The city of Nashville is going to host the single-biggest television event in the entire world, both in terms of viewership and cultural impact. You probably know it as the Super Bowl.

As an increasingly-rare Nashville native myself, that’s still an absolutely surreal thought to wrap my head around. Even though this became a foregone conclusion years ago once New Nissan Stadium got approved, I couldn’t help but smile and swell with a sense of pride during moments of Wednesday morning’s press conference to celebrate the NFL officially awarding Super Bowl LXIV to my city.

Community members of all kinds gathered in the club level of (old) Nissan Stadium this morning to hear about the plan for the turn of the decade. Legendary broadcaster and Nashville local Jim Nantz emceed the event, where we heard from NFL EVP Peter O’Reilly, Governor Bill Lee, Mayor Freddie O’Connell, President & CEO of the NCVC Deana Ivey, former Governor Bill Haslam, and Titans President & CEO Burke Nihill. Instead of rattling off a long list of quotes, I’ll instead share three storyline highlights that I walked away thinking about. Here’s what you missed:

The Super Bowl rotation isn’t real… except the Titans totally plan on being in it

I completely understand how all of this talk about Nashville’s second Super Bowl feels like putting the cart miles in front of the horse. It definitely is that. But the fact that this became a talking point the very moment Nashville got the official nod is also instructive.

O’Reilly, the day’s ambassador from the NFL’s Park Avenue offices, toed the company line when pressed on what it will take for the city to get a second bid. He emphasized focusing on crushing the first one, noting that there is not actually a rotation of host cities forming within the league.

I’d recommend him telling that to Deana Ivey, the woman described by multiple people involved as the city’s engine behind this initiative. Because mere moments after O’Reilly tried to dispel the notion of a rotation, she admitted she was hopeful to become a part of it. She even mentioned how more than one team owner told her at the vote in Orlando that they felt Nashville would be a great addition to said nonexistent rotation.

In fact, it seemed just about everybody besides O’Reilly couldn’t help but allude to this only being the beginning. Nantz opened the proceedings saying he expects this event to come back after 2030 goes well, mentioning he’s heard enough from his connections around the league to feel confident in it. Mayor O’Connell hailed the city as constantly punching above it’s weight with massive events. The tone from everybody involved was that of supreme confidence. These people don’t plan on just crushing the event; they plan on reinventing it.

Reinventing the biggest annual television event in the world

Here’s one undeniable truth I walked away with: the 2030 Super Bowl wouldn’t be in Nashville were it not for the smashing success of the 2019 Draft. Every presenter seemed to not be able to help themselves from circling back around to that weekend on Lower Broadway seven springs ago. Talk to anybody who was in attendance for that draft, biased for or against the Titans, and they’ll tell you that it was a game-changing marvel. Nashville redefined the event, and NFL exec O’Reilly wasn’t shy about just how fondly the league office looks back on the success of that operation.

But there was a sliding doors moment that led us to this point. O’Reilly recalled the weather on the day of Round 1 in 2019, detailing how dubious the storm forecast was leading up to the evening. Organizers were preparing to have to potentially evacuate over 200,000 visitors packing the streets. But the storm split, and the night went perfectly. The way that draft is talked about by all parties makes it crystal clear: that was Nashville’s ticket to rapid Super Bowl relevance.

But this crew’s ambition goes beyond throwing another incredible party. They spoke openly about how they intend on redefining the event, similar to how they reinvented the Draft in 2019, and doing it so well that the league has to come back to do it all again.

Everybody explained how the actual game is just a football game at the end of the day. The event is, logistically, indifferent from a very high-profile concert and live television product. Where a city really shines is the activation everywhere around the stadium and in the days leading up to the big game. This is where Nashville organizers have bold ideas for out-entertaining popular Super Bowl destinations like LA and Las Vegas.

It comes as no surprise to hear that music will be at the center of this plan in, well, the Music City. Ivey spoke openly about how they will lean on their world-class roster of local superstars. That weeklong music masterclass will ultimately culminate in the Halftime Show, which will (better!) be headlined by a lineup that flexes Nashville’s strongest muscle harder than it ever has been. There is no bigger stage for this city to remind the world why we call it what we call it. They have to go as big as it is possible to go. And by all accounts, they plan on it.

Fighting the Nashville stereotype

Here’s one more interesting note for my fellow Nashville locals: city organizers are aware of the stereotypes all of us roll our eyes at. They know that Nashvillians aren’t the ones frequenting the Broadway Honkey Tonks every night of the week to drink $20 beers. They know that a cowboy hat, cowboy boots, and bodacious belt buckle strutting downtown is a telltale sign of a tourist, not a resident. And they shared how this branding came up in the first place during the planning of the 2019 draft.

Just like they did the first time, they’re going to fight for an authentic showcase of our city.

Nihill and Ivey both mentioned how they guided league organizers away from the fake cowboys and towards things like our historic Hatch Show Print designs instead. It’s the authentic character of this city like that that the local partners helping the NFL put this plan together will fight to have included.