text: Despite drawing crowds averaging barely half of Vanderbilt's capacity, Adams had every intention of playing in Memphis the next season. That changed after the final game of the 1997 season. The Oilers faced the Pittsburgh Steelers in front of 50,677 fans. It was the only crowd that could not have been reasonably accommodated at Vanderbilt, however, Steeler fans made up the great majority of the crowd (at least three-fourths, by one estimate).  Adams was so embarrassed that he abandoned plans to play the 1998 season in Memphis and secured a special exemption from the NFL to play one season at the undersized Vanderbilt. The team rebounded that season, and was in playoff contention until losing their last two games for another 8–8 record. The Oilers had gone 6–2 in Nashville while going 2–6 on the road. The Titans have maintained both radio and preseason TV affiliates in the Memphis area.
  Tennessee Titans era (1999–present)
  Name change
  On July 29, 1998, Adams announced that in response to fan requests, he was changing the Oilers' name to coincide with the opening of their new stadium and to better connect with Nashville. He also declared that the renamed team would retain the Oilers' heritage (including team records), as had all other relocated teams except the Browns/Ravens, and that there would be a Hall of Fame honoring the greatest players from both eras.
  Adams appointed an advisory committee to decide on a new name. He let it be known that the new name should reflect power, strength, leadership and other heroic qualities. A naming contest produced names such as Tornadoes, Copperheads, South Stars, and Wranglers among others. On November 14, 1998, Adams announced that the Oilers would be known as the Tennessee Titans starting in 1999. The new name met all of Adams' requirements, and also served as a nod to Nashville's nickname of "The Athens of the South" (for its large number of higher-learning institutions, Classical architecture, and its full-scale replica of the Parthenon). The team's new logo and colors were unveiled on December 22, 1998.