Fans of Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds- get ready because big news is on the horizon and it will come as soon as this upcoming Friday. If rumors are to be true, Marcus Smith, the owner of the iconic track Bristol Motor Speedway, is to announce that the Bristol track is ready to host a Major League Baseball game. Even before the announcement, this buzz-worthy news is circulating like wildfire. Because, not only is this venue a surprising choice, but the event itself could also become record-setting for MLB!

Surprised by Bristol? Well, it isn’t going to be the first unorthodox venue that MLB has brought baseball to around the world, and it probably won’t be the last. Major League Baseball is already enticing for fans but it’s refreshing to see that the governing body still puts in effort to add more spice for the fans and teams!

Bristol Motor Speedway makes room for Major League Baseball

When one hears of Bristol Motor Speedway — NASCAR and motor sports are what come to mind. And rightly so, the half-mile oval hosts two NASCAR weekends annually and is one of the most coveted and popular tracks. And the crowd turns up is just- chef’s kiss! However, while motorsport is widely associated with the track, the iconic track does have a history of holding other high-profile events outside it. In fact, in 2016, Tennessee and Virginia Tech played a college football game in the infield, and believe it out not that game drew 156,990 fans, the largest crowd ever to watch an NCAA football game!

Now, after football, Bristol is ready for Major League Baseball and reports have come from Talkin’ Baseball and even Athletic that the news is substantial. Talkin’ Baseball captioned their post, “Bristol Motor Speedway will host an MLB game in 2025 between the Braves and Reds, per @Jordan_Bianchi.” Even players are thrilled about the possibility of going to Bristol; pitcher Grant Holmes said, “Inside of it? That’s crazy.” 

And what’s even more exciting is that we know boundaries will be pushed and more unconventional ideas pursued because Major League Baseball is teaming up with Marcus Smith, the person known to bring all those facets to the table. He once transformed Bristol Motor Speedway by building a football field inside for the Volunteers and Hokies. He even built the road course inside Charlotte Motor Speedway expanding NASCAR’s event lineup to include the Coca-Cola 600 and a playoff race. But that’s not all for fans because, with this race, a new baseball record could also be set. 

Is Bristol about to make MLB history with attendance?

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Bristol is on the Tennesse Virginia border, just about 115 miles north of Gatlinburg. Now, while many high-profile games have been at the venue, hosting an MLB game could be record-setting—an attendance record. Bristol Motor Speedway has a capacity of 153, 000 and this means it could house the most amount of baseball fans ever in history! The largest crowd for a Major League Baseball game till now was set in 2008, during the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox at the Los Angeles Coliseum. They drew in drumrolls…. 115, 300 spectators for a pre-season exhibition game.

That’s possibly the only time that a baseball crowd exceeded 100,000. Although there is plenty of debate that it’s not an “official” game and hence that number of 115,300 cannot be factored in as the game was an exhibition and didn’t take place during the regular season. Presently, the Dodgers stadium has the most capacity and can hold up to 56,000 attendees. Coming up next is the Padres, with the capacity to house 39, 860 Major League Baseball fans. So going to Bristol, it’s going to be a game-changer, something great for the sport.

Major League Baseball has also ventured out of its traditional cities and played games outside in London, Japan, Australia, and Mexico. In fact, in 2025 the league has plans to have the season opener in Japan and then continue with Paris, Mexico, and San Juan. So far as per reports, the Dodgers and Cubs are to be playing at the season opener next year in Tokyo. However, nothing concrete has come out as of yet. 

It’s an exciting time for baseball fans as the sport takes center stage around the globe, showcasing its reach and universal appeal. How do you feel about Bristol making its mark on the Major League Baseball calendar? Share in the comments below.