Editing Nashville Predators (section)

===Bringing the NHL to Nashville===
In late 1995, rumors began to circulate that the [[New Jersey Devils]] would relocate to the planned [[Nashville Arena]] after they won their first-ever Stanley Cup championship.<ref>{{Cite news| url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CE4DF1F3AF93AA15755C0A963958260 | work=The New York Times | title=HOCKEY; Fans Caught Between Devils and Nashville | first=Neil | last=MacFarquhar | date=June 29, 1995 | access-date=May 19, 2010}}</ref> Nashville offered a $20&nbsp;million relocation bonus to any team that would relocate, and the Devils attempted to terminate their lease with the [[New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority|NJSEA]] before ultimately restructuring it to remain in New Jersey.<ref>{{Cite news| url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CE7DA123DF93BA35755C0A963958260&scp=61&sq=nashville+devils&st=nyt | work=The New York Times | title=1995 N.H.L. PLAYOFFS; Devils Reject Offer on New Lease | first=Richard | last=Sandomir | date=June 8, 1995 | access-date=May 19, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news| url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CEFDA173AF937A25754C0A963958260&scp=104&sq=nashville+devils&st=nyt | work=The New York Times | title=HOCKEY; Devils and New Jersey Call Truce and Strike Deal | first=Richard | last=Sandomir | date=July 14, 1995 | access-date=May 19, 2010}}</ref>

[[File:Barry Trotz 1.jpg|thumb|left|upright|In August 1997, [[Barry Trotz]] was named as the first head coach of the Nashville Predators.]]
After the failed attempt to land the Devils, [[NHL commissioner]] [[Gary Bettman]] stated Nashville would probably be considered in upcoming expansion.<ref>{{Cite news| url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CE0D71E3BF937A25754C0A963958260&scp=105&sq=nashville+devils&st=nyt | work=The New York Times | title=HOCKEY; Nashville Still Seeks Team | date=July 14, 1995 | access-date=May 19, 2010}}</ref> The arena was opened in 1996, and after an attempt to bring the [[National Basketball Association]]'s [[Sacramento Kings]] did not materialize, the city instead went after a hockey team.<ref name=si>{{cite magazine|last1=Farber|first1=Michael|title=Hockey-Tonk Town Nashville and its biggest country music stars have taken a down-home hankerin' to the expansion Predators|url=https://www.si.com/vault/1998/11/09/251730/hockey-tonk-town-nashville-and-its-biggest-country-music-stars-have-taken-a-down-home-hankerin-to-the-expansion-predators|access-date=May 28, 2017|magazine=Sports Illustrated|date=November 9, 1998}}</ref>

In January 1997, a group led by [[Wisconsin]] businessman [[Craig Leipold]] made a formal presentation before the NHL requesting an expansion franchise.<ref>{{Cite news| url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F03E5DA1038F937A25752C0A961958260&scp=177&sq=nashville+franchise&st=nyt | work=The New York Times | title=Cities Line Up To Join The N.H.L | first=Frank | last=Litsky | date=January 14, 1997}}</ref> When Bettman and league officials visited Nashville to tour the arena, thousands gathered on the arena plaza to greet them. In June, the league granted conditional franchises to Nashville, [[Columbus Blue Jackets|Columbus, Ohio]]; [[Atlanta Thrashers|Atlanta]], and [[Minnesota Wild|Minneapolis–Saint Paul]].

The Nashville team would begin play in 1998 if they met the NHL requirement of selling 12,000 season tickets before March 31, 1998.<ref>{{Cite news| url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B07E7D9163EF93BA25755C0A961958260&scp=185&sq=nashville+franchise&st=nyt | work=The New York Times | title=N.H.L. Names 4 Cities For Its New Franchises | date=June 18, 1997 | access-date=May 19, 2010}}</ref>{{verify source|date=March 2023}} Of the four cities, Nashville was the only one with a completed arena and therefore began play first. On July 9, 1997, Leipold named former [[Washington Capitals]] general manager [[David Poile]] as the franchise's first general manager.<ref name="Gulitti">{{cite web|url=https://www.nhl.com/news/barry-trotz-to-succeed-david-poile-as-predators-general-manager/c-341550702|title=Poile, only general manager in Predators history, to retire after season|last=Gulitti|first=Tom|date=February 26, 2023|work=NHL.com|access-date=March 3, 2023}}</ref><ref>"NHL Expansion Franchise Nashville Chooses Poile For GM".''[[Boston Globe]]''. July 10, 1997.</ref> [[Portland Pirates]]' head coach [[Barry Trotz]] was named the franchise's first head coach on August 6.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|title=Nashville Predators Timeline|url=http://www.wsmv.com/sports/13383940/detail.html|publisher=WSMV|access-date=May 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090108112928/http://www.wsmv.com/sports/13383940/detail.html|archive-date=January 8, 2009|location=Nashville, TN|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On September 25, 1997, Leipold and team president Jack Diller held a press conference where they unveiled the franchise's new logo, a [[saber-toothed cat]] (''[[Smilodon]] fatalis'').<ref name="autogenerated1" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=August 10, 2016 |title=Nashville Predators: Why the Saber-tooth Tiger is Perfect |url=https://predlines.com/2016/08/10/nashville-predators-why-the-saber-tooth-tiger-is-perfect/ |access-date=February 26, 2022 |website=Predlines |archive-date=February 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220226172611/https://predlines.com/2016/08/10/nashville-predators-why-the-saber-tooth-tiger-is-perfect/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> The logo was a reference to a partial ''Smilodon'' skeleton found beneath downtown Nashville in 1971 during construction of the [[First American National Bank]] building, now the [[UBS Tower (Nashville)|UBS Tower]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Ingram|first=Tom|title = Specialists to Study Cave Bones|newspaper = [[Nashville Tennessean]]|page=7|date=October 2, 1971}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Guilday|first=John E.|title=Sabertooth Cat, Smilodon Floridanus (Leidy), and Associated Fauna From a Tennessee Cave (40DV40), the First American Bank Site.|journal=Journal of the Tennessee Academy of Science|volume=52|issue=3|pages=84–94|date=July 1977}}</ref>

Once the logo was unveiled, the franchise held a vote among fans to choose a name. Three candidates were culled from 75: "Ice Tigers," "Fury" and "Attack." Leipold added his own submission to the vote, "Predators". On November 13, Leipold revealed at a press conference that his submission had won out and the new franchise would be known as the "Nashville Predators."<ref name="autogenerated1" />

When awarded a franchise, the city of Nashville paid 31.50% of the $80&nbsp;million fee to join the league. The city has engaged an affiliate of the team to operate the arena, and that agreement protects the city against annual arena operating losses over approximately $3.8&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Jones|first1=Donald W.|title=Metropolitan Nashville Council, Analysis Report for April 15, 2008|url=http://www.nashville.gov/council/docs/analysis/080415.pdf|website=nashville.gov|publisher=Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528003339/http://www.nashville.gov/council/docs/analysis/080415.pdf|archive-date=May 28, 2010|date=April 15, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> The $15&nbsp;million payroll of the team was the lowest of the NHL.<ref name=si/>