Knoxville Smokies Begin Second Season at Covenant Health Park

Businesses in the Old City neighborhood prepare for increased foot traffic as the minor league baseball team returns.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 10:04pm

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A fractured, cubist-style painting depicting a baseball game at Covenant Health Park, with the players and field broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in the team's vibrant colors.The Knoxville Smokies' return to Covenant Health Park brings an energetic boost to the surrounding Old City neighborhood, as local businesses hope to capitalize on the increased foot traffic.Knoxville Today

The Knoxville Smokies minor league baseball team kicked off their second season at Covenant Health Park in Knoxville's Old City neighborhood on Friday night. Local businesses, like the nearby Pour Taproom, are gearing up for an influx of fans and hoping the stadium's presence will continue to drive long-term exposure and growth for the area.

Why it matters

The Smokies' return to Covenant Health Park marks the start of the team's second season in their new downtown stadium, which opened in 2025. Businesses in the Old City are counting on the increased foot traffic from baseball games, as well as other events like soccer matches, to boost sales and awareness of the neighborhood as a local destination.

The details

The Smokies faced off against the Birmingham Barons in a three-game series to open the 2026 season. Pour Taproom, a bar and restaurant just down the street from the stadium, is one of the local businesses hoping to benefit from the Smokies' presence. Co-owner Joel Mclead said game days are a "mixed bag" in terms of business impact, but the long-term exposure to new customers is valuable. Mclead also noted that soccer games at the stadium tend to be particularly busy for his establishment.

  • The Knoxville Smokies kicked off their 2026 season on Friday, April 3, 2026.
  • Covenant Health Park hosted its first season of Smokies baseball in 2025.

The players

Knoxville Smokies

The minor league baseball team that plays its home games at Covenant Health Park in Knoxville's Old City neighborhood.

Pour Taproom

A bar and restaurant located just down the street from Covenant Health Park in Knoxville's Old City, hoping to benefit from increased foot traffic during Smokies games and other events at the stadium.

Joel Mclead

The co-owner of Pour Taproom, who spoke about his business's hopes for the Smokies' second season at Covenant Health Park.

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What they’re saying

“There's sometimes that lull in the wintertime when they're like, oh, there's no baseball, there's no football, maybe basketball has even started yet. So once all these sports start picking back up, you can just feel the energy in the air, and it gets warmer.”

— Joel Mclead, Co-Owner, Pour Taproom

“Game days are a mixed bag. At least with us, we're fortunate enough that we have the Jackson Avenue city lot down there, so until that's full, we do get some walking traffic, whether it's the baseball games or the soccer games. The soccer games, they do really well for us.”

— Joel Mclead, Co-Owner, Pour Taproom

“We're hoping on game days, it exposes people to maybe a business they didn't even know was there, and then they come back on another time.”

— Joel Mclead, Co-Owner, Pour Taproom

“Continue to get the word out to the rest of the people that are coming to some of the sporting events, that there is a nice little hub of retail shops, bars, and restaurants around here as well.”

— Joel Mclead, Co-Owner, Pour Taproom

What’s next

The Knoxville Smokies will continue their three-game series against the Birmingham Barons on Saturday, April 4 and Sunday, April 5.

The takeaway

The return of the Knoxville Smokies to Covenant Health Park marks an important milestone for the Old City neighborhood, as local businesses hope to capitalize on the increased foot traffic and exposure that the minor league baseball team's presence will bring. While the economic impact may be mixed, the long-term potential for growth and establishing the Old City as a destination for locals and visitors alike is a key focus for area merchants.