Nashville native and actor, producer and founder Reese Witherspoon, media and technology investor Jim Toth and Tennessee Titans All-Pro running back Derrick Henry have all joined Nashville SC’s ownership group, the club announced Tuesday.
Witherspoon, Toth and Henry arrive as minority owners before GEODIS Park, the largest soccer-specific stadium in the United States and Canada, opens May 1 with a match vs. the Philadelphia Union (4 pm ET | ESPN, ESPN Deportes). It seats 30,000 fans.
“We meant it when we said we were doing this in Nashville, with Nashville and for Nashville,” principal owner John Ingram said in a release. “Having Derrick, Reese and Jim join our group signals our commitment to being a club that is going to do things at the highest level and with the best Nashville has to offer.”
Henry is the fourth NFL player in history to own an MLS team, including quarterback Patrick Mahomes (Sporting Kansas City), running back Mark Ingram (D.C. United) and quarterback Russell Wilson (Seattle Sounders FC).
“As a kid growing up in Florida, I imagined being a professional sports owner and the opportunity to do that with a Major League Soccer club is truly a dream come true,” said Henry. “My investment in Nashville SC is way more than financial, it’s truly an investment in the city of Nashville. The chance to be part of a club like Nashville SC, especially after seeing what they are accomplishing in the community, was an opportunity I did not want to miss.”
Witherspoon praised Nashville SC’s growth since joining MLS as an expansion team in 2020. The Coyotes, who previously played at Nissan Stadium, have made back-to-back Audi MLS Cup Playoffs appearances.
“The team, the management and the players have worked so hard to build this amazing organization and community,” Witherspoon said. “So, I’m thrilled to announce that my husband, Jim Toth, and I have made an investment in the club and are now a part of the ownership group moving forward. On behalf of Jim and our children, we are thrilled to be a part of the NSC family!”
