Record crowd expected at Bristol for the MLB Speedway Classic between the Braves and Reds
'We can't wait for next Saturday night ... when that first pitch is thrown out and the stands are full,' Jerry Caldwell, Bristol's president and general manager, said Friday. 'We'll be setting records, we'll be having attendance records. We'll announcing all those details later on, but we'll be there, I know we will.'
The largest crowd ever to see a baseball game was 115,300 for a March 2008 exhibition between the Red Sox and Dodgers at Los Angeles Coliseum. Bristol packed in 156,990 for the Battle of Bristol college football game in 2016.
Officials showed off the work Friday with a baseball field now sitting on top of the infield inside the half-mile bullring where cars and a building once sat for NASCAR races.
Murray Cook, an MLB field and stadium consultant with BrightView, said he's excited to be at this point in the process of building a ballpark. Final touches still remain for the clay along with all the padding and branding, which should be in place by Wednesday at the latest.
Crews also held a light check Thursday night to make sure the Musco lights meet MLB standards.
'We've had a blast building this,' Cook said.
Even though the Braves play the Reds in Cincinnati on Aug. 1, the day before the Bristol game, fans are being encouraged to settle in for the big party planned both outside and then inside the racetrack for game day.
Caldwell said fans should show up by noon on game day to enjoy the attractions outside the track, including music, a 110-foot Ferris wheel, a food truck row, pitching tunnels and batting cages and team mascots. Once fans head inside, Tim McGraw and Pitbull are scheduled to perform.
Demolition started in early June with heavy construction now in high gear to transform Bristol Motor Speedway into a ballpark for the first MLB game in Tennessee.
This game features grandstand seating for fans along both baselines. Both teams will be wearing NASCAR-inspired uniforms with details like flames on the brim of the Braves' caps and a finish-line checkerboard for the Reds' caps.
The MLB Speedway Classic also will be included in the 'MLB The Show 25' video game after an update scheduled for Tuesday.
Caldwell said the project has been long in the works.
'We're ... thrilled to be able to welcome everyone to Bristol and partner with Major League Baseball, the state of Tennessee and so many others to be able to pull this off,' he said.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Jake Ferguson signs four-year extension with Cowboys
Micah Parsons is still waiting for a new contract in Dallas, but one of his teammates landed an extension on Sunday. The Cowboys announced that they have signed tight end Jake Ferguson to a four-year extension. It's a $52 million deal with $30 million in guaranteed money. Ferguson was in the final year of the rookie deal he signed after being drafted in the fourth round in 2022. The move clears $1.8 million in salary cap space for the Cowboys in 2025. Ferguson missed three games last season and posted 59 catches for 494 yards. He was healthy for the entire 2023 campaign and caught 71 passes for 761 yards and five touchdowns.
Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
‘Fantastic Four: First Steps' scores Marvel's first $100 million box office opening of 2025
Film Review - The Fantastic Four: First Steps LOS ANGELES (AP) — Marvel's first family has finally found box office gold. 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps,' the first film about the superheroes made under the guidance of Kevin Feige and the Walt Disney Co., earned $118 million in its first weekend in 4,125 North American theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday. That makes it the fourth biggest opening of the year, behind 'A Minecraft Movie,' 'Lilo & Stitch' and 'Superman,' and the biggest Marvel opening since 'Deadpool & Wolverine' grossed $211 million out of the gate last summer. Internationally, 'Fantastic Four' made $100 million from 52 territories, adding up to a $218 million worldwide debut. The numbers were within the range the studio was expecting. The film arrived in the wake of another big superhero reboot, James Gunn's 'Superman,' which opened three weekends ago and has already crossed $500 million globally. That film, from the other main player in comic book films, DC Studios, took second place with $24.9 million domestically. 