Nineteen years into the franchise debut in the NHL, the Predators are on their way to the Stanley Cup Final. At home, they seem unbeatable with a 7-1 playoff record. The Bridgestone Arena has been sold out all season long with a passionate fan base. Recent articles in The New York Times and USA Today have made this team and their 
fans the talk of the sports world.
When Sean Henry, Predators CEO on May 24, described Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena as “the best experience in all of sports,” everyone was listening.
Evidence of the experience can be found in Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum and Trisha Yearwood singing the national anthem at home during the Playoffs. Before Monday night’s game 6 against the Ducks, fans could take out their aggression with a sledgehammer to a junk car painted with the Ducks logo and colors.
The Predators viewing party on the Arena plaza started with 100 fans in attendance, had a crowd estimated at more than 8,000 on 5th Street for Game 6, with three jumbo screens ringing the Arena. The outdoor watch parties are expected to get bigger and better. Henry expects to announce details for Stanley Cup Final watch parties in the next few days.
In addition, the Country Music Association festival comes to Nashville in the second weekend of June, the Predators and CMA are working with the city to plan great parties. “It’s so much fun to actually have to plan around 100,000 people visiting our city for CMA festival and make them all Predators fans,” Henry said. “I think that’s what’s going to happen.”
You must be logged in to post a comment.