 season tickets within a month of the announcement, demonstrating strong fan interest and support. Countless articles and outlets were released as well, including this one which state just how we overcame our underdog status to get the bid.
Community Benefits Agreement Reach
Achieving our own private-public stadium was agreed to amongst all parties! View the CBA here.
Personal Reflection with BTS Photos from my Phone
The journey to secure Nashville’s MLS expansion bid was one of the most rewarding and challenging projects of my career. The highs were electrifying—seeing the community come together, rallying 10,000 fans, and watching the city leaders back our vision. The lows came with navigating the complex politics, financial negotiations, and moments of doubt as we faced larger markets with more established sports infrastructures.
What I learned most was the power of community engagement and collaboration. From grassroots fan support to political negotiations, every piece had to align perfectly to make the bid a reality. Securing a $275 million stadium deal with a Community Benefits Agreement was a proud moment, as it ensured long-term sustainability and local involvement. It taught me that big wins come from teamwork, resilience, and a shared passion for building something meaningful.
