The Cincinnati Reds and the Atlanta Braves will play a national regular-season game in the MLB Speedway Classic at Tennessee’s Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025 at 7 p.m. (ET) on FOX, Major League Baseball announced Friday.
The MLB Speedway Classic, which is presented by BuildSubmarines.com, will mark the first American or National League game ever played in Tennessee, which will become the fifth different state across the country since 2016 to host an MLB game that will be a first-time AL or NL contest. A baseball diamond ready for a Major League game will be built across the famed Bristol track at one of the largest standalone sporting venues in the nation.
MLB has once again partnered with BaAM Productions, BrightView and Populous on delivering a once-in-a-lifetime experience to sports fans at the Speedway Classic, which will include fan attractions and live music in the ”birthplace of country music.”
FOX Sports will provide exclusive national coverage of the MLB Speedway Classic. The event will be considered a Reds home date, with two games on Thursday and Friday in Cincinnati now preceding the special Saturday matchup and Sunday being held as a potential rain makeup date.
Pre-sales for the Speedway Classic will begin this September and will include early access purchase opportunities for Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds Season Ticket Members as well as Bristol Motor Speedway racing ticketholders. The public ticket offering is expected this December.
Commissioner of Baseball Robert D. Manfred, Jr. said: “Major League Baseball is excited to deliver a special game at Bristol Motor Speedway, a unique setting that sports fans will remember forever. 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.”
The Governor of Tennessee, the Honorable Bill Lee, said: “Tennessee has a remarkable history of hosting sporting events on the national stage, and we’re honored to host the first Major League Baseball game of its kind in state history. Baseball is a great American brand that belongs in Tennessee, and we look forward to welcoming Reds and Braves fans to Bristol while ensuring continued economic growth and prosperity across the Volunteer State.”
The MLB Speedway Classic follows other recent special events that have taken groundbreaking Major League games to non-traditional domestic locales, including the 2016 MLB at Fort Bragg game (which included the Braves playing the Miami Marlins); the annual Little League Classic in Williamsport, Pa. since 2017; MLB in Omaha at the NCAA’s Men’s College World Series in 2019; MLB at Field of Dreams in 2021 and 2022 (the latter of which included the Reds playing the Chicago Cubs); and MLB at Rickwood Field: A Tribute to the Negro Leagues in June of this year. These events marked the first AL or NL games ever played in North Carolina, Nebraska, Iowa and Alabama, respectively.
Reds President and Chief Executive Officer Phil Castellini said: “The Reds are excited to be the home team for this unforgettable first at the Bristol Motor Speedway. 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.”
Atlanta Braves President and CEO Derek Schiller said: “It is an honor for our organization to be a part of Major League Baseball’s Speedway Classic. 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.”
Jerry Caldwell, President and General Manager of Bristol Motor Speedway, said: “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’ on August 2, 2025. 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. It’s only appropriate for the World’s Fastest Half-Mile to showcase this game where the talented athletes will be on display in a venue that’s reputation was built on speed and high performance.
“We want to give a special thank-you to Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and the General Assembly, for their leadership and vision to work alongside Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin to help develop this monumental event. We have been blessed by the support of so many community leaders in our region who provided valuable assistance to make this dream game a reality. We’re ready; let’s play ball at Bristol, Baby!”
Known as The Last Great Colosseum, Bristol Motor Speedway has a rich history as a major sports and entertainment destination. Its stadium-like structure serves as a versatile multi-use venue that has hosted major auto races, concerts by legendary musicians, football games and many other captivating events. Work began on what was then called Bristol International Speedway in 1960. Forged amid the scenic mountains of Northeast Tennessee near the Virginia state line, the historic facility earned its reputation for producing incredible finishes during its most storied event, referred to as “America’s Night Race.” Darrell Waltrip has the most NASCAR Cup Series Victories at Bristol Motor Speedway with 12, followed by Dale Earnhardt, Rusty Wallace, Cale Yarborough and Kyle Busch at nine apiece. Twenty years ago, Dale Earnhardt Jr. coined the memorable phrase "It's Bristol, Baby!" after his sweep of Cup and Xfinity victories at the 2004 Night Race.
