History is on deck at Bristol Motor Speedway, where Saturday’s MLB Speedway Classic presented by BuildSubmarines.com is set to break the all-time regular season single-game attendance record, Major League Baseball announced.
With more than 85,000 tickets sold, the matchup between the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves will eclipse the previous record of 84,587, set on September 12, 1954, at Cleveland Stadium when the Yankees played the Guardians. This will mark the first-ever American or National League game held in Tennessee.
Fans from all 50 U.S. states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and nine countries across four continents have secured seats for the landmark event.
Adding to the historic night, Hall of Famers Chipper Jones (Braves) and Johnny Bench (Reds) will headline pregame ceremonies with a ceremonial first pitch. The U.S. Navy, celebrating its 250th anniversary in October, will take center stage in the pageantry, including the anthem sung by MU1 Kathryn Dobyns, a color guard from the U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard in Washington, D.C., and a flyover featuring four F/A-18 Super Hornets from VFA-103 at NAS Oceana.
Baseball will honor its NASCAR host with crossover elements woven throughout the evening. The player introductions will mirror NASCAR’s driver parade style, and the victorious club will celebrate in an on-field “Victory Lane” ceremony, capped with a custom Speedway Classic trophy.
Music will be as big as the moment, with Tim McGraw, Pitbull, and Jake Owen headlining a pregame concert presented by T-Mobile 5G Home Internet. Earlier in the day, the Speedway Classic Fan Zone will feature additional performances from Owen, Timothy Wayne, Reyna Roberts, and Adam Doleac, bringing fans an immersive festival experience across more than 220,000 square feet.
The game, airing nationally on FOX at 7:15 p.m. ET, is expected to be one of the most-watched and most-attended baseball events in modern history. For tickets and more information, visit MLB.com/SpeedwayClassic or follow @MLB on social media.
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