MLB Sees New Attendance Mark, Unveils More Activation For Speedway Classic
Friday, August 1, 2025 at 01:51PM By Barry Janoff
UPDATED August 3, 2025: MLB said attendance for the MLB Speedway Classic presented by BuildSubmarines.com, on Aug. 2 was a MLB regular-season record 91,032 in the Bristol Motor Speedway.
The game lasted less than an inning before it was rained out and finished on Aug. 3, with the Atlanta Braves defeating the Cincinnati Reds, 4-2. MLB did not give an attendance figure for Aug. 3.
UPDATED August 1, 2025: MLB said that following the conclusion of the MLB Speedway Classic presented by BuildSubmarines.com, the playing surface used for Saturday’s contest between the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves would be donated to East Tennessee State University. MLB will be donating 124,000 square feet of Diamond Series AstroTurf to ETSU.
The donation comes as part of MLB Together, Major League Baseball’s social responsibility initiative which serves as an ongoing call to action for everyone across the game to get involved in their communities through a diverse offering of goodwill, legacy and charitable programs.
UPDATED July 28, 2025: MLB said the MLB Speedway Classic presented by BuildSubmarines.com Aug. 2 in the Bristol Motor Speedway (Fox) would break the all-time regular season single-game attendance record,
With more than 85,000 tickets sold to date, the first American or National League game ever played in Tennessee — which will feature the Cincinnati Reds taking on the Atlanta Braves — will eclipse the previous paid attendance record of 84,587 set on Sept. 12, 1954, in Cleveland Stadium during a doubleheader between Cleveland and the New York Yankees.
MLB said people have purchased tickets from all 50 U.S. sates, Washington DC, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and nine countries on four continents.
The all-time MLB attendance record of 115,300 was set at a pres-eason game between the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers on March 29, 2008, in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame,
Before the Speedway Classic, the ceremonial first pitch will feature two Hall of Famers who spent the entirety of their careers representing the competing Clubs. Hall of Famer of the Atlanta Braves Chipper Jones will throw the ceremonial first pitch to Hall of Famer of the Cincinnati Reds Johnny Bench.
As part of the U.S. Navy’s upcoming 250th birthday in October, the U.S. Navy will be featured throughout pregame ceremonies.
The integration of Nascar traditions and crossover elements will be featured throughout the game to further connect baseball to the venue and the most recognizable aspects of the sport.
MLB will honor Nascar with multiple activations, including a pregame player parade, taking inspiration from Nascar-style driver introductions, racing-themed between-inning activations featuring fans of all ages and an on-field, Nascar “Victory Lane” celebration for the winning team with a custom Speedway Classic trophy presentation.
Tim McGraw, Pitbull and Jake Owen will take the stage for their special pregame concert (presented by T-Mobile 5G Home Internet) before the Braves take on the Reds in the MLB Speedway Classic.
MLB The Show 25 will incorporate a series of features dedicated to the MLB Speedway Classic. Gamers will be able to play at the Bristol Motor Speedway after a live game update adds Bristol Motor Speedway stadium as its newest ballpark.
Users can also unlock a new Speedway Classic card series via the Diamond Dynasty Program of rewards and Missions.
June 25, 2025: MLB and its partners along with Nascar unveiled details for the the Speedway Classic Fan Zone, a 220,000-square-foot area outside Bristol Motor Speedway that will be a central element to the MLB Speedway Classic presented by BuildSubmarines.com on Aug. 2.
Speedway Classic Fan Zone will open at Noon (ET) on game day and feature a full day of events including live music, interactive games, a 110-foot Ferris Wheel, batting cages, pitching tunnels, regional food, exhibits and photo opportunities.
The game itself will see the Atlanta Braves play the Cincinnati Reds (Fox, 7 PM ET).
"It's no doubt it will be one of our most iconic days in baseball and one of the most special days of the 2025 season," Jeremiah Yolkut, MLB svp-global events, said via the league.
MLB said country music star Jake Owen will join previously named headliners Tim McGraw and Pitbull for a special pre-game concert at Bristol Motor Speedway before the game.
Also scheduled to perform throughout the day in the Fan Zone are country music artists Timothy Wayne, Reyna Roberts and Adam Doleac.
Fox said it plans to feature portions of the special performance during their pre-game event coverage.
All MLB Speedway Classic ticketholders will have access to the Fan Zone and will also have access to the pre-game concert starting approximately one hour before first pitch.
People can watch that performance from their seats and on Bristol’s iconic Colossus video board, a 30 x 63-foot TV screen.
MLB said 20 partners are currently scheduled to host brand activations at the Speedway Classic Fan Zone.
Multi-media marketing support is anchored by the spot, “Start Your Engines: MLB Is Coming To Nascar.”
Budweiser will offer people the opportunity to take a photo with the Budweiser Clydesdales and see the Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2001 MLB All-Star Game-inspired show car, which has been updated to feature the 2025 MLB Speedway Classic logo.
They can also experience what it’s like to race the car by driving Budweiser and Nascar racing simulators.
People 21 and older will be able to visit a Budweiser mobile bar with a roof deck.
MasterCard’s Food Truck Row will offer a variety of Tennessee cuisine.
Corona will have for people 21 and older a beach-inspired oasis activation featuring shaded lounge areas, beer garden-style seating, and subtle baseball elements.
MLB is collaborating with Good People, an experiential agency, to help produce the Fan Zone.
Activities at the Speedway Classic Fan Zone also include:
• Commissioner’s Trophy on display for fan photos
• 110-foot Ferris Wheel
• Pitching Tunnels and Batting Cages
• MLB Network live broadcast set
• Branded MLB stock cars for photo opportunities
• Legacy Walk, an exhibit highlighting great players from the Reds and Braves
• ESPN’s SportsCenter: 50 States in 50 Days live broadcast set.
The first Nascar race in Bristol Motor Speedway was July 30, 1961. The venue is also known as “Thunder Valley,” “The World’s Fastest Half-Mile” and “The Last Great Colosseum.”
"We love putting on big events and creating 'Wow!' moments," Jerry Caldwell, president of Bristol Motor Speedway, said via MLB. “It's going to be an event unto itself."
MLB and Bristol Motor Speedway said seating would include about two-thirds of the track’s existing stands, and that temporary seats would be built behind home plate and in the infield down the first and third base lines.
Attendance could top 100,000.
This will be the first regular-season game in MLB history played in Tennessee, according to the league