NHL Executives Will Reportedly Be At Speedway Classic To See If Track Could Host A Game
The NHL isn't afraid to try new things
The Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds haven't even played an inning at Bristol Motor Speedway, but "The Last Great Colosseum" is reportedly already eyeing future non-racing events.
According to Sportico, executives from other leagues, including the National Hockey League, will be in Bristol on Saturday to take in the game and have a look around to see if the venue could play host to a similar event.
The track previously hosted a college football game between Tennessee and Virginia Tech, and with a baseball game soon to be under its belt, it makes sense to look to the future.
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In an interview cited by Sportico, Bristol Motor Speedway president Jerry Caldwell said, "You've got hockey and soccer that both make sense," and that's certainly an interesting proposition.
The NHL has kind of gotten the ball rolling on playing games in non-traditional venues like football stadiums, baseball stadiums, and even the shores of Lake Tahoe. This year, they'll even play the Winter Classic and an NHL Stadium Series game in Florida.
They're not afraid to try new things, but sightlines might be an issue, as we've already seen with some photos of the baseball setup.
NHL executives will be at the MLB Speeway Classic to see if Bristol Motor Speedway could potentially host an NHL game. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
If you've ever been to an outdoor hockey game in a football or baseball stadium, you'll know that it can sometimes be tough to see. Now, think about sitting even farther away.
But, maybe there's a way to make it work, and if they did, there's one team that would have to be involved, and that would be the only team based in Tennessee, the Nashville Predators.
But who should they play? Right now, I think the Carolina Hurricanes would be a good choice. They're one of the better teams in the league these days and are fairly close geographically. The same could be said about the Washington Capitals, who would also be a nice fit.
Maybe the Dallas Stars or St. Louis Blues get picked for a division rivalry (Stars-Predators would also be a rematch of the 2020 Winter Classic).
But we're putting the cart before the horse; let's see how this baseball game pans out first.