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Nashville SC staff brief Sports Authority on club milestones, academy pathway and Nissan Stadium topping‑out
Summary
At the Sports Authority’s Nov. 20 meeting at Geodis Park, Nashville SC executives reviewed the club’s season highlights and a new MLS calendar alignment; academy director Darren Powell outlined the club-funded, year‑round academy (about 80 full‑time players and roughly 15–16 full‑time staff) and upcoming international travel; Nissan Stadium construction teams reported the structure has topped out and remains on schedule and budget.
Nashville SC staff and stadium contractors provided updates at the Sports Authority meeting Nov. 20 at Geodis Park, covering club successes, academy development and a construction milestone at Nissan Stadium.
Lindsay Paola, identified in the meeting as chief business officer for Nashville SC, congratulated the club on an MLS season that set several club records and noted the team’s Lamar Hunt Open Cup victory, which qualifies the club for the CONCACAF Champions Cup in 2026. Paola also briefed the board on off‑season maintenance at Geodis Park and introduced an academy presentation.
Darren Powell, head of the Nashville SC academy, described the academy as a club‑funded, year‑round development program that tracks players from early identification through the second team to the first team. Powell said the academy fields age‑group teams, uses a local club network plus out‑of‑market scouts across Tennessee (and select scouts in California and Florida), and that about 80 players participate full‑time. He said the academy employs roughly 15–16 full‑time staff and additional part‑time coaches and interns, and partners with Belmont University for internships and medical support.
Powell outlined the academy’s player pathway and evaluation system — four in‑year evaluations for players, a traffic‑light progress system (positive/must improve/at risk), and alignment of coaching standards to first‑team values. He said the club is committed to academic monitoring (two on‑site teachers and virtual school partnerships), and that players who fall behind academically may be temporarily unavailable for selection until they make up work.
Powell also described development outcomes and expectations: Nashville, still growing its academy, aims for roughly one or two players per class to reach the first team over time; he cited prior experience where 17 players from a previous club’s second team debuted with their first team over four years. Powell highlighted an upcoming overseas trip (U‑14s to England in March) and noted the club will adapt to MLS schedule changes starting in 2027 when Major League Soccer aligns with the European calendar.
On stadium construction, Adolfo Birch and Kellen DeCourcy reported that Nissan Stadium has “topped out” — the final compression ring piece was set and the project remains on schedule and on budget. Kellen described enclosure and curtain‑wall installation as the next major tasks, noted interior work (cooling tower cells and elevator installations) is underway, and shared target dates such as the South 2nd Street roadway project slated for summer 2026 and stadium opening activities timed for early 2027. John Gromos, representing the project team (TBA), reported workforce statistics (approaching 6,000 unique workers, roughly 3.7 million work hours to date), recent safety metrics (October TRIR ~0.87; project TRIR ~0.81), and noted one recordable incident in October. Gromos said workforce training programs continue: the TC2 cohort of 15 recently graduated and all received job offers; a new cohort will begin in January.
Board members asked questions about academy funding (Powell said the club funds the program), staffing levels, academic support and recruitment pathways. The updates closed with no further committee actions recorded; the board adjourned and scheduled its next meeting for Jan. 15, 2026.
