NASHVILLE – Titans President and CEO Burke Nihill and Sr. Vice President, Chief Marketing & Revenue Officer Gil Beverly held a conference call on Wednesday ahead of the team's season opener this weekend against the Arizona Cardinals.
Some of the nuggets from the call:
-On Tuesday, the Titans delivered its donated football equipment and essential supplies to the Waverly Central High School football team. The equipment included helmets, girdles, practice pants, practice jerseys, equipment bags, knee pad sets, cleats, shoulder pads, and athletic training and medical supplies. Also delivered was a 65-inch television, two new sets of washers and dryers, and a refrigerator, courtesy of LG.
The donation is part of the Titans' flood relief effort that also included a $50,000 donation to the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee's Disaster Relief Fund.
During Wednesday's call, Nihill said members of the organization will head to Waverly on Thursday for disaster recovery and relief.
Nihill also said Waverly Central's football team will play a home game at Nissan Stadium Thursday, September 16.
"We are really excited to be able to do that for them," Nihill said. "We are looking for ways to make it a meaningful fundraiser for the high school, to help them get back on their feet."
-Nihill said the Titans won't require proof of COVID-19 vaccination for entry to Nissan Stadium.
"At this point, that is the plan," Nihill said. "We are planning for full capacity on Sunday, and the hope and expectation is that will be the case for the rest of the year. But (like) last year, we will be as flexible as necessary to keep the season going."
The Titans remain in communication with Metro, the state, health experts and the NFL, so things could be reassessed periodically in light of the information and guidance received about requirements.
-Nihill said the Titans on Sunday will be honoring Sgt. Ryan Knauss, a Tennessee native who was among the U.S. service members killed in Kabul airport attack.
Knauss will be honored as the Honorary 12th Titan on Sunday prior to kickoff.
"We have been in contact with (his) family, and we are privileged to be able to honor them in that way," Nihill said.
-Nihill confirmed plans to move the team's Ring of Honor at Nissan Stadium.
Nihill said the team will honor the franchise's greats in a more prominent place at Nissan Stadium. In time, the plan is to move them once again in the future on a reimagined East Bank.
"We have moved them down to the cinder block walls behind the lower bowl with some really well-done design," Nihill said. "Even then, though, I don't think that will be the final location. Our hope would be to find a Walk of Fame-type, Ring of Honor/Hall of Fame-style honor for our legends in a modified stadium/development, which would really give an opportunity for our fans to interact with whatever the memorials would be – the numbers, the players – on a 365-day (per year) basis."
"In the case of a lot of our Houston Oilers players, it would give us an opportunity to actually better introduce them to our fans, to give their statistics and what made them great in more of a plaza, walk of honor-style basis. So look out for that over the next couple of years."
Previously, the Ring or Honor was located atop Nissan Stadium, with signage. The updated Ring of Honor will be painted on the walls.
"The Ring of Honor has never been something that [controlling owner] Amy Adams Strunk has been satisfied, both in terms of the quality of the signs or the location of the signs. It just really wasn't befitting of our legends in her mind nor any of ours."
-Beverly announced plans for a "Two Dollar Turn Up" party prior to Sunday's game, from 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. by the Pinnacle "Titan Up" Tailgate on the south end of Nissan Stadium.
There will be a $2 beer special, with music and games.
"The idea is to get people excited, and have a good time before the game starts," Beverly said. "And frankly, to help motivate folks to get inside the building a little bit early."
-Beverly discussed the Nashville Flavor package, with new restaurant partners like Slim & Husky's, Party Fowl and Martin's BBQ.
"Fans have clamored for more local food options," Beverly said, "and I feel like we are delivering in a big way."
Beverly said the teams plans to "inject more Nashville flavor into the building."
-As part of Kickoff Week, the team has started distributing about 20,000 yard signs throughout the city, Beverly said. The signs are available at the Titans Pro Shop, the Academy Sports locations, as well as Dunkin' donuts.
A Titans Pop-Up shop will be held on Thursday from 6-9 p.m. at L&L Market (3820 Charlotte Ave, Nashville, TN 37209).
On Friday, the team will hold a season ticket member block party from 6-8 p.m. at Nissan Stadium, with a live performance by Ryan Hurd. There will be free giveaways and Titans yard signs, photo opps with T-Rac and Titans cheerleaders, food trucks, a live DJ, screen printing, fireworks and more.
This event is by invite only.
"It's been a busy week," Beverly said, "and we're looking forward to an exciting year from a marketing and activation standpoint as well."
-Beverly didn't give a number of season tickets sold for the 2021 season, but he said the interest in the team is high.
"Ticket demand has been really strong," Beverly said. "I think it is really indicative of the excitement to get back to football, and in our case a really exciting Tennessee Titans team we're putting on the field this year."
