NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Six major college volleyball teams will make history at Bridgestone Arena as the venue hosts its first-ever collegiate volleyball matches on Sunday, August 31, during the inaugural Sprouts Farmers Market Broadway Block Party.
The triple-header event features top SEC and Big 10 teams, including a milestone moment for Vanderbilt University, which is fielding its first volleyball team in 45 years.
The Nashville Sports Council partnered with ESPN Events to bring the historic matches to downtown Nashville. Teams competing include the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Kentucky Wildcats, Purdue Boilermakers, Tennessee Volunteers, Illinois Fighting Illini, and the Vanderbilt Commodores.
Scott Ramsey, president of the Nashville Sports Council, said the event represents an opportunity to showcase Nashville on a national stage.
"We continue to look at events that we can bring to Nashville, that not only brings people from out of town, which this one will, but also showcases our city on national media coverage, and also complement the regular seasons and all the other activities, both sports and entertainment wise we've got going in the city."
The event will feature an interactive fan experience throughout Bridgestone Arena, including photo booths, custom photo tattoos, and opportunities for Titans season tickets.
Ramsey said the volleyball matches will help attract new audiences to Nashville.
"It's a great opportunity to bring a new set of fans, maybe that follow college volleyball, to our city. Other sports have attracted different sets of fans, whether it's hockey, football, basketball, or soccer. So again, it's exposing our city to a group of folks that we hope enjoy our city and keep coming back."
Doors open at 10 a.m. with the first match beginning at 11 a.m. Tickets are available on Ticketmaster for as low as about $30, giving fans access to all three games.
Want to see the historic volleyball action and fan experience at Bridgestone Arena? Watch our coverage and get all the details about this groundbreaking sporting event that's bringing new energy to Nashville's sports scene. Have questions about upcoming sporting events in Nashville? Contact Eric 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 verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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- Lelan Statom
