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CMA Fest is switching to SeatGeek as a ticketing partner under a new multi-year deal that will change how fans buy tickets to the country music festival.

Why it matters: The move is a blow to the festival's previous ticketing partner Ticketmaster and expands SeatGeek's Nashville presence. 

Zoom out: SeatGeek has already served as the ticketing partner for Nissan Stadium and the Tennessee Titans since 2023.

In a Wednesday statement, the company said "the addition of CMA Fest" would now tie SeatGeek to "one of the stadium's biggest annual event weekends."

How it works: Fans will need a SeatGeek account to buy CMA Fest tickets, browse seating and manage their orders.

What's next: Tickets to the 2027 CMA Fest, which will move into the new Nissan Stadium, go on sale through SeatGeek on Aug. 14.

CMA Fest switches to SeatGeek for ticket sales

Fans will need a SeatGeek account to buy CMA Fest tickets.

The SeatGeek logo on a smartphone arranged in New York.

SeatGeek will be the new go-to for CMA Fest tickets. Photo: Gabby Jones/Bloomberg via Getty Images

CMA Fest is switching to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="SeatGeek" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/pro/media-deals/2023/04/20/seatgeek-ipo" data-vars-content-id="1225ef97-3660-4591-8a29-502f196ef121" data-vars-headline="CMA Fest switches to SeatGeek for ticket sales" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/pro/media-deals/2023/04/20/seatgeek-ipo" target="_self">SeatGeek</a> as a ticketing partner under a new multi-year deal that will change how fans buy tickets to the country music festival.Why it matters: The move is a blow to the festival&#x27;s previous ticketing partner Ticketmaster and expands SeatGeek&#x27;s Nashville presence.

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Business

The leader of the massive technology company Nvidia is donating $75 million to help establish the academic bedrock of Vanderbilt University's campus in San Francisco.

Why it matters: The financial backing from Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and his wife will support the campus' flagship college, which will house programs covering the arts, architecture and design.

What they're saying: The new campus will "focus on engineering, entrepreneurship and design to educate artists, makers and designers whose work bridges creative expression and technological innovation," Vanderbilt said in a Tuesday announcement.

State of play: It has a capacity for about 1,000 undergraduate and graduate students, along with full-time faculty and staff.

Students will be able to complete their studies in California without visiting Vanderbilt's main campus in Nashville.

The big picture: The West Coast outpost, located at the former location of the California College of the Arts, is part of Vanderbilt's broader expansion plans, which also include satellite campuses in Florida and New York.

What's next: Vanderbilt expects to begin offering courses in San Francisco next year, pending final approvals.

Vanderbilt University's campus in San Francisco.

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Nvidia CEO backs Vanderbilt's San Francisco campus

The new campus has a capacity for about 1,000 students.

Modern building with a black steel frame and wooden panels, large glass windows, under a clear blue sky. Foreground shows a fence and greenery; signage reads "California College".

A view of Vanderbilt University's forthcoming San Francisco campus. Photo: Courtesy of Vanderbilt

The leader of the massive technology company Nvidia is donating $75 million to help establish the academic bedrock of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Vanderbilt University&#x27;s campus in San Francisco" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2026/01/13/vanderbilt-san-francisco-campus-cca-closure" data-vars-content-id="23ffd32a-f6a8-4783-8153-6e74b04ef8d5" data-vars-headline="Nvidia CEO backs Vanderbilt&#x27;s San Francisco campus" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2026/01/13/vanderbilt-san-francisco-campus-cca-closure" target="_self">Vanderbilt University&#x27;s campus in San Francisco</a>.Why it matters: The financial backing from Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and his wife will support the campus&#x27; flagship college, which will house programs covering the arts, architecture and design.

Education

Kenny Chesney fans can now relive his rise to fame at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

Why it matters: A new exhibit that opened this week traces his path from East Tennessee State University's bluegrass band to his stature as one of the top musical acts of the 21st century.

Zoom in: "Kenny Chesney: Living in Fast Forward" includes mementos from throughout the singer's life, including his high school football jersey, guitars he played at memorable concerts and handwritten sheet music used during recording sessions.

Chesney's legions of fans, collectively known as "No Shoes Nation," will likely be particularly drawn to the weathered wicker rocking chair that inspired Chesney to write the fan favorite "Old Blue Chair."

The intrigue: One of the most unusual items in the exhibit doubles as a piece of Nashville history: a life-size plastic replica of a 235-pound blue marlin Chesney caught in the Caribbean in 2003.

The replica washed away from Chesney's home during the 2010 flood. It was later recovered miles downstream in the Cumberland River.

If you go: The exhibit will be on display through June 1, 2027, but there are special events celebrating the opening this weekend.

A brightly colored school bus featured on one of his album covers will be parked in Walk of Fame Park this weekend for fans looking for a photo op.

one of the top touring acts in music history

Kenny Chesney's life is on display in new Hall of Fame exhibit

"Kenny Chesney: Living in Fast Forward" will be on display through June 1.

A smiling Kenny Chesney in a beige polo shirt and cowboy hat stands beside a glass storefront display with blue walls, mannequins wearing outfits, and bright posters overhead.

Kenny Chesney visits his museum exhibit. Photo: courtesy of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Kenny Chesney fans can now relive his rise to fame at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.Why it matters: A new exhibit that opened this week traces his path from East Tennessee State University&#x27;s bluegrass band to his stature as <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="one of the top musical acts of the 21st century" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/nashville/2025/05/29/kenny-chesney-crowned-country-music-king-by-billboard" data-vars-content-id="463023bc-42b6-4e50-9a5d-e76d5fa682a6" data-vars-headline="Kenny Chesney&#x27;s life is on display in new Hall of Fame exhibit" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/nashville/2025/05/29/kenny-chesney-crowned-country-music-king-by-billboard" target="_self">one of the top musical acts of the 21st century</a>.

