NHL Eyeing Bristol Motor Speedway as Outdoor Host

After successfully pulling off a Major League Baseball (MLB) game, could Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee become the next host of an outdoor NHL game? According to Sportico, NHL executives were on hand for the MLB’s Speedway Classic between the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds.

After hosting the MLB, Bristol wants to continue hosting more than just NASCAR races with the NHL and WWE in mind. The NHL has hosted annual outdoor games since 2008, and are usually held in football or baseball stadiums.

With a common interest between the NHL and Speedway Motorsports LLC (SMI), it’s safe to bookmark the oval-shaped short track as a possible future venue for an outdoor hockey game.

The NHL already has a unique list of outdoor venues, but adding a racetrack would certainly be an eye-popping addition. If the NHL lands a game at Bristol, it could easily become the most attended game in the league’s history.

With a capacity of 146,000, a sellout at Bristol would crush the previous record of 105,491 from the 2014 Winter Classic between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings at Michigan Stadium.

The Speedway Classic brought in 91,032 attendees, making it one of the most attended MLB games in the league’s history. NCAA football held the Battle of Bristol between the Virginia Tech Hokies and University of Tennessee Volunteers. The Battle at Bristol saw 156,990 people in attendance.

Tennessee may be a southern state, but hosting an outdoor ice hockey game in a warm climate doesn’t bother the NHL. They’ve held multiple games in Los Angeles as well as Dallas.

The upcoming 2025-26 season will see the NHL host their annual Winter Classic and Stadium Series games in the state of Florida. If those games go off without a hitch, there are no limits to where the NHL could take an outdoor game.

The NHL has hosted an outdoor game in Tennessee before, with the Nashville Predators hosting the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2022 Stadium Series at Nissan Stadium.

An NHL game held at Bristol would certainly feature the Predators as the home team, being the closest club to the motorway. The Predators have played in two outdoor games, losing both of them.

Bristol Motor Speedway is known as the “Last Great Colosseum” and the NHL likely want their chance to continue expanding on outdoor venues. The oval design of Bristol offers numerous unique opportunities that the league may soon attempt to explore.