MTSU Football to Wear Dolly Parton Tribute Patch for Season Opener
Middle Tennessee State will honor the late Dolly Parton with a special jersey patch featuring her signature and years of life. The Blue Raiders will wear the tribute during their Sept. 5 home opener against Murray State. The university will donate a game-worn jersey to its Center for Popular Music and promote donations to Parton's Imagination Library.
The tribute patch will appear on MTSU's uniforms during their Sept. 5 matchup against Murray State, a date chosen deliberately to echo Parton's famous "9 to 5" song and film. University officials unveiled the design at the Center for Popular Music, which already houses artifacts tied to the singer's career. Following the game, one worn jersey will be preserved at the center as a lasting memorial.
Parton, who died this week in Nashville at age 80, launched the Imagination Library in 1995 to provide free books to young children. Fans at the opener will find QR codes directing them to support that literacy program. Other Tennessee institutions, including the University of Tennessee, the Titans, and the Predators, have also issued tributes honoring the state's beloved music icon.
This tribute could deepen the connection between college athletics and regional cultural identity, reminding fans that sports programs often serve as community touchstones beyond competition. The partnership with the Imagination Library may boost donations and literacy awareness among a broad football audience, potentially benefiting young children across the state. The gesture could also strengthen MTSU's public image and alumni engagement, while offering fans a meaningful way to process the loss of a widely admired figure whose influence extended far beyond music.