MLB announced Monday that Saturday’s Speedway Classic, featuring the Braves and Reds at Bristol Motor Speedway, is expected to break the league’s all-time attendance record.
More than 85,000 tickets have been reported as sold for the event, which will be the first major league game played in Tennessee. The MLB record for paid attendance is 84,587, set Sept. 12, 1954 when Cleveland Stadium hosted the Yankees.
MLB shared that fans from all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and nine countries on four continents have purchased tickets.
Hall of Famer Chipper Jones will throw out the first pitch to Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench. The two icons spent their entire playing careers with the Braves and Reds, respectively.
The game will include multiple NASCAR-themed elements, from driver-style introductions to a “Victory Lane” celebration for the winning club, which will receive a Speedway Classic trophy.
Unfortunately for the Braves, this might be the highlight of their final two months. Their record is 44-60, and they’ve dropped further in the standings as underperformance and injuries spoiled a season once expected to produce an eighth consecutive postseason appearance.
The Reds, meanwhile, are 56-50, 6½ games back in the National League Central but in the thick of the wild-card race. Cincinnati, led by legendary manager Terry Francona, is trending upward as a franchise after a difficult stretch.
The MLB Speedway Classic will begin at 7:15 p.m. Saturday and air nationally on Fox.
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