Things to Do

Johnny Cash's handwritten song lyrics, letters to other artists and personal musings will soon be available for fans to peruse thanks to his family's new partnership with Belmont University.

Why it matters: Cash's personal archives offer a unique understanding of one of the pillars of American popular music. Belmont recently acquired the trove and plans to make the collection available online.

State of play: The archival collection, which comes from Cash's children, will anchor Belmont's new Johnny Cash Learning Center, located within their upcoming building on Music Row.

The center will be a hub for student research and will feature an archival exhibit.

How it works: Students and researchers will be able to review Cash's writings by appointment in a secure room. Belmont will also digitize archival material so fans all over the world can see it.

What they're saying: "We are thrilled that our father's archive has found a home at Belmont University," the Cash family said in a statement. "An enormous body of his work, including unpublished writings, will now be available for scholars and students to more intimately connect with the foundational elements of his artistry for years to come."

Between the lines: The archives were an $8.6 million acquisition bankrolled by donations from music executives Scott and Sandi Borchetta, longtime Belmont benefactors Mike and Linda Curb, and the Harper House Music Foundation.

The archives and learning center will be overseen by Belmont's Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business.

The bottom line: "There is no parallel for what this means for our students and scholars," said Belmont dean Brittany Schaffer (who is also the incoming CEO for the Country Music Association).

"Direct access to the personal papers and lyrics of one of the most important artists in American history is something most institutions can only dream of."

the incoming CEO for the Country Music Association

Belmont acquires Johnny Cash's archives, including handwritten notes

Belmont plans to make the collection available online.

Country singer/songwriter Johnny Cash performs onstage with an acoustic guitar in Sun Records publicity shot in 1957.

Johnny Cash in 1957. Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Johnny Cash&#x27;s" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/nashville/2023/10/19/johnny-cash-tour-bus-ryman" data-vars-content-id="a57398c5-9817-4471-a67f-4ce4cd830161" data-vars-headline="Belmont acquires Johnny Cash&#x27;s archives, including handwritten notes" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/nashville/2023/10/19/johnny-cash-tour-bus-ryman" target="_self">Johnny Cash&#x27;s</a> handwritten song lyrics, letters to other artists and personal musings will soon be available for fans to peruse thanks to his family&#x27;s new partnership with Belmont University.Why it matters: Cash&#x27;s personal archives offer a unique understanding of one of the pillars of American popular music. Belmont recently acquired the trove and plans to make the collection available online.

Music

Expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies have had an even bigger impact on hospitals than executives initially expected.

Why it matters: The expiration of enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies at the end of 2025 didn't eliminate patients' need for care. But new reports from Nashville-area hospital giants show it is changing how they seek it.

State of play: Nashville-based HCA Healthcare, the nation's largest for-profit hospital chain, has seen an uptick nationwide in uninsured patients turning to emergency rooms for care this year.

By the numbers: Emergency room visits increased 3.6%. At the same time, inpatient surgeries fell 2.3% and outpatient surgeries declined 3.4%

Executives said lost exchange coverage was a major contributor to a sharper decline in elective procedures, which are easier to postpone.

Zoom out: Community Health Systems, a Franklin-based hospital chain, reported a similar pattern: Uninsured hospital use is growing, emergency demand is holding up and elective care is weakening.

Follow the money: Ahead of a call with investors last week, HCA tied an influx of uninsured patients to a $400 million hit on revenue in the second quarter.

Executives attributed the shift to the lapse in subsidies.

Catch up quick: Pandemic-era enhanced subsidies for ACA plans helped more people get discounted health insurance. But when those subsidies expired last year, premiums shot up.

What they're saying:  "The effects, as expected, were that many people became uninsured and still needed emergency care from hospitals," HCA CEO Sam Hazen said during a call with investors on Friday.

"As we look at the first half of the year, our expectations proved accurate, although the impact was greater than our estimates."

The intrigue: HCA initially assumed some people leaving the exchanges would obtain coverage elsewhere. The company also expected patients who became uninsured to use less hospital care.

Neither assumption held, HCA CFO Mike Marks said.

expiration of enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies

Nashville hospital chains document Obamacare subsidy fallout

Nashville's health care industry offers a clear window into how the shift in ACA policy is playing out.

Illustration of a venn diagram with a hospital bench and clasped hands on one side and money and a health insurance card on the other

Expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies have had an even bigger impact on hospitals than executives initially expected.Why it matters: The <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="expiration of enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/07/07/where-obamacare-enrollment-is-plummeting" data-vars-content-id="fa3e8b90-501d-48e4-8100-c40f0e63a5eb" data-vars-headline="Nashville hospital chains document Obamacare subsidy fallout" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/07/07/where-obamacare-enrollment-is-plummeting" target="_self">expiration of enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies</a> at the end of 2025 didn&#x27;t eliminate patients&#x27; need for care. But new reports from Nashville-area hospital giants show it is changing how they seek it.

Adam Tamburin

Featured stories

Nashville hospital chains document Obamacare subsidy fallout

Kenny Chesney's life is on display in new Hall of Fame exhibit

Belmont acquires Johnny Cash's archives, including handwritten notes

CMA Fest switches to SeatGeek for ticket sales

Nvidia CEO backs Vanderbilt's San Francisco campus