Pitbull, Tim McGraw named as performers for 2025 Bristol Motor Speedway game between Reds and Braves

Major League Baseball is headed to the racetrack in what will be a star-studded and unique event. The Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves will play a game at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee later this season.

The MLB Speedway Classic ’25 on Saturday, Aug. 2, will not only feature baseball, but will be an event for music fans to enjoy as well, with a pregame concert featuring Pitbull alongside headliner Tim McGraw. All MLB Speedway Classic ticket holders will be able to experience the concert, which is expected to begin before first pitch. 

Pitbull, a pop and Latin singer, and McGraw, a country singer, will give attendees a mix across genres for an electric performance that will mirror the excitement of the venue. Pitbull and McGraw recently collabed on the song “Get Get Get Down,” which would be a safe bet for a song they will play on the big stage.

McGraw is a seasoned veteran in the music game, with his career going back to the 1990s. The singer, songwriter and producer has countless hits, including ‘Don’t Take the Girl,” “Live Like You Were Dying,” “Highway Don’t Care” and “I Like It, I Love It.” McGraw has also hit the silver screen and small screen in roles like “Friday Night Lights,” “The Blindside” and in the show “Yellowstone.”

Both singers have “Grammy Winner” on their resume, with McGraw taking home three on 20 nominations and Pitbull receiving one on his sole nomination. 

Mr. 305 reigns from where his nickname suggests, Miami, and has the flare and energy of the city in his songs and performances. He’s topped the charts with fast-beat tunes like “Fireball,” “Timber,” “Give Me Everything,” with over 100 million records sold worldwide, appropriate considering his other nickname: “Mr. Worldwide.”

McGraw is also the son of the late Tug McGraw, a pitcher who won the World Series with the New York Mets in 1969 and in 1980 when he recorded the last out for the Philadelphia Phillies.

Pitbull also has a connection to Major League Baseball. He’s performed at the 2013 MLB All-Star Game and at the 2017 T-Mobile Home Run Derby. He also worked with Mets shortstop José Iglesias on the “OMG” remix, New York’s anthem during last season’s playoff run. 

He is familiar with the NASCAR world as well. Mr. Worldwide recently ended his partnership with NASCAR Cup Series team Trackhouse Racing, leaving his role as the team’s co-owner. 

The 44-year-old made sports history when he partnered with Florida International University and renamed the football stadium “Pitbull Stadium,” marking the first athletic venue named for an artist. 

The speedway seats around 150,000 fans for NASCAR events and hasn’t hosted many non-motorsport events, making this a noteworthy crossover.