Latest news with #DerekSchiller
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Manfred eager to see how many fans turn out for the MLB Speedway Classic at Bristol
Derek Schiller, president and CEO of the Atlanta Braves, speaks during a news conference about the Speedway Classic baseball game, Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV) The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race is run in Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday, Aug. 25, 2012, in Bristol, Tenn. (Andrew Coppley, CIA Bristol Motor Speedway via AP, Pool, File) Derek Schiller, president and CEO of the Atlanta Braves, speaks during a news conference about the Speedway Classic baseball game, Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV) The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race is run in Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday, Aug. 25, 2012, in Bristol, Tenn. (Andrew Coppley, CIA Bristol Motor Speedway via AP, Pool, File) NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Major League Baseball has played at the 'Field of Dreams' movie site. Now baseball is eager to see just how big a crowd will show up for a game at a NASCAR bullring of a track. And Bristol Motor Speedway can hold a lot of people. Advertisement It's part of Commissioner Rob Manfred's push to take MLB to locations where baseball isn't played every day live. MLB played a game at the movie site in Iowa in both 2021 and 2022. Alabama, North Carolina and Pennsylvania, too. Now it's Tennessee's turn. Manfred noted Tuesday after speaking at the CAA World Congress of Sports Presented by Sports Business Journal that the Tennessee Volunteers are the defending college baseball national champions with Vanderbilt winner of two college titles. Manfred sees lots of alignment between NASCAR and MLB fans. 'Big crowd, big crowd,' Manfred said of what is expected at Bristol on Aug. 2. 'We think that it's an opportunity to have a really large audience for a major league game, and we think the setting in really a legendary speedway is going to be awesome for a baseball game.' Advertisement Nobody is ready to put a number on how many will turn out for the MLB Speedway Classic when the Cincinnati Reds host the Atlanta Braves. Bristol set a record for a college football game in 2016 and has a capacity of 146,000 for racing. This game will be played on a field laid over part of the speedway infield and the high-banked track. Derek Schiller, president and chief executive officer of the Braves, said MLB approached the team a few years ago about this possibility. Schiller said the Braves were adamant about wanting to be a part of this game. 'We know that there's a uniqueness to it that is unmatched,' Schiller said. "Playing a baseball game at a motor speedway and being part of that was really important also because this is part of where our fan base comes from. So we we think many, maybe most of those fans are going to be Atlanta Braves' fans.' Advertisement Officials announced Tuesday that country superstar Tim McGraw will perform a concert an hour before first pitch. McGraw has ties to baseball having earned a college scholarship playing the sport. His late father Tug McGraw won two World Series titles pitching for the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies. That's just part of the day of events planned leading up to the game. Jerry Caldwell, president and general manager of Bristol Motor Speedway, would only tease that more announcements are coming. All are designed to give fans reasons to get to the track and into their seats as early as possible. Hosting an event like this is nothing new for Bristol. The track hosted the Tennessee Volunteers and Virginia Tech in the Battle of Bristol in 2016 before a record 156,990 fans. So track officials have experience adapting the half-mile concrete track into something new. Caldwell said preparations started before the track's spring race April 13, won by Kyle Larson. Bristol then will have six weeks until hosting a night NASCAR Cup Series race in the playoffs on Sept. 13. Advertisement 'It's becoming very real," Caldwell said. "We're approaching 100 days out from the game, and we're thrilled with the progress.' ___ AP MLB: and AP NASCAR:
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Atlanta Braves celebrate grand opening of new family space at Truist Park
Atlanta Braves celebrate grand opening of new family space at Truist Park The home of the Braves has a new family space. The Atlanta Braves held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday for their new Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Park. The new area is located in the left field plaza of Truist Park between Left Field Gate and Third Base Gate. Advertisement Covering over 30,000 square feet, the new space is nearly double the size of the former family space at Hope & Will's Sandlot. 'It's a great place for kids and families to come out, hang out, while you're watching the game on the big video board here. you can also play some whiffle ball and all kinds of other things,' Atlanta Braves President & CEO Derek Schiller said. Schiller was joined by Braves mascot Blooper, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta mascots Hope & Will, the Atlanta Braves Heavy Hitters drumline, dozens of young Braves fans and their families, plus other Braves and CHOA executives. The ceremony took place on Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Park's new mini baseball field. Advertisement In addition to the mini baseball field, visitors to the park can enjoy Blooper's Clubhouse, the fan-favorite rock-climbing tower, and more. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