'First Steps' is the latest attempt at bringing the superhuman family to the big screen, following lackluster performances for other versions. The film, based on the original Marvel comics, is set during the 1960s in a retro-futuristic world led by the Fantastic Four, a family of astronauts-turned-superhuman from exposure to cosmic rays during a space mission. The family is made up of Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), who can stretch his body to incredible lengths; Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), who can render herself invisible; Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn), who transforms into a fiery human torch; and Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), who possesses tremendous superhuman strength with his stone-like flesh. The movie takes place four years after the family gained powers, during which Reed's inventions have transformed technology, and Sue's diplomacy has led to global peace. Both audiences and critics responded positively to the film, which currently has an 88% on Rotten Tomatoes and promising exit poll responses from opening weekend ticket buyers. An estimated 46% of audiences chose to see it on premium screens, including IMAX and other large formats. The once towering Marvel is working to rebuild audience enthusiasm for its films and characters. Its two previous offerings this year did not reach the cosmic box office heights of 'Deadpool & Wolverine," which made over $1.3 billion, or those of the 'Avengers'-era. But critically, the films have been on an upswing since the poorly reviewed 'Captain America: Brave New World,' which ultimately grossed $415 million worldwide. 'Thunderbolts," which jumpstarted the summer movie season, was better received critically but financially is capping out at just over $382 million globally. Like Deadpool and Wolverine, the Fantastic Four characters had been under the banner of 20th Century Fox for years. The studio produced two critically loathed, but decently profitable attempts in the mid-2000s with future Captain America Chris Evans as the Human Torch. In 2015, it tried again (unsuccessfully) with Michael B. Jordan and Miles Teller. They got another chance after Disney's $71 billion acquisition of Fox's entertainment assets in 2019. Top 10 movies by domestic box office With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore: 1. 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps,' $118 million. 2. 'Superman,' $24.9 million. 3. 'Jurassic World Rebirth,' $13 million. 4. 'F1: The Movie,' $6.2 million. 5. 'Smurfs,' $5.4 million. 6. 'I Know What You Did Last Summer,' $5.1 million. 7. 'How to Train Your Dragon,' $2.8 million. 8. 'Eddington,' $1.7 million. 9. 'Saiyaara,' $1.3 million. 10. 'Oh, Hi!,' $1.1 million. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
New York Giants training camp: Top 5 plays from Week 1
The New York Giants wrapped up their first week of training camp on Sunday under overcast East Rutherford skies and with their shells on. There were many highs and lows throughout the week, but more reasons for optimism than pessimism. The offense looks like an entirely different unit than a year ago, while the defensive front seven flashed utter dominance. There were also more than a handful of highlight plays on all sides of the ball, breathing life and excitement into the fan base. Here's a look at the top five plays of the week. 5. The catch that wasn't On the very last play of Sunday's wrap-up practice, rookie running back Cam Skattebo flashed brilliant hands and concentration, hauling in a deflected pass while tapping his toes on the ground. Unfortunately for Skattebo, he was out of bounds by an inch... But it shouldn't take away from the highlight catch. 4. Jones pick-6 Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart was introduced to fine-line football in his first training camp practice as a pro. During red zone drills, Dart attempted to fire a tight ball into tight end Greg Dulcich, who was undercut by cornerback Nic Jones. From there, it was off to the races for a pick-6. 3. Wan'Dale stunner Quarterback Russell Wilson, unlike Daniel Jones before him, isn't afraid to throw the ball downfield, where wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson flashed this week. One of those plays included a beautiful fade, where Robinson made a sliding one-handed touchdown grab in front of cornerback Dru Phillips. 2. Carter destroys JMS Rookie edge rusher Abdul Carter is a freak of nature and established himself as a human highlight reel in Week 1 of training camp. He showed out every single day and made multiple "wow" plays in each practice. Arguably, the most unbelievable came when he lined up off the ball inside and completely destroyed center John Michael Schmitz. 1. Darius slays Veteran wide receiver Darius Slayton electrified Sunday's crowd early in practice, hauling in a dazzling one-handed catch along the sideline. Not only was he able to secure the ball, but he got both feet in bounds for the big gain off the arm of Russell Wilson. This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Giants training camp: Top 5 plays from Week 1
