The Speedway Classic between the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves did not go according to plan. The teams had to suspend play on Saturday, which led to a Sunday day game that began in the bottom of the first inning. That stadium was only a quarter full given the delay, and Bristol Motor Speedway ran out of certain food and beer during Saturday's action. Some of the seats had horrible vantage points. FanSided's Cody Williams summed it up nicely.
"Obviously, the fans showed up for the Braves-Reds game to start on time and Mother Nature had other plans. However, every baseball park should be prepared for that, whether it's being played at a standard park or at Bristol Motor Speedway. The Speedway Classic was not remotely prepared, though. While fans were enjoying the usual goods during the rain delay by grabbing food, beer and merchandise, vendors were already running out of these things before we even got to the first pitch," Williams wrote.
A game that should've featured the largest crowd in MLB history instead ran out of concessions and looked three-quarters empty when play resumed.
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Speedway Classic proves MLB expansion is on the horizon
It should come as no surprise that MLB wanted to test its audience prior to expanding further in the south. While markets like Tampa Bay and Miami have struggled to adapt to MLB, the Braves have one of the most iconic brands in sports. Braves games frequently get some of the best ratings in MLB, and they own a large market than spans across much of the southeast. Soon, they may have to share that market.
Nashville is not particularly close to Bristol, but the growing metropolis has shown interest in growing that game. They could easily be the next target for an MLB team, but unfortunately that is more likely to come via relocation.
Which teams could move to Nashville after MLB Speedway Classic?
The most obvious target for relocation is the Tampa Bay Rays, which were just sold to Florida-based developer Patrick Zalupski for $1.7 billion. If Zalupski wants to double his money, moving the franchise to a market that appreciates it like Nashville or Asheville makes a lot of sense. Of course, that means abandoning fans that have long appreciate the Rays – but it should be noted that hasn't stopped greedy owners in the past. The Rays are a perennial postseason competitor. Surely they'd get better crowds in Nashville than Tampa.
Another contender to move to Nashville is the Pittsburgh Pirates. While this is admittedly more unlikely, the team's PNC Park lease is up soon. Bob Nutting is the cheapest owner in the sport, and Pirates fans have grown complacent with the state of the franchise. What good is a beautiful ballpark if no one visits? All of that can be blamed on Nutting, but Pittsburgh isn't as far from Nashville as some think. It'd be a tragic loss, but one that cannot be ruled out given how this owner operates.