Nashville has been enjoying its rise as a major sports city, but Sunday was a setback.
The Tennessee Titans couldn’t keep their fans in the stands as they were handed a tough 41-20 loss by the Indianapolis Colts at Nissan Stadium.
Empty Seats and a Disappointed Crowd
Photos circulating online showed the stadium thinning out fast once the Titans fell far behind.
Even though more than 56,000 tickets were sold, far fewer fans stayed until the end to watch rookie quarterback Cam Ward put together two scoring drives.
His 219 passing yards barely registered with the home crowd, who had already given up on the game.
One fan summed it up on social media: “This is up there with the fewest people I’ve ever seen after halftime at a Titans game, excluding preseason and COVID.”
Colts Fans Take Over
For those who stuck it out, it didn’t even feel like a Titans game anymore.
The blue and white of the Colts seemed to dominate the stadium, with one fan commenting, “Nissan Stadium is nothing but Colts fans left.”
Frustration with Coaching Decisions
The fans who remained made sure their frustrations were heard, especially toward head coach Brian Callahan.
The second quarter hit a low point when Callahan opted for two extremely long field goals—64 and 62 yards.
Both attempts failed, one going wide right and the other blocked.
To make matters worse, the second attempt was pushed back by a needless timeout and a delay-of-game penalty.
The crowd erupted in boos, with one observer calling it the loudest he had ever heard directed at a Titans coach.
Analysts Join the Criticism
It wasn’t just the fans who were fed up. NFL analyst Ross Tucker didn’t hold back on CBS, calling the sequence “absolutely unacceptable.”
He pointed out the chaotic stretch of Colts timeout, Titans timeout, then a Titans delay of game before the doomed kick attempt.
A Rocky Start to the Season
The Titans are now 0-3 and headed to Houston next week for another divisional game against the Texans.
It follows a league-worst 3-14 season in 2023, with no playoff appearances since 2021.
Rookie Cam Ward is supposed to be the future of the franchise, but so far his performances have been underwhelming—just one touchdown in the first two weeks and completion struggles.
Nashville’s Broader Sports Story
Nashville has been proud of its transformation into a sports hub.
Since the old Houston Oilers became the Titans in 1997, the city has added the NHL’s Predators and is actively pushing for a Major League Baseball expansion team.
But the contrast is clear: while the Titans struggle to keep fans engaged, the Predators are thriving.
Last season, they sold every available ticket, making them one of the hottest teams in town.
Looking Toward the Future
The Titans do have big plans ahead.
A brand-new $2.1 billion Nissan Stadium is already under construction along the east bank of the Cumberland River.
The 60,000-seat venue is set to open in 2027.
Whether fans will be more eager to fill it depends heavily on how quickly the team can turn things around.