Game 4 experience for Predators fans: Smaller crowds, more viewing room and a bit of rain

Show Caption Hide Caption Crowding causes issues at Game 3 watch parties Overcrowding caused issues for many fans at the Game 3 Stanley Cup Final watch parties on Saturday night.

A significantly smaller crowd descended on downtown Nashville Monday to take in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final.

They turned out just hours after officials announced plans to open up Ascend Amphitheater, close all of Lower Broadway and make other changes in an effort to help provide a better experience for Predators fans to watch the game at viewing parties.

Among the many changes made in advance of Monday's game against the Pittsburgh Penguins were sectioning off an area outside Bridgestone Arena to 200 fans with wristbands, adding a third television screen on Broadway, eliminating bike racks and media risers and increasing the police presence from 100 officers to 150 officers.

The changes came after complications arose during Saturday night's Game 3 - the first Stanley Cup Final game in the city's history - when an estimated 50,000 people descended on Lower Broadway.

More: Massive crowds cause safety concerns during Game 3 of Stanley Cup Final

Changes to the Game 4 pregame tailgate and viewing party were announced by Mayor Megan Barry at a news conference Monday where she also named injured Predators center Ryan Johansen honorary mayor for the day.

Barry, who proclaimed Monday Preds Pride Day, also said Fifth Avenue will be known as Predators Way for the rest of June.

The city also shut down Broadway from Fifth Avenue to First Avenue.

Officials also relocated the Predators merchandise truck to 1st Avenue, replaced a beer concessions booth from the middle of Broadway with two smaller booths at different locations and erected signs notifying people that spectators are not allowed to sit on the sidewalks along Broadway.

Throughout Monday evening, police stood near areas of high congestion, telling people to move along so as to avoid any issues similar to what occurred during Saturday's game.

Sidewalk traffic flowed smoothly throughout the area surrounding Bridgestone Arena.

"There are so many great opportunities for a great fan experience downtown tonight," Barry said. "As we continue throughout this today, we're going to monitor the weather and look at what that means as far as expected attendance. But I don't think a little bit of rain is going to keep any of our great fans out and away."

When the game started shortly after 7 p.m., Metro Police Capt. David Corman said there had been four arrests in the three hours beforehand; one person for selling counterfeit tickets and three others for public intoxication.

Metro police spokesman Don Aaron estimated between 10,000 and 15,000 people showed up on Lower Broadway to partake in the festivities.

Monday's crowd was small enough that fans even had room to sit down on Broadway and watch the game on the various screens.

Among the factors that may have helped tamper the size of crowd was occasional rain throughout the day.

During an afternoon pre-game event held at the stage near Fifth Avenue and Broadway dubbed "Country Music Gives Back," the crowd was significantly smaller than those who gathered for Saturday's free performance by Alan Jackson.

The majority of those present for Monday's afternoon performance by Cole Taylor held umbrellas to fend of a light drizzle, which later stopped.

One group of five had been at the makeshift venue since 5 a.m. in anticipation of performances by Kip Moore and Granger Smith.

Among the group were Eddie Schaechterle and Tonya Harvey, who left Cleveland, Ohio at 9:30 p.m. Sunday. The two met up with the rest of their group which woke up at 3:30 a.m. Monday to head to the downtown Nashville venue.

There's a decent crowd at the stage on 5th despite it being a rainy Monday. pic.twitter.com/AWPWJ5qpbA — Autumn Allison (@Aallison25) June 5, 2017

Apparently some of these folks have been out here since 5 a.m. for Country Music Gives Back. pic.twitter.com/IZmYInKU6H — Autumn Allison (@Aallison25) June 5, 2017

As the start of the game neared, the crowd had significantly increased, with many more Predators fans visibly present than earlier in the day.

Crowd is significantly larger now and much more into Granger Smith. He started off a song with a clip of JFK's "Ask not ..." speech. pic.twitter.com/8YMk7WD9kt — Autumn Allison (@Aallison25) June 5, 2017

The pre-game concert also featured country music artist Rodney Atkins..

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Over at Ascend Amphitheater, which holds 6,800 people, a few hundred people were lined up as security began letting fans inside.

Some saw the event as a more family friendly environment than the area outside Bridgestone Arena.

Dawn Kennon, 32, from Lebanon, brought her daughter, Sarah, and a girl she was babysitting, Aubree.

They showed up early, the girls wearing gold bows in their hair and decked out in Preds shirts. When the three got inside, they were able to score front row seats.

Kennon said she'd never been to Ascend and the experience there was awesome.

"It's less chaos, with all the bars and people," she said. "It's quiet and peaceful. There's less drunkenness."

By the time the game started thousands of fans had filled up the seated portion of the amphitheater with others seated on camping chairs in the lawn area.

With the game projected on several large screens, there were some minor issues, including aligning the screens. While most people stayed to watch the game throughout the evening, the screen issues led to some frustrations.

Overall, Butch Spyridon, CEO of Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp., said the various changes that were made for Game 4 have been part of a learning experience for everyone involved.

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“We have already started plans, if the Preds win tonight, there will be a major shift in what we do," he said.

In general, Spyridon said public safety is everyone's main priority.

“It all goes back to see something, say something. We need everyone being vigilant. No city is immune to the possibility of an incident,” he said.

More: Predator fans encouraged to bring back lighted 'Fangclets' for Game 4

► Related: Massive crowds cause safety concerns during Game 3 of Stanley Cup Final

Prior to the start of Monday's game Metro officials expected a crowd similar to the one that descended on downtown on Saturday. The various gatherings throughout downtown were organized by the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp. with APEX Security Group.

Officials from the mayor's office, Metro Nashville Police Department, the Predators and the CVC met on Monday morning to finalize the new arrangements.

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Natalie Alund, Autumn Allison, Kirk Bado, Jason Gonzales and Ariana Maia Sawyer contributed to this report.