Nancy VanReece and Dajanae’ Cole
Nancy VanReece, President and CEO of UPSHOT Nashville, and Dajanaé Cole, Director of Corporate Partnerships, talk about the vision behind Nashville’s highly anticipated women’s professional basketball franchise and why the rise of women’s sports represents a significant opportunity for marketers and brands.
Before becoming President and CEO of UPSHOT Nashville, Nancy served eight years on the Metropolitan Council of Nashville and Davidson County from 2015–2023. She chaired the Convention, Entertainment and Tourism Committee and served on the advisory council to the Nashville Sports Authority, where bringing professional women’s sports to Nashville was among her priorities. For Nancy, basketball is personal. Nancy played six-on-six basketball growing up in Oklahoma and has remained a passionate supporter of women’s basketball.
Dajanae Cole calls herself a Nashville-based multihyphenate creative and entrepreneur, Cole brings together storytelling, relationship-building and business strategy as she develops the franchise’s corporate partnerships.
Why Is Nashville Getting a Professional Women’s Basketball Team?
Nancy believes Nashville has been ready for professional women’s sports for a long time. While the city has invested heavily in becoming a major sports destination, she saw an opportunity to bring more professional opportunities for women to Music City.
Upshot Nashville will launch in 2027 and play at Vanderbilt’s Memorial Gymnasium. A special event at 6 pm on September 15, 2026 at the Vanderbilt Memorial Gymnasium will unveil the name and logo for the new team.
What Is the Upshot League?
UPSHOT Nashville is the sixth franchise in the new UPSHOT League, a professional women’s basketball league created to expand opportunities for talented players, coaches and sports professionals.
The league began play in 2026 and is designed to provide another professional pathway for women who want to continue their basketball careers. Each team carries 11 players, creating professional roster spots for athletes who may otherwise have limited opportunities to continue playing after college or pursue a professional career.
Nancy calls UPSHOT an “opportunity league” — and that idea extends beyond the players on the court.
It means opportunities for coaches, front-office professionals, marketers, businesses, young athletes and communities that want to participate in the extraordinary growth taking place around women’s sports.
What Will the Nashville Game Experience Be Like?
Upshot Nashville is focused on creating more than just a basketball game. The team plans to offer uniquely curated games featuring entertainment, music, themed experiences and family-friendly activities. The goal is to create an affordable and exciting experience that feels uniquely Nashville.
Who Will Be Watching?
According to Dejanae’, the audience for women’s basketball is broader than many people realize. The team hopes to attract families, young professionals, tourists, former athletes and lifelong sports fans. They also hope to introduce young people to athletes they can look up to and support.
What Opportunities Are Available for Businesses?
Upshot Nashville is creating partnership opportunities for both large companies and local businesses.
From traditional sponsorships to community partnerships and special events, businesses will have the opportunity to become part of the team’s story from the very beginning.
What Makes Upshot Nashville More Than a Basketball Game?
UPSHOT Nashville also wants attending a game to feel distinctly Nashville. The team plans to create curated game experiences combining high-level basketball with music, entertainment, themed events and family-friendly activities.
The objective is not simply to convince basketball fans to attend. It is to create an entertainment experience that makes people want to come back — including people who may never have attended a professional women’s basketball game before.
That philosophy reflects Nashville itself, where sports, music, entertainment, tourism and culture increasingly intersect.
For Nancy and Dejanae’, this is about more than basketball. Upshot Nashville is being built as a community asset designed to create opportunities, inspire young people and bring people together through sports and entertainment.
As Nashville prepares to welcome its newest professional team, Upshot Nashville hopes to become more than a franchise, they hope to become Nashville’s new home team.
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