July 31, 2025 – On August 2, baseball meets motorsports.
The MLB Speedway Classic presented byBuildSubmarines.comatBristol Motor Speedway and Dragwaypits theAtlanta Bravesagainst theCincinnati Reds— the two teams closest in proximity to downtown Nashville — on Saturday night in a matchup set to shatter the league’s all-time single-game attendance record.
Major League Baseball (MLB)announced on Monday morning that the Speedway Classic had sold more than 85,000 tickets to fans in all 50 states in addition to Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and nine countries on four continents. Accounting for the ticket sales accumulated this week, the league’s previous record total of 84,587 (set in 1954) will be far surpassed when these two National League foes square off at the track.
Three-time GRAMMY winner Tim McGraw — son of the late two-time World Series champion pitcher Tug McGraw — will headline a special pregame concert approximately an hour before the 7 p.m. ET first pitch. Stars Music Industry Advisor Adam Doleac (above, left) will join Jake Owen for a set of live performances throughout the afternoon as part of the Speedway Classic Fan Zone.
The heightened momentum for Major League Baseball in Tennessee is familiar for the Stars. “I think baseball is a statewide passion, not just a Nashville story,” Stars Managing DirectorJohn Loartold theBristol Herald Courierearlier this month. “I think the opportunity to have a Major League Baseball game in Bristol, Tennessee, just reinforces the state’s interest.”
Zeroing in on the value of Nashville for Major League Baseball, Loar added: “The people are moving here – baseball players, people in the business – and there’s just the overall growth of Nashville. It’s centrally located, and I think all the revenue factors work: The expansion of the corporate market here, you have Oracle and Amazon showing up, a strong healthcare industry and you have the entertainment business with country music.”
And in the midst of his MLB trade coverage in recent days, USA Today baseball columnistBob Nightengaleindicated in a recent column that the Stars’ efforts — in tandem with such strong success by the city — are generating positive results:“Major League Baseball believes the strongest two expansion markets remain Salt Lake City and Nashville.”
The Stars join the state — and baseball fans around the world — in welcoming the Braves and Reds to Tennessee for this exciting, first-of-its-kind matchup!