Braves win historic game in Tennessee. MLB has bright future in the state.

It seems a matter of when — not if — Tennessee gets its own team. The Braves always will maintain a strong presence in the region, but competition is on the way.

All eyes will center on central Tennessee: Nashville is the most cited location to be awarded an expansion franchise in the coming years.

Commissioner Rob Manfred has put expansion conversations on the back burner until the stadium situations with the A’s and Rays are resolved. While they’re playing in minor league parks this season, there are resolutions nearing for both.

The A’s, embarrassingly stuck in a minor league park in Sacramento, are expected to open a new ballpark in Las Vegas in 2028. The groundbreaking ceremony occurred June 23.

The Rays are going through a sale that could be completed by September. Owner Stu Sternberg has reportedly agreed in principle to sell the club to Florida-based developer Patrick Zalupski for $1.7 billion. It’s then expected the lengthy stadium saga in the Tampa Bay area would soon end, likely with a venue being built in Tampa.

MLB could announce two expansion clubs within the decade. Manfred has expressed a desire to have that process underway by his retirement in 2029. And Nashville is at the top of the list, according to numerous reports. USA Today most recently reported Nashville and Salt Lake City, Utah, are the likeliest untapped markets to enter MLB.

“I was technically born in Memphis, Tennessee, so it’s cool,” said Braves third baseman Austin Riley, who grew up in the Memphis suburb of Southaven, Mississippi. “You look at Nashville. I’ve been there a few times. It’s a really good potential spot. (Expansion talks) are well above my pay grade, but any time you can grow the sport, that’s nothing but a plus.”

Numerous Nashville heavy hitters have expressed confidence in the market’s viability. It’s more comparable in market size with places such as St. Louis, Pittsburgh and Baltimore, but its continued growth, increasing business appeal and prominence in the music industry should make it appetizing for any league that hasn’t yet ventured into Tennessee.

Nashville mayor Freddie O’Connell confirmed exploratory talks with prospective ownership groups vying for an expansion team during an interview with The Tennessean earlier this year.

Nashville talk

Music City Baseball, created in 2019, is one entity focused on bringing a team to Nashville. Its idea is that the club will be named the Stars, a nod to the Nashville Negro leagues team that played from the 1930s through 1950s. The group has garnered support from a bevy of notable figures in the baseball and music industries.

Former MLB player and executive Dave Stewart, who was once involved with that project, has also maintained interest in helping the MLB-to-Nashville hopes come to fruition, with an emphasis on a diverse ownership group.

Bill Haslam, owner of the Nashville Predators NHL franchise that has largely thrived in the Bridgestone Arena on the popular Broadway strip told The Tennessean he “believes in Nashville,” but acknowledged the possible challenges in getting another stadium built.

The NFL’s Titans are already set to open their new stadium in 2027, located adjacent to their current venue on the East Bank of the Cumberland River. It’s an ideal location for a sports franchise, as the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge that spans the river leads right into the tourist-haven Broadway.

There have been numerous sites reported or speculated as options for an MLB stadium, though there’s yet no mention publicly of anything of significant substance.

There’s no question Nashville is baseball-crazed. Beyond an affinity for the Braves (and for some, the Cardinals), the area supports Vanderbilt baseball — which has routinely produced MLB players, including former Braves Dansby Swanson and Kyle Wright — and the Nashville Sounds, now the Triple-A affiliate for the Brewers.

“I played in Nashville in Triple-A (when the Sounds were an A’s affiliate),” Braves first baseman Matt Olson said. “I know it’s also a baseball state. I know there’s a lot of Braves fans in this area, too. It’s cool being one of the first to play here (in Bristol).”

The Volunteers baseball program is also humming in Knoxville. The 2024 national champions, Tennessee fans are among the most passionate in the country.

The Braves held an “Atlanta Braves Tonight” event at Bristol’s Paramount entertainment venue Friday evening, and among the honored guests was Vols baseball coach Tony Vitello. A significant portion of the audience donned orange and white, expressing equal enthusiasm for the Volunteers as the Braves. Those colors were easy to come by at Bristol Motor Speedway, too.

All this is to say: Our neighbors are eager to welcome a baseball team of their own. The Southeast is ready for another franchise, as much as some Braves faithful might loathe the idea of sharing the region. And Nashville, with its surging growth, sports fervor and vibrant scene, seems ripe to host a brand-new entity. MLB should want to be in the Nashville business.

The Braves and Reds, though, can always say they were MLB’s Tennessee trailblazers. And the Braves will forever be the first winner in the state.