BRISTOL, TN – AUGUST 09: BRISTOL, TN – AUGUST 09: Detail shot of signage during the MLB Speedway Classic at Bristol Announcement at Bristol Motor Speedway on Friday, August 9, 2024 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Randy Sartin/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
MLB Photos via Getty Images
Baseball is coming to the racetrack on Saturday as the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds play in the MLB Speedway Classic, marking the first MLB game at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Coverage for the game, which has already sold 85,000-plus tickets, begins at 6 p.m. ET on Fox. First pitch is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. ET.
The MLB Speedway Classic is expected to set a MLB regular season attendance record. On Sept. 12, 1954, Cleveland Stadium hosted the New York Yankees in front of 84,587 fans. Attendance may surpass 100,000 fans for the MLB Speedway Classic.
Fox Sports plans to leverage 40 cameras for the MLB Speedway Classic broadcast, including a rover device, or RC Car Camera as it is otherwise known.
The rover camera will speed around the racetrack and capture varied shots during the pregame. Additionally, Fox will place in-car cameras on two classic bullpen cars as relief pitchers enter the game. The network will have access to other unique cameras such as an UmpCam at home plate, a drone from Beverly Hills Aerials and drone shots from a helicopter.
Transforming Bristol Motor Speedway into a ballpark has required bringing 17,500 tons of gravel and 340 tons of Pennsylvania clay to the racing venue. In addition, 215 lights have been added to the top of the racetrack. The synthetic grass being used for the field is the same surface used by the Toronto Blue Jays.
Meanwhile, Braves Hall of Famer and World Series Champion Chipper Jones will throw the ceremonial first pitch to Reds Hall of Famer and 14-time All-Star selection Johnny Bench. Country music artist Tim McGraw will headline the pregame concert.
Nicknamed “The Last Great Colosseum,” Bristol Motor Speedway has previously hosted other big sporting events, including the “Battle at Bristol,” a college football game between Tennessee and Virginia Tech in 2016. The Volunteers beat the Hokies 45-24. With an attendance of 156,990 fans, the game set a single-game NCAA attendance record.
Currently, the Braves sit in fourth place in the NL East with a 46-62 record, while the Reds are in third place in the NL Central with a 57-53 mark. The MLB Speedway Classic, which will feature the Braves and Reds wearing NASCAR-inspired special uniforms for the game, is presented by BuildSubmarines.com.