ANTIOCH, Tenn. (WTVF) — Nearly 50 teams from across the United States are in Nashville for the Music City Classic softball tournament, which begins at fields in Madison and Antioch.
The tournament, hosted by the Metro Nashville Softball Association (MNSA), brings almost 600 players to the city for the event.
"It's becoming more and more difficult to find a space, especially one that allows the community to come out and fly a rainbow flag at the fields, or to wear a tutu running around the bases. But this is that safe space that we provide, that we will continue to provide as long as we have the opportunity," said Jonathan Crowe, commissioner of the MNSA.
Metro Nashville Softball Association putting on the Music City Classic. It’s an LGBT+ softball tournament. The organization is a non-profit & this is their biggest fundraiser. They say it’s important to provide people in the LGBT community the opportunity to connect. pic.twitter.com/mYwvuXEMb0
— Eric Pointer (@EricPointerTV) July 5, 2025
This marks the 32nd year the MNSA has hosted the tournament, which serves as the organization's biggest fundraiser. The non-profit aims to provide an important outlet for members of the LGBTQ+ community to connect.
Crowe, who has been organizing the tournament for the past three years and has participated in LGBTQ+ softball for over a decade, spoke about the personal impact the league has had on his life.
"That community itself welcomed me with open arms. It allowed me to find a way to connect to other people in a way that I couldn't find in a bar or on an app or in normal circumstances," Crowe said.
Games will be played at Cane Ridge Park in Antioch and Cedar Hill Park in Madison from approximately 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.
For more information, including schedules and ticket details, visit their website.
Want to see the colorful spirit of the Music City Classic tournament in action? Check out our video coverage of the games and hear more from participants about what this safe space means to them. Have questions or want to share your tournament experience? Email me at Eric.Pointer@NewsChannel5.com.
This story was reported by Eric Pointer and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Eric Pointer and our editorial team verify all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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