Nashville's MLS Bid Gets Boost With Record Turnout For Gold Cup

The USMNT and Panama played to a 1-1 draw yesterday at Nissan Stadium in CONCACAF Gold Cup play, and the crowd of 47,622 "set the record" for attendance at a soccer game in Tennessee. The crowd "won't solidify" Nashville's chance at landing an MLS expansion franchise, but the goal for MLS2Nashville co-Founder Will Alexander was to "put the city's best foot forward." Alexander: "Nashville rose to the occasion. It's a massive opportunity, and I am glad that Nashville turned out for this" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 7/9). Soccer writer Ryan Rosenblatt tweeted, "Nashville has given the #USMNT awesome crowds. There's a lot more that goes into getting/running a good MLS team, but I like that market."

Despite the boisterous crowds, Nashville Scene editor Steve Cavendish tweeted that Nissan Stadium was "understaffed." Cavendish: "Long lines to get into 200 levels. CONCACAF problem or @Titans? It's amateur hour." Meanwhile, Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego hosts a pair of Gold Cup games this afternoon featuring Curacao-Jamaica (4:00pm PT) and Mexico-El Salvador at 6:00pm (THE DAILY).