Tennessee has a rich baseball history, which includes the following:
Four Minor League Baseball teams are located in Tennessee: 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 baseball leagues in the history of professional baseball, dating back to 1911. The modern Appalachian League began in 1957. Since 2021, it has been an elite summer collegiate baseball league through a partnership between MLB and USA Baseball. The League is comprised of 10 Clubs deep in the heart of the Appalachia Region of the United States, including Bristol’s Appy League team, the State Liners, as well as four other Tennessee-based teams: the Elizabethton River Riders, the Greeneville Flyboys, the Johnson City Doughboys and the Kingsport Axmen. The Appy League’s Tri-Cities teams are Bristol, Johnson City and Kingsport.
Tennessee has a strong tradition of Black baseball dating back to the 1870s. Nearly 100 Negro Leaguers, including Hall of Famer Turkey Stearnes, were born in Tennessee. The Memphis Red Sox, a team that played for more than 30 years, and the Nashville Elite Giants were the state’s leading Negro Leagues clubs. Other Tennessee Negro Leagues clubs included the Nashville Black Vols, the Nashville Cubs, the Nashville Stars, the Knoxville Giants, the Chattanooga Black Lookouts, the Chattanooga White Sox, the Chattanooga Choo-Choos, the Memphis Eurekas and the Memphis Eclipse. Hall of Famer Willie Mays played for the Chattanooga Choo-Choos in 1945 and part of 1946.
Some 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; 2023 World Series Champion Evan Carter of the Texas Rangers; three-time All-Star pitcher and Vanderbilt University product Sonny Gray of the St. Louis Cardinals; 2021 American League Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray, now of the San Francisco Giants; and All-Star slugger Brent Rooker of the Oakland Athletics.
Past Major League greats from the State of Tennessee include Hall of Famer Turkey Stearnes, who now ranks sixth all-time in career batting average and slugging and ninth in OPS; new Hall of Famer Todd Helton, who attended the University of Tennessee before his great career with the Colorado Rockies; Cy Young Award winners R.A. Dickey, who attended the University of Tennessee, and David Price, who attended Vanderbilt before becoming a five-time All-Star and 2018 World Champion with the Boston Red Sox; longtime Major League player and manager Phil Garner, who attended the University of Tennessee; longtime Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Jim Gilliam, a four-time All-Star and four-time World Champion; and the late Ford C. Frick Award-winning broadcaster and longtime Major League catcher Tim McCarver, a two-time World Champion with the St. Louis Cardinals who played in four different decades.
There were 22 players selected in the 2024 MLB Draft who played at colleges in Tennessee, including the eighth overall selection of the first round, second baseman Christian Moore, who was chosen by the Los Angeles Angels after playing at the University of Tennessee.
Former University of Tennessee players on 2024 MLB rosters include All-Star pitcher Garrett Crochet of the Chicago White Sox as well as Jordan Beck, Ben Joyce, Trey Lipscomb and Nick Senzel. The Volunteers are the reigning NCAA Men’s College World Series Champions.
Former Vanderbilt players on 2024 MLB rosters include All-Stars Walker Buehler, Sonny Gray, Bryan Reynolds and Dansby Swanson as well as JJ Bleday, Curt Casali, Jason Delay, Carson Fulmer, Austin Martin, Collin Snider, Kyle Wright and Mike Yastrzemski. The Commodores have won the NCAA Men’s College World Series twice (2014 and 2019).
MLB held its first two Civil Rights Games in Memphis during 2007 and 2008 Spring Training.
The Baseball Winter Meetings hosting Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball have been held in Nashville eight times (1983, 1989, 1998, 2002, 2007, 2012, 2015 and 2023).
Fans can visit mlb.com/speedwayclassic for updates on the event, including ticket information. Fans interested in VIP Ticket Packages can place their deposit to be first in line to purchase ticket, hotel, and hospitality packages.
Publisher's note: A free press is critical to having well-informed voters and citizens. While some news organizations opt for paid websites or costly paywalls, The Highland County Press has maintained a free newspaper and website for the last 25 years for our community. If you would like to contribute to this service, it would be greatly appreciated. Donations may be made to: The Highland County Press, P.O. Box 849, Hillsboro, Ohio 45133. Please include "for website" on the memo line.
