City of
Nashville Nashville: Music City U.S.A.
MTSU thrives in the radiant glow of Nashville’s exponential growth. Some major
metropolitan areas overshadow their neighbors, but Nashville provides unprecedented economic and media support. Davidson County saw a nearly 14% population growth from 1990 to 2002, and Rutherford County boomed with a 62% increase. (Regional Profile, Nashville Chamber of Commerce, 2003) Living up to the title of Music City U.S.A. requires a more-than-impressive collection of media outlets, coverage, and support. The Tennessean, Nashville Business Journal, and the City Paper each provide superior coverage, and eight local television stations and 29 radio stations never miss a moment of news, weather, and sports action in and around Davidson County. The Sun Belt Conference and its members have access to and are able to draw from the seemingly limitless resources offered by Middle Tennessee’s proximity to Nashville.
Blue Raiders reach Davidson County alums
MTSU has more than 14,000 alumni in greater Davidson county, and the Blue
Blue Raiders at the Sommet Center n Middle Tennessee vs. Tennessee (12/11/09) n 18, 071 vs. No. 2 Memphis (12/15/07)
Raider athletic department has a far-reaching impact into the Nashville area. The Blue Raiders regularly compete in Music City in order to help reach more of their vast, growing fan base. MTSU defeated Vanderbilt at Dudley Field in 2001, 2002, and 2005, and the Blue Raiders played host to Big East foe Louisville at LP Field in 2006, the first time the football program played a home football game in Nashville as a Division I-A member. The game was televised nationally on ESPN2 and drew a record home crowd for the Blue Raiders. In 2007, MTSU joined forces with WKU to put on the Sun Belt Classic basketball doubleheader, which saw the Blue Raiders take on No. 2 Memphis followed by WKU and No. 10 Tennessee. Both games were nationally televised and drew a Sommet Center regular season record 18,071 fans.