BRISTOL, Tenn.— The Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds made Major League Baseball history on Saturday night by playing the first regular-season game ever hosted in Tennessee at Bristol Motor Speedway, shattering MLB’s attendance record with over 85,000 tickets sold.
The event, called the MLB Speedway Classic, transformed the iconic NASCAR race track into a breathtaking baseball venue with a fully constructed field in the infield. With Bristol Motor Speedway’s massive seating capacity of roughly 146,000, the game set a new paid attendance record of over 85,000 spectators, surpassing the previous mark of 84,587 set back in 1954 at Cleveland Stadium.
Jeremiah Yolkut, MLB’s senior vice president of global events, remarked, “The way the venue looks really is something that you can put on paper, but you really can’t get a true vision of it until you actually put grandstands on the infield of the track, and you put 3,500 seats in the middle of 87,000 seats. Those things just don’t become a reality until you actually see them.” The unique setup included temporary grandstands wrapping both sidelines, a press box at the top, and the large Colossus videoboard towering over third base foul territory.
Adding to the spectacle, the Braves and Reds donned custom NASCAR-themed uniforms featuring race car style numbers and stylized caps—flames adorned the Braves’ visor, while the Reds wore checkered flag designs on theirs—celebrating the motorsport culture of the speedway.
The game’s pregame ceremonies included appearances by baseball legends Johnny Bench and Chipper Jones, alongside NASCAR stars Kyle Busch and Chase Elliott, bridging the worlds of baseball and racing. Fans traveled from across the nation to witness this unprecedented crossover event.
Despite the electrifying atmosphere and record-setting crowd, the game faced weather challenges. Heavy rain caused a suspension in the first inning, forcing the contest to resume on Sunday afternoon. Nonetheless, the enthusiasm of the crowd remained undampened, marking the MLB Speedway Classic as a landmark occasion both for baseball and Tennessee sports history.
This event stands apart from other MLB special games such as the Field of Dreams Game and the Rickwood Field matchup by its sheer scale and innovative venue choice. Normally intimate baseball settings gave way to Bristol’s expansive racetrack, creating a grand, festival-like atmosphere for fans and players alike.
With over 85,000 tickets sold — a figure that eclipses many traditional ballparks combined — and a first-ever Major League game in Tennessee, the MLB Speedway Classic has set a new standard for creativity and fan engagement in professional baseball.