PHOENIX – The NFL owners meetings kicked off on Sunday here at the Arizona Biltmore.
On Monday, Titans General Manager Mike Borgonzi is scheduled to speak with reporters, and then on Tuesday it will be head coach Robert Saleh's turn.
During a break in the meetings, I chatted with Titans President and CEO Burke Nihill on a number of topics, including feedback on the new uniforms and logo, a new Nissan Stadium update and potential first events in 2027, the Farewell Season at Nissan Stadium, the potential for Nashville Super Bowl(s), and much more.
Some snippets from Nihill from our conversation in the lobby of the Arizona Biltmore:
-Nihill said the feedback from players and fans has been incredible since the reveal on March 12.
"We expected that it would be positively received, but I think it has been even more positive that we could have ever anticipated," Nihill said. "It has been really gratifying to see the feedback, and it has been nice to see something fresh and new out there."
The excitement from the fan base has shown up at the team store at Nissan Stadium.
The weekend following the brand reveal event, sales at the team store were up significantly compared the same weekend in previous years, Nihill said
"The fans clearly reacted well to the merchandise," Nihill said.
-ESPN's Adam Schefter reported last week that Las Vegas is expected to be named host of Super Bowl LXIII in 2029, after the 2028 season. Las Vegas also hosted Super Bowl LVIII in February 2024.
The news won't come as a surprise to Nihill, who told TennesseeTitans.com at the Super Bowl earlier this year he doesn't anticipate Nashville being rewarded a Super Bowl until the early 2030s.
Next year's Super Bowl will be held in Los Angeles, followed by Atlanta.
"When you look at past stadium rhythms," Nihill said in February, "in terms of when a stadium opens and when the NFL feels comfortable bringing their biggest event to a new stadium, for us that is probably in the early 2030s."
Speaking at the owners meetings on Sunday, Nihill said the Titans and the city of Nashville will be ready when the league is ready for Music City.
"The goal for us is to not just get a Super Bowl," Nihill said. "But when we get it, to do such a great job that … they want to bring it back again as soon as they can."
-New Nissan Stadium is scheduled to be completed in February 2027.
Nihill said there could be 8-10 events held at the stadium before the Titans kick off the season in the third quarter of 2027, with preseason and regular season contests.
"The first ticketed event is on track to be a concert," Nihill said, "sometime mid- to late-April (of 2027)."
In addition to concerts, the CMA Fest will hold its event in June 2027.
"Counting four days of CMA Fest, I think there's a possibility you end up with 10-plus concert or similar event nights between stadium opening and the first Titans game," Nihill said. "We're certainly open to exploring all options, and that includes college games as well."
-During a tour of new Nissan Stadium this week, Nihill mentioned standing room only tickets for big events, like the Super Bowl.
Nihill said there will be standing room only tickets available for Titans games as well.
-The new Nissan Stadium is now two-thirds of the way done in its 36-month build.
When the stadium is officially complete, Nihill said the current stadium will start coming down almost immediately.
"But it takes months to come all the way down," Nihill said. "I've heard six to nine months, and I think the reason you hear a range and not certainty, is obviously there are things you come across that could extend it. But when do you consider it being done with demolition? Because it is not just taking the building down, but you have a hole you have to fill, and you have to make that a safe place to walk on.
"I'd expect that the building is flat within six or seven months."
-In looking ahead to 2026, Nihill said the organization is recognizing "this is a moment to take it all in" in regard to the farewell season at current Nissan Stadium.
"We're thinking about this as a farewell season, playing off of Music City," Nihill said. "There will be all manner of activations celebrating the first stadium the Titans played in in Nashville."
-The Titans are currently in the process of redoing the drainage underneath one of the practice fields at Vanderbilt Health Center.
In the past several years, the Titans pulled up the other two practice fields during the offseason to re-do the base layers under the field for drainage purposes. The Titans also previously added the sub-air system technology underneath the fields for air flow.
The project on Field 1, which is closest to the new structure at Vanderbilt Health Football Center, is scheduled to be completed by training camp.
-Nihill said he's been impressed with new head coach Robert Saleh, who was hired in January.
"He certainly has a presence about him," Nihill said. "And I think everyone has been impressed with the staff he has brought in. I've talked to Mike Borgonzi, and he is really appreciating working with the new staff, whether it was in free agency, or as he is getting ready for the draft.
"What matters is what they are able to do out there on the field, but it definitely feels like the air in the building has changed, in a good way."
