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, August 2, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. (ET) on FOX, Major League Baseball announced today.
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, Pennsylvania 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.”
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.
Photo courtesy MLB/Fox