How a prehistoric fossil helped define a professional hockey identity
Before they were the Predators, Nashville was courting the New Jersey Devils. When that relocation failed, the city had to build a brand from scratch—eventually finding inspiration in a 1971 discovery of a saber-toothed cat skeleton buried beneath downtown.
The Nashville Predators' origins are rooted in a high-stakes game of musical chairs. In late 1995, rumors swirled that the New Jersey Devils might relocate to Nashville, prompting the city to offer a $20 million relocation bonus. While the Devils briefly attempted to terminate their New Jersey lease, they ultimately restructured it to stay, leaving NHL commissioner Gary Bettman to pivot toward an expansion plan for Nashville.
In 1997, businessman Craig Leipold secured an expansion franchise. The team's identity was deeply tied to the local landscape. During the branding process, the team unveiled a logo featuring a Smilodon fatalis, or saber-toothed cat. This was a direct nod to a partial skeleton of the predator discovered in 1971 during the construction of the First American National Bank building in downtown Nashville.
The franchise's early years were marked by both rapid growth and intense legal drama. While the team achieved significant milestones—such as an 8–0 start in the 2005–06 season and a Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2017—the ownership structure faced turbulence. A major dispute arose when former owner David Freeman filed a $250 million lawsuit in 2016, alleging his ownership stake had been diluted from 48% to less than 1% through complex capital call mechanisms.
Despite these internal conflicts, the Predators established themselves as a cornerstone of Tennessee sports. Unlike the Titans or Grizzlies, who moved to the state from Houston and Vancouver, the Predators were founded locally and have remained in Nashville since playing their first home games at Bridgeston Arena in 1998.
Source: Nashville Predators
