Nashville SC’s MLS dreams now a reality after two years of preparation – Tennessean
Major League Soccer is no longer an abstract concept in Nashville, and it will take another step closer to reality Tuesday when Nashville SC participates in the MLS Expansion Draft.
But that’s just one part of the bigger soccer picture.
The draft will continue an ongoing process with Nashville SC putting faces to the name. But it won’t be the last stop before Nashville SC’s first match in America’s first-tier division in just over three months.
Blink for one second and fans could miss the millions of dollars spent on new players, merchandise and Nashville SC’s home debut at Nissan Stadium.
The club’s CEO, Ian Ayre, said Sunday that bringing Major League Soccer to Nashville has been a dream. Now, Ayre said, the club has its 2020 season opener scheduled, and the reality is coming into focus.
How did Nashville SC sprout from the second-tier United Soccer League into the highest level of domestic soccer in the United States? Here’s a look at what you need to know and what to watch for ahead of the club’s debut MLS season.
Major match for opening day
Nashville SC announced Monday that its first match will be played at 7 p.m. Feb. 29 at Nissan Stadium against Atlanta United FC.
Ayre said that he and United President Darren Eales hope to create a rivalry for the future. Ayre added that the opening-day matchup against the 2018 MLS Cup champion is the best way to begin the new chapter.
Ayre made it clear that every seat in Nissan Stadium will be available for those wanting to witness Nashville SC history.
“I believe that when when big opportunities come to Nashville, people come out,” he said. “We saw that with the (2019) NFL Draft. We saw it with what’s happened with the Predators when they’ve had big occasions. It doesn’t get any bigger than the opening day of a major league sport in this city.”
Filling a new roster
Since its inception, Nashville SC has spent more than $1.6 million in allocation money and even more in transfer fees as it gradually has built its roster.
MLS awarded Nashville a franchise in December 2017. The club has acquired nine players so far: Daniel Rios, Cameron Lancaster, Derrick Jones, David Accam, Hany Mukhtar, Anibal Godoy, Randall Leal, Dax McCarty and Dave Romney.
McCarty and Romney were confirmed Nov. 12 as the two latest MLS veterans to join the club. McCarty has played in the league for 14 seasons and was Chicago Fire’s captain and vocal leader.
Romney was acquired via trade last week from the Los Angeles Galaxy, where he played five seasons.
Rios, Lancaster and Jones played for Nashville SC in the United Soccer League during the 2019 campaign. The other six players joined Nashville from a compilation of MLS and international teams.
Most notably, Mukhtar signed in August as Nashville’s first designated player, costing $2.85 million, according to ESPN.
The 24-year-old attacking midfielder from Germany will move to the city from Danish club Brondby IF, where he was named Danish SuperLiga Player of the Year in 2018.
2019 MLS Expansion Draft
Nashville SC will participate in Tuesday’s MLS Expansion Draft while hosting an event at Ole Red downtown, where fans can watch the draft as it happens starting at 4 p.m. Inter Miami CF – the other 2020 MLS expansion franchise – also will participate. .
The draft pool consists of MLS players from 19 of the 24 teams that played this past season. D.C. United, New York Red Bulls, FC Dallas, the Houston Dynamo and Vancouver Whitecaps FC will have no players available to be selected because they had players selected in the 2018 expansion draft. .
Nashville SC and Inter Miami CF will select five players each.
A temporary home
Nashville SC will play its home matches at Nissan Stadium. Originally, the agreement was for the club to play one season before moving into its own stadium in 2021. Since then, Nashville SC has confirmed it will play home matches at Nissan Stadium in 2020 and 2021.
The MLS regular season begins in February and continues into October, with playoffs in November.
Key dates to watch for
The MLS Expansion Draft is an opportunity for Nashville SC to continue its roster building.
End-of-year waivers lists and free agency begin Nov. 25. In free agency, Nashville can court players from other teams who don’t have a contract or have had either a team or player option declined after the 2019 season.
Before 2019 concludes, the end-of-year waivers lists prompt Nashville and the other 25 MLS teams to participate in the MLS Re-Entry Draft, a process in which veteran players, who have not agreed to 2020 contracts can be acquired.
The process operates in two phases: Stage 1 on Nov. 26 and Stage 2 on Dec. 3. On both occasions, Nashville has the penultimate selection position.
Finally, before the 2020 MLS season begins, all 26 teams will participate in the MLS SuperDraft, an event in which teams select amateur players. The draft will be held in January, with Nashville selecting No. 2 overall.
For stories about Nashville SC or soccer in Tennessee, reach Drake Hills at DHills@gannett.com. Follow Drake on Twitter at @LiveLifeDrake.
Published 6:00 AM EST Nov 19, 2019
