If you're a college student looking for valuable experience this summer, the Nashville Predators have posted a number of internship positions for which you can apply. Just follow each link for all the details...

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Broadcasting

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All the requirements and instructions on how to apply can be found via those links. Good luck!

Today at Bridgestone Arena, the Nashville Predators and Bridgestone Americas announced an extension of their arena naming rights deal, a significant corporate sponsorship which marks another step in the team's progress on the business front over the last several seasons. The new deal runs through 2019, adding five years to their existing relationship.

We've come a long way from the days of looking around at each other and wondering who the heck the Sommet Group was, haven't we?

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An excerpt from the team's press release follows after the jump...

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As part of a press release touting the NHL's growing media business across multiple platforms, the Nashville Predators were singled out for having the strongest year-to-year growth in local TV ratings throughout the league:

Eleven local Regional Sports Networks experienced double- and triple-digit growth, including:

• Nashville (+200 percent)
• Carolina (+125 percent)
• Florida (+100 percent)
• Tampa Bay (+71 percent)
• Philadelphia (+60 percent)
• Boston (+57 percent)
• Minnesota (+53 percent)
• San Jose (+44 percent)
• Buffalo (+26 percent)
• Edmonton (+21 percent)
• New York Rangers (+14 percent)

Specific figures are not cited here, and previously where local TV ratings have been discussed relative to the NHL, Nashville's results have not been included. It's fair to guess that the Preds are building off a relatively small base compared to the other markets, but up is up, so we won't look a gift horse in the mouth here.

UPDATE: As reader Matt0629 noted on Twitter, one possible explanation here is the additional viewers available in the Atlanta market, who are now getting to see some Preds games. A spokesperson from the Predators said that indeed this is "one of many factors" leading to the increased viewership, along with, for example, the buzz carrying over from last spring's playoff run. Either way, kudos go out to the business side of the team for their aggressive marketing efforts on that front. Pretty much as soon as the Thrashers' relocation to Winnipeg was announced, the Preds extended an appeal to the (literally) disenfranchised hockey fans in Atlanta.

After the jump you can read the NHL's press release...

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The sports radio landscape here in Nashville is going through more dramatic change these days, with 102.5 The Game launching "The Sports Revolution" on Monday. Willy Daunic, host of the pre- and post-game shows for Nashville Predators games on that station, returns to the afternoon airwaves from 3-7 p.m. with a general sports call-in show that will go head-to-head with 104.5 The Zone's 3HL crew, which recently moved to the drive-time slot as well.

Willy won't go into this fight all alone, however, as Joe Dubin (who can be found on Twitter as the wildly entertaining @BIGJOEONTHEGO) has left his position at WKRN to join 102.5 The Game full-time. Mike Organ at The Tennessean breaks it all down:

Dubin, who worked the past two years for Channel 2 without a contract, said he did not like the direction in which local TV sports newscasts are headed.

"Now with Twitter and Facebook nobody's waiting around until 6:30 to watch sports," Dubin said.

The Sports Revolution will replace The Aaron Solomon Show. Solomon has been named the station's sports director, General Manager Tincy Crouse said.

Follow after the jump for a Q&A conducted with OTF, in which you get the scoop from Willy himself on the new show, his take on the Predators' play so far, and how the sports market here in Middle Tennessee has grown over the last two decades...

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In a nice addition to the team's list of corporate sponsors, the Nashville Predators announced a new multi-year deal with Nissan Americas this afternoon. Since they moved their North American headquarters to suburban Franklin a few years ago, I've been wondering when the Predators might be able to strike up such a deal. Just in the last couple years, for example, we've seen them build stronger ties with other businesses based in the area like Bridgestone for their arena naming rights.

This is definitely a welcome change of pace from the final years of the Craig Leipold regime, during which corporate partnerships seemed to be difficult to come by.

The Preds' press release follows after the jump...

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An announcement today in Lebanon, just 20 miles east of Nashville, brings word that a new development will expand hockey's footprint in town, with an events center featuring two ice rinks on the way.

