The NHL isn’t a stranger to big attendance numbers. In 2014, 104,173 fans flocked to Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan, to watch the Toronto Maple Leafs defeat the Detroit Red Wings, which continues to be the most-attended NHL hockey match to this day. But soon, a new host site might look to topple Michigan as the spot that witnessed the biggest confluence of hockey fans.

The Bristol Motor Speedway might not be the longest race track out there, standing at just 0.533 miles, but it has carved a name for itself among the NASCAR community. Often hailed as the “World’s Fastest Half-Mile,” this iconic venue is currently looking to expand its horizons. With the beloved race track opening its doors to other sports, the NHL is looking to join the queue and find itself a new home.

Sports Business Journal‘s Adam Stern took to X on August 1 to share a report by Sportico about how the NHL could be looking to follow in the MLB’s footsteps and be the next sport to entertain fans at the Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee. “@NHL executives will be at Bristol tomorrow to check out the Speedway Classic, as a hockey game is one of the next options being mulled by SMI,” the social media update notes on how ice hockey could be the next big thing on the motorway’s resume after it made history on Saturday.

As per reports, more than 85,000 tickets were sold for Saturday’s MLB Speedway Classic, the first-ever regular-season baseball game in the state. While the Bristol Motorway can otherwise host 146,000 fans, multiple sections were blocked off for the weekend baseball match between the Atlanta Braves and the Cincinnati Reds. And still, the Saturday match outmatched the previous paid attendance of 84,587, which was recorded in 1954 for a match between Cleveland and New York. And now, the NHL just might look to be part of the action, too.

The spectacle of seeing a baseball pitch in the middle of a racetrack was pretty awe-inspiring. The folks over at FOX Sports even took to X to note how they were stoked to see MLB gaining a larger footprint in the country via a post sharing a drone shot of the Bristol Motorway. But the atmosphere at the stadium was undeniable, and it’s pretty obvious why the NHL also wants a piece of the pie.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever been around this many people,” the Atlanta Braves’ manager Brian Snitker noted on how the Bristol Speedway felt like a whole new experience. Obviously, it does look like an opportunity the NHL can cash in on and become a thing in the Volunteer State.

The hockey league’s sentiments were bolstered by what BMS President Jerry Caldwell said could be next in line for the NASCAR track. “We believe we will continue to show that Bristol Motor Speedway is a facility for lots of different types of events. You can go down the list of the natural next—after football and baseball, then you’ve got hockey and soccer that both make sense,” Caldwell said in an interview.

But could this be the NHL’s ticket to overcome its recent viewership woes despite the large fanbase?

Can the NHL use the opportunity and regain its glory?

As one of the biggest sporting leagues in North America, the NHL enjoys massive fandom. In April, the league reported an attendance number of 23,014,458 across 1,312 regular-season games. And yet, the NHL has struggled wth viewership numbers throughout the season. While the 4 Nations Face-Off did manage to secure strong numbers, the League itself couldn’t replicate the stats. So much so that even Alex Ovechkin’s “Gr8 Chase” couldn’t entice fans to the TV to watch the Capitals’ star overtake Wayne Gretzky as the league’s highest goalscorer.

While regional sports networks (RSN) helped teams like the Anaheim Ducks to fare better than many of their peers, the viewership didn’t have much to show for itself otherwise. One reason for the slump in the numbers could be how the viewing experience differs on different networks. But given how the NHL is one of the most passionately followed professional leagues in the world, these stats can’t make up for the overall downfall.

Maybe moving bases and finding new host cities could ensure brighter days ahead. The Bristol Motor Speedway is easily one of the most renowned venues in the USA, and if the NHL decides to schedule some of its matches at the stadium in the next season, it would surely create buzz among the fans to witness something new.