BRISTOL, Tenn., Aug. 2, 2025 – Bristol Motor Speedway is set to make history as the venue for the first Major League Baseball game ever played in Tennessee.
The iconic race track has been transformed, ready to host the MLB Speedway Classic between the Atlanta Braves and the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday, expecting the largest crowd for a regular season MLB game.
More than 85,000 tickets had been sold as of Monday, already surpassing the previous paid attendance record of 84,587 set on Sept. 12, 1954, at Cleveland Stadium.
A Unique Baseball Landscape
The baseball diamond is nestled within the speedway’s inner field. Temporary stands rise on either side, crowned by a press box. The track’s famous “Colossus” scoring tower now overlooks the foul territory along the third base line, meaning any ball hitting it will be a foul ball.
“The way the place is really seen is something that you put on paper, but you really can’t have a true view of it until you really put stands in the inside field of the track, and you place 3,500 seats in the middle of 87,000 seats,” said Jeremiah Yolkut, senior vice president of MLB global events, on Friday. “Those things simply do not come true until you really see them.”
Record-Breaking Atmosphere
Sean Casey, a three-time All-Star, recalled the “incredible” energy from the 115,300 fans at the 2008 exhibition game between the Red Sox and Dodgers at the Los Angeles Coliseum, the largest crowd ever for a baseball game.
“I think the Reds and Braves entering the field with more than 90,000 people in the Bristol Motor Speedway, the energy for this game will be extraordinary,” Casey said Friday. He had spent time on the field, broadcasting with MLB Network.
MLB chose not to exceed the 2008 attendance record. Seats in turns three and four of the track, which typically holds 146,000 for races, were blocked off to enhance the fan experience.
“We thought it was important to have the least amount of obstructed seats possible and make sure that fans who came had a great experience,” Yolkut added.
Game Day Preparations
The Reds secured a 3-2 victory over the Braves in an early-played game in Cincinnati on Friday, giving everyone in Bristol time to prepare for Saturday’s main event.
The teams have set up separate clubhouses. The Reds are situated behind the baseball field’s stands, while the Braves are located just past right field, near the track’s wall.
Nearby, the Braves hosted a viewing party Friday at the Bristol Paramount Theater. Admission was free, with merchandise available and concessions offered on a large screen.
MLB has also rolled out a Fan Zone outside the speedway walls. It features a 110-foot Ferris wheel, food trucks, batting cages, and more. Tim McGraw and Pitbull are scheduled to headline a pre-game concert.
An overflow crowd is anticipated. Chipper Jones and Johnny Bench are slated to throw out the ceremonial first pitches.
Fans Travel for History
Fans have traveled from afar for this historic game. Some arrived Thursday to set up camp at Bristol. A group from Charleston, South Carolina, pitched tents to support the Braves.
Rich Lorenzo, 40, a lifelong Braves fan, expressed his excitement. “I am super excited because here I have run in Bristol in two different cars, and it is a bit great to come for something that is not careers,” Lorenzo said, sitting next to his tent. “So it is really an event, really amazing to be part. In addition, the first game of the major baseball leagues in Tennessee.”
The 124,000 square feet of artificial turf used for the baseball field will be donated after the game to East Tennessee State University. This is part of MLB’s “Better Together” social responsibility initiative. ETSU has a history of players being selected in the MLB draft, with 45 drafted.
