Making the case

Today, Nashville makes its final pitch to the Go USA Bid committee to be included as one of the host cities in the United States' bid for either the 2018 or the 2022 World Cup.

We all know that all the World Cup games will sell out, no matter where and when they are played. But surely one of the things the committee will be taking into consideration is each city's history of attendance/support at USMNT games. While Nashville has a short history with the USMNT, it is a very good history.

LP Field hosted a World Cup warm-up friendly match between Morooco and the USMNT in 2006. Then in 2008, Olympic qualifying (and the u-21 USMNT team) came to Nashville. But the biggest soccer event Nashville has ever hosted was April 1st of 2009, when LP Field and the USMNT hosted Trinidad and Tobago for a World Cup Qualifying match before 27, 959 fans.

Of all the USMNT home games played in America in 2009, the one in Nashville was the fifth best attended. It is true, those matches do include a variety of situations against a variety of opponents, but if 2009 attendance is given any weight, then Nashville is looking good:

2009 USMNT Home Matches:

1) US 1- Mex 5 (Gold Cup Final), 7/26/09 Giants Stadium, NY: 79,156

2) US 2- Hon 1 (Gold Cup Semis) 6/06/09 Soldier Field, Chicago: 55,647

3) US 2- Hon 0 (WCQ) 7/23/09 Soldier Field, Chicago: 55, 173

4) US 2- Panama 1 OT (Gold Cup Quarters) 7/18/09 Lincoln Financial Field, Philly: 31, 087

5) US 3- T&T 0 (WCQ) 4/01/09 LP Field, Nashville: 27, 959

6) US 2- Costa Rica 0 (WCQ) 10/14/09 RFK Stadium, Washington D.C. : 26,243

7) US 2- Hon 0 (Gold Cup Group Stage) 7/08/09 RFK Stadium, Washington D.C. : 26,079

8) US 2- Haiti 2 (Gold Cup Group Stage ) 7/11/09 Gillette Stadium, Foxborough,MA: 24,137

9) US 2- El Salvador 1 (WCQ) 9/05/09 Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, Utah: 19,066

10) US 4- Grenada 0 (Gold Cup Group Stage) 7/04/09 Qwest Field, Seattle, WA: 15,387

11) US 3- Sweden 2 (Friendly) 1/24/09 The Home Depot Center, Carson,CA: 9,918

See Also--

The Tennessean has a series of articles on Nashville's pursuit of the World Cup, coinciding with the city's final presentation to the bid committee on Tuesday:

World Cup in Nashville would spark serious celebration
Nashville continues to pursue World Cup soccer tournament
Soccer is viewed as great unifier
Competition to lure World Cup is strong
Nashville touts assets in World Cup bid application
Nashvillians should have little trouble learning soccer's rules
Nashville's immigrant community is excited about World Cup bid