Large audience expected for Speedway Classic, 1st MLB game in Tennessee

Fans in Tennessee have grown accustomed to watching excellent baseball, as the state is home to both reigning national champion Tennessee and Vanderbilt, which boasts a perennial powerhouse program.

On Aug. 2, fans will be treated to something they have never seen before: a Major League game in the Volunteer State.

• Get tickets to the Speedway Classic

The Braves and Reds will meet in the first-ever Speedway Classic at Bristol Motor Speedway, melding baseball with the NASCAR world in an event that follows in a long line of MLB’s recent successes in Iowa, Alabama, North Carolina and Nebraska.

“I think it's a huge pillar in terms of our growth strategy,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said on Tuesday, speaking at the Sports Business Journal World Congress of Sports in Nashville. “We believe we're a little different than some other sports, that our live product puts our best foot forward. If you believe that, you have to take that live product to places where people may not have a chance to see it every day.”

Manfred said one of the first things that intrigued him when the idea was initially presented was the opportunity for a “big crowd,” giving thousands of fans a chance to attend this unique event.

“We think it's an opportunity to have a really large audience for a Major League game,” Manfred said. “We think the setting in a legendary speedway is going to be awesome for a baseball game. … We think there's great alignment between the fan base of NASCAR and our fan base. We're looking forward to a great event.”

Jerry Caldwell, the track’s president, said the response for the event is already “north of 50,000,” though he has greater expectations for the final crowd size.

“We'll see how large that crowd can get,” Caldwell said. “Bristol can hold a lot of folks.”

The speedway hosted the Food City 500 last week, one of two NASCAR Cup races held annually at the venue. Caldwell said the preparation for the event – which will see a baseball diamond constructed across the track and infield – has already gotten underway.

“We really started before race weekend, putting some of the pieces together so that they could get into action,” Caldwell said. “We're already rolling at Speedway getting ready for the Speedway Classic.”

Braves president and CEO Derek Schiller said the league approached the club a few years ago with the idea of playing in the game at the speedway. The opportunity to play in a special-event game in such a unique venue “makes it really impactful,” Schiller said, and because the Braves have a large fan base throughout Tennessee, taking part in the event was a no-brainer.

“We were adamant that we wanted to be part of this game,” Schiller said. “We know that there's a uniqueness to it that is unmatched, playing a baseball game at a motor speedway. Being part of it was really important. This is part of where our fan base comes from, so we think many – maybe most of those fans – are going to be Atlanta Braves fans.

“These are events that don't come along that often; players recognize that, coaches recognize that, so they get a chance to do something that's really unique. They're all in and they're excited. Many of our players are NASCAR fans, so you’ve got that extra special connection in this particular case.”

Grammy Award-winning artist Tim McGraw will headline a pregame concert, it was announced on Tuesday, a natural fit given Tim’s connection to baseball. His father, Tug McGraw, pitched for the Mets and Phillies during a 19-year career, winning World Series rings with both clubs.

“We think that tying baseball to other parts of our culture is really important,” Manfred said. “Obviously, Tim has great baseball roots; kind of a perfect fit for us in terms of doing something in addition to the game.”

“Being able to tie all of these cultural things in – baseball, NASCAR, in the heart of America, if you will – and then throwing music into the mix is just a natural,” Caldwell said. “The birthplace of country music in Bristol, so it's a perfect fit for everyone. Then with McGraw's background and his family history within the sport, it really is a nice storyline and something that people are not going to want to miss.”