The Nashville Predators will play their final home game of the 2024-25 season on Wednesday night. This season has felt like a strange paradox — flying by as it unraveled and slipped away from the team, yet dragging on painfully, with the ultimate goal slipping out of reach and everyone just waiting for this perplexing, unfortunate, and thoroughly unenjoyable campaign to end.
Now, the final day has arrived. Since it’s also the last home game, the Predators will host Fan Appreciation Night. The team plans to honor the fans for everything they’ve done and for showing up consistently during what could arguably be described as the most infuriating and difficult season in franchise history.
Recognizing the fans during the final home game is a tradition for many sports teams. But while it may seem routine in the hockey world, this gesture shouldn’t be viewed as just standard practice. The fans in Nashville absolutely deserve to be celebrated. Whether they go by the Loyal Legion, the Smashville Faithful, or the Seventh Man, they truly rank among the best fans in all of sports.
That sentiment has become synonymous with athletes and coaches. It’s the go-to phrase after big home wins or during postgame interviews when the crowd brings the energy: “We have the best fans in the league!” At times, it almost feels like a stock answer — something straight out of media training 101 for rookies. But to be fair, what else are they supposed to say? Building a connection with fans helps their personal brand, boosts the team, and benefits the league as a whole.
Pumping up the crowd with those familiar words has become second nature to athletes, even if deep down they don’t always mean it. Some fanbases are notorious for turning on their teams at the first sign of struggle. But that’s not the case in Nashville. It’s rare — almost unheard of — for the home crowd to boo the Predators, even during rough seasons like this one. These fans bring the same passion as die-hard supporters across the league, but they also bring compassion, standing by their team through thick and thin, united in the struggle.
Fans often vote with their feet. Tune into a game in a struggling market, and the number of empty seats can be startling. And honestly, that’s understandable. It’s tough to show up when you know the product on the ice is going to disappoint. We want our teams to win — it makes the live experience that much more enjoyable. Who wants to pay to watch their team lose?
Think back to the late 2010s, when the Predators came tantalizingly close to capturing hockey’s ultimate prize. During that time, they were one of the hottest tickets in Music City. After their run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2017, many believed Nashville would hoist the Cup in the near future. With that success, however, came some skepticism — some fans seemed more interested in the ride than the roots.
Critics claimed that many of these new supporters were “fair-weather” fans, nowhere to be found during the lean years of the early 2000s or even the last time the Predators had a top-five draft pick, which they used to select Seth Jones.
But now? That idea doesn’t hold water. There’s nothing fickle about this fanbase, which continues to show up in full force despite the team owning the third-worst record in the NHL.
By the numbers
According to Hockey Reference, Bridgestone Arena has a capacity of 17,113. This season, the Predators averaged 17,216 fans per game — 100.6 percent of capacity. That ranks as the fourth-highest attendance rate in the league, trailing only the Vegas Golden Knights, Minnesota Wild, and Boston Bruins.
Vegas is a consistent contender in a destination city known for spectacle. Minnesota and Boston are entrenched in hockey culture. The fact that Nashville ranks just behind them says everything about the passion and loyalty of Predators fans.
No one expected the season to end like this — especially after the team signed three stars, Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei, during the offseason. It’s been a difficult, confusing, and heartbreaking ride. But through it all, the fans have remained loyal, passionate, and nothing short of class acts.
So, take a bow, Predators fans. The team on the ice may have fallen short, but those in the stands — and watching from afar — continue to build a strong case as the best fans in the league.