This, from the Tennessean:

Lebanon Mayor Philip Craighead said he will announce Wednesday a plan to add 1.5 million square feet of retail and office space along with a $40 million events center to the city.

The Cumberland Center, which is being developed by Nashville-based Vastland Companies, is located near Interstate 40 and Highway 231 in Lebanon near Highway 231 and the Interstate 40 interchange.

The arena would include two ice rinks and could be used to recruit a minor league hockey team, he said.

Local hockey players and parents around Nashville have been craving more ice for years, and while we've been teased before by talk of new rinks in Murfreesboro and Hendersonville that never seemed to pan out, this appears to be a bit further along in the process. This could turn out to be a real launching point for the growth of hockey in Middle Tennessee, providing more opportunity to get both kids and adults on the ice playing the sport. Part of the reason I started Hockey Gear HQ, my side project, is because of the few options available locally to buy hockey equipment. If the hockey-playing community continues to grow, we should see another hockey store or two open, too.

NewsChannel 5's Mark Bellinger is tweeting updates from the press conference, and says that the goal is to attract a CHL team (apparently the CHL president is there, too); is that something which might be seen as a threat or a complement to the Predators? Will fans on the east side of town stay in Lebanon and catch a lower-priced brand of hockey, or will it strengthen the game's foundation here?

WZTV's John Dunn is also on the scene at today's announcement, and shared a picture of the proposed arena via Twitter:

The popular betting site Bodog has released their NHL player prop bets for the 2011-2012 season. A few Nashville Predators have odds listed for major awards and over/under for points and wins. But rather than sort through the long lists to find your favorite players, follow after the jump for a complete list of the Predators and their odds for the season.

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Might this be the answer to the Nashville Predators' long-running search for a big-play offensive star? This comes today from the ECHL's Cincinnati Cyclones:

The Cincinnati Cyclones, proud affiliate of the NHL's Florida Panthers and Nashville Predators, announced today that they have offered a professional tryout to Carson Palmer. The tryout will take place on Thursday, September 29 at 7:00pm on the ice at U.S. Bank Arena. The general public is invited to attend the tryout as it will coincide with the Cyclones annual preseason Open House. Fans will also have the ability to tour the Cyclones locker room, take a shot on Cyclones broadcaster and one game goalie phenom Nick Brunker, and also pick out their seats for the upcoming Cyclones season. 

The 6'5" Southern California native recently "retired" from pro football. The Cyclones hope to allow Palmer to continue his professional sports career in Cincinnati by losing the cleats and lacing up the skates this season. Palmer spent eight great seasons leading the Bengals and the Cyclones hope that he can quarterback their power play for the upcoming year. 

Should the former Heisman Trophy winner grab a spot on the team, he will earn the league minimum of $370 per week while also sharing lodging with one of his teammates in a spacious two-bedroom apartment. Palmer will also enjoy the luxury of traveling to and from each game on a ‘sleeper' bus where each player has their very own bunk. Palmer, who has worn #9 during his entire pro-career, will have to negotiate with last year's leading scorer Mathieu Aubin to wear the single digit mark this season. 

"To be able to have an athlete such as Carson Palmer would be a major addition to this year's club" said Cyclones Head Coach Jarrod Skalde. "Palmer's leadership and command of a game in the offensive zone should help our squad this season. His skating ability, stick handling skills, and slapshot have yet to be seen but growing up in the hockey hotbed of Fresno, California...one can only think he's a natural."     

You've just got to love the moxie shown by minor pro sports teams to grab an opportunity for fresh PR. This calls to mind similar stunts in the past such as Manute Bol's debut with the Indianapolis Ice (or their subsequent signing of Tonya Harding), or Gordie Howe's "6th Decade" shift with the Detroit Vipers.

The bottom line? It's all about getting some attention, and here's to wishing the Cyclones a little luck as they try to sell tickets leading into the new season.

Thanks to OTF reader Dustan for the tip...