Bristol Motor Speedway to Host Braves, Reds in 2025
MLB Speedway Classic will take place on August 2 in Tennessee
Posted On: August 9, 2024 By :Officials from Major League Baseball and Bristol Speedway, the track known as the “Thunder Valley” that holds more than 146,000 fans for NASCAR races, announced Friday that the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds will play in the Speedway Classic on Aug. 2, 2025.
It will be a Reds home game with the first two being played at Cincinnati preceding the Saturday matchup and Sunday being held as a potential rain makeup date. The game will mark the first American or National League game ever played in Tennessee, which will become the fifth state since 2016 to host an MLB game that will be a first-time AL or NL contest.
“The Reds are excited to be the home team for this unforgettable first at the Bristol Motor Speedway,” Reds President and Chief Executive Officer Phil Castellini said. “Thank you to Major League Baseball for making this groundbreaking game happen. We cannot wait for all of Reds Country to cheer on their Reds in this unique and historic setting.”
The MLB Speedway Classic follows other recent events that have taken Major League games to non-traditional venues, including a 2016 game at Fort Bragg in North Carolina; the annual Little League Classic in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, since 2017; a 2019 game in Omaha at the NCAA’s Men’s College World Series; 2021 and 2022 games at Field of Dreams in Iowa and MLB at Rickwood Field in June of this year.
“Major League Baseball is excited to deliver a special game at Bristol Motor Speedway, a unique setting that sports fans will remember forever,” said Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred. “The Reds and the Braves form an ideal matchup because of their dynamic talent and the proximity of their markets. We look forward to celebrating our game with a wide array of fans, both on and off the field throughout the weekend, and highlighting the rich traditions of sports, music and community in Tennessee and across the region.”
Bristol Motor Speedway has hosted major auto races, concerts, football games and many other events. Tennessee features four professional baseball teams, including the Triple-A Nashville Sounds and the Memphis Redbirds of the International Leagues, and the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts and the Tennessee Smokies of the Southern League. The Appalachian League is one of the longest-running leagues in professional baseball, dating to 1911. The modern Appalachian League began in 1957 and since 2021 it has been a summer collegiate baseball league through a partnership between MLB and USA Baseball.
“On behalf of the team at Bristol Motor Speedway and Speedway Motorsports, we are thrilled to partner with Major League Baseball to bring the Speedway Classic to the ‘Home of Big Events,’” said Jerry Caldwell, president and general manager of Bristol Motor Speedway. “There is deep baseball history in Bristol and around this area, long acknowledged as the heart of the Appalachian League. In addition, Bristol’s location makes it the perfect ‘meet in the middle’ destination for a showdown between these two beloved clubs.”
The Baseball Winter Meetings have been held in Nashville eight times, most recently in 2023. There were 22 players selected in the 2024 MLB Draft who played at colleges in Tennessee. Leading the list of current MLB players who are natives of Tennessee include eight-time All-Star Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers, a two-time World Series Champion and the 2018 American League Most Valuable Player. Hall of Famers Todd Helson and Tim McCarver are both from the state.
“It is an honor for our organization to be a part of Major League Baseball’s Speedway Classic,” said Braves President and Chief Executive Officer Derek Schiller. “Bristol Motor Speedway is sure to offer one of the most exciting and memorable experiences in our game’s history. We look forward to seeing tens of thousands of fans from across Braves Country gather in Bristol next August to cheer on our team in this iconic venue.”
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