This is an opinion column.
____________________
If Nick Saban wants to make a major splash into the pro sports world, then there’s an easy way to ensure the kind of reach he enjoyed while at Alabama.
Partner with the biggest name in entertainment, Taylor Swift.
Saban’s influence as a businessman is expanding in the Southeast, according to a report by Forbes. It’s growing rapidly thanks to Saban’s aggressive business partner, billionaire Joe Agresti.
In his recent interview with Forbes, Agresti mentioned that he and Saban are eyeing investments in “three or four” sports teams in Tennessee.
Three or four?
Why not seven or eight?
Conglomerates of multiple billionaires owning several teams are the latest financial trend in pro sports, but let’s start with one franchise and go from there. In an effort to humor Saban’s dream, here are some thoughts worth considering.
There isn’t a city in Alabama that could support a top level pro team, but I’d love to see Saban bring more pro sports to the Southeast. Regionally, that feels like a win for everybody. Just look at what he did for the University of Alabama. Saban made billions for UA through the Crimson Tide.
Which sport? Soccer is trendy, but baseball could be a winner. There are already rumblings of an MLB franchise on the horizon for Nashville, so start there.
Civic-minded group Music City Baseball wants to name the prospective team the Nashville Stars after the old Nashville Stars of the Negro Leagues. Just last month, Music City Baseball announced a partnership with a property manager in the hopes of securing a site for a future stadium.
Momentum is building, but MLB still seems like a long way off for Nashville. Commissioner Rob Manfred has said that MLB won’t be expanding until at least 2029. The A’s need a new stadium in Las Vegas and the Tampa Bay Rays need a new home, too.
Portland is also angling for MLB and other cities can also make strong cases. It’s competitive because the return on investment is a sure thing.
What’s the best way to attract MLB to the Music City and speed up the process? When it comes to a new can’t-miss pro franchise for Nashville, Saban and Agresti really only need to land one deal. It’s getting billionaire entertainment mogul Taylor Swift on board from the beginning.
A Saban-led group owning an MLB team sounds a bit thin, if we’re being completely honest. But Saban and Swift? That’s a winner.
Nashville is perpetually growing. Swift is the city’s international brand. Saban is the regional sports icon who can pretty much sell anything attached to his name. An MLB franchise in Nashville even gives Travis Kelce something to do after he retires from football.
Why Nashville? Saban already has a presence there with his car dealerships. According to Agresti, more are on the way.
Does Saban alone have enough caché to bring MLB to Nashville? Maybe, but he would have to put his fandom for the New York Yankees on the shelf.
When it comes to Major League Baseball, the Atlanta Braves have historically dominated the Deep South. With Saban fronting a franchise in Nashville, I could see allegiances begin to shift and a new MLB rivalry being born.
The Braves have deep roots in Alabama, but an MLB team owned by Saban would test some of those loyalties. Would Huntsville defect? Would Birmingham stay loyal to the Braves? Not if Saban’s team played a couple games a year at historic Rickwood Field.
But winning over fans in the regional footprint would be a minor success when compared to the power of Swift.
Major League Baseball is enjoying a cultural resurgence. I’m happy to see it, too. I was worried for a few years. With Swift in the fold, the new Nashville Stars would instantly be a franchise with international appeal.
BE HEARD
Got a question for Joe? Want to get something off your chest? Send Joe an email about what’s on your mind. Let your voice be heard. Ask him anything.
Joseph Goodman is the lead sports columnist for the Alabama Media Group, and author of the book “We Want Bama: A Season of Hope and the Making of Nick Saban’s Ultimate Team.”
