Nashville is "vying against 11 other locales" for one of the MLS' four pending expansion franchises, and a "good showing on Saturday could help that effort," according to a front-page piece by Garrison & Wolf of the Nashville TENNESSEAN. More than 40,000 people are "expected to attend" Saturday's U.S.-Panama and Martinique-Nicaragua CONCACAF Gold Cup games at Nissan Stadium, but "perhaps none more important" than MLS Commissioner Don Garber. Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. President & CEO Butch Spyridon said, "I don't think (the Gold Cup) pushes us over the edge or disqualifies us unto itself, but it certainly is a factor in changing the perception of whether Nashville can support a team. What's the fan base like? How do we perform as an MLS city? ... It's more than a little important, but it's probably not a deal-killer. But I think it's incumbent upon Nashville to make a really good showing." Garrison & Wolf note although building a soccer stadium "remains the most important box to check," this is Nashville's chance to "show MLS what they're convinced is a budding soccer market and a rapidly growing city gaining a reputation as a premier destination for big events." The largest soccer crowd in Tennessee history "belongs to a U.S.-Guatemala friendly match that drew 44,835 people" in '15. CONCACAF officials said that they have "sold more than 35,000 tickets and at this point are ahead of the pace for last year's Mexico match." Garrison & Wolf note unlike other cities in contention, Nashville "does not have a pro soccer team at any level." That means the city has had "fewer opportunities to showcase its soccer fan base" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 7/5).
