Nashville Soccer Club is heading for the playoffs

When Nashville Soccer Club lead owner John Ingram pushed to bring a Major League Soccer franchise here, he hardly could have scripted a better first act.

Between the lines: Nashville SC is one of just five MLS franchises to qualify for the playoffs in each of its first three seasons.

• Following Sunday's win over the LAFC, the SC enters the postseason with the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference.

Zoom in: With Hany Mukhtar, the SC has a bona fide superstar.

• Regarded as a leading candidate for the MLS's most valuable player award, Mukhtar notched a league high of 23 goals during the regular season.
• He was presented with the 2022 MLS Golden Boot — a league first for a German player.

The other side: Fueled by the community's embrace of Geodis Park, the SC's business operation has kept pace with the on-field success. The $335-million stadium has drawn excellent attendance and generated a waiting list for fans to buy season tickets.

By the numbers: The SC has averaged 28,061 fans per game at the 30,000-seat Geodis Park.

• The club boasts 23,000 season ticket holders, which is third-best in the league behind Atlanta and Seattle, according to an SC spokesperson.
• The debut season at Geodis Park led to a sellout of season tickets and a sellout of premium seat tickets, the club says.

Next up: The MLS playoffs begin Saturday. The SC will take on LA Galaxy in the first round.