MLB Attendance Record on Track as Braves Face Reds in Tennessee

The Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds are set to play in front of the largest crowd in MLB history on Saturday, as the two clubs will meet at Bristol Motor Speedway. The game will also mark the first regular-season MLB game ever held in the state of Tennessee.

MLB announced earlier this week that over 85,000 tickets have been sold for the game, putting it on track to break the current record set on September 12, 1954, when Cleveland Stadium hosted the New York Yankees.

"It's going to be a unique experience," said Braves manager Brian Snitker. "We've played in some big ballparks before, but this one is different. It's a track, and we'll have to adjust our game plan accordingly."

Work continues on the baseball field inside the racetrack at Bristol Motor Speedway, Friday, July 25, 2025, in Bristol, Tenn., for MLB Speedway Classic baseball game between the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves on Aug. 2.

The game will take place on 124,000 square feet of Diamond Series AstroTurf, which has been installed specifically for the event. Following Saturday's game, MLB will donate the field to East Tennessee State University's baseball program.

Given the size of Bristol Motor Speedway, some of the views may be less than ideal. The experience will have a much different feel than other neutral-site games that MLB has hosted.

In 2021 and 2022, MLB held one game each year for its MLB Field of Dreams Game in Dyersville, Iowa. Those games were played in a temporary stadium that held about 8,000 fans.

MLB also hosts an annual MLB Little League Classic in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. This game is intended for participants in the Little League World Series and tends to be played in front of about 2,500 people.