The Greatest Show in Sports
The Savannah Bananas have "peeled" away the traditional game of baseball and are taking America by storm.
Baseball has always been revered in America for its storied history, its communal bonds and romanticized heroes.
Every fan remembers that first childhood thrill of emerging from a stadium concourse, clutching Dad’s hand, to behold the glory of an emerald green field bathed in brilliant sunshine. Baseball is drenched in nostalgia; its memories are built on the senses … the smell of steamed hot dogs … the handsomeness of the uniforms … and the crack of the bat.
The pace of the game was deliberate, but came with built-in drama. Tension ebbed and flowed from inning to inning, out to out, and often pitch to pitch. Traditional fans embraced suspense as part of the game’s theater … the anticipation of the highs and lows and the moments between triumph and tragedy.
Baseball always has honored time, and time has always honored baseball.
The “Greatest Show in Sports”
“What if …?”
But set aside tradition for the moment. Table your sepia-toned sentiments. Put down your collectors’ cards and think … “what if?”
What if you infused the showmanship and bombast of P.T. Barnum, and sprinkled a little Disney magic into the celebrated game? What if the pauses in the action were instead filled with high-energy antics, musical theater and stuntman acrobatics? What would that game look like?
It would look like the Savannah Bananas, the barnstorming baseball revue and newly branded “Greatest Show in Sports.”
The Bananas introduced their rollicking brand of America’s national pastime, called “Banana Ball,” three years ago. It’s baseball, but not your grandfather’s game. Rather, “Banana Ball” is a fully immersive entertainment experience, only matched in spirit and energy by a Mardi Gras parade or a Carnaval do Brasil samba.
The Bananas phenomenon was first sparked in the mid-2010s and has been gaining momentum ever since. (see below) Currently, “Banana Ball” is conquering America. Next year they plan to conquer the world.
What is “Banana Ball?”
Well, it is baseball … mostly … played by highly skilled athletes who competed at the collegiate level. A dozen have been selected in the Major League Baseball draft. But these players also bring their best High School Musical talents to the field. They have fully bought into the “Banana Ball” concept, and it is clear they have as much fun as their adoring crowd.
Players prance and sing during the action, and groove together to choreographed dance routines. They introduce themselves with their personal “walk-up” schticks, and stage elaborate group run-scoring celebrations.
“Dirty Dancing”
It is not uncommon for a player to approach the batter’s box with his bat on fire (literally), or for a fielder to perform a back flip while making a play. The Bananas’ alternate uniforms include a yellow kilt. One player plays on stilts. The first base coach breakdances between pitches. At least once each game the umpire gets pied in the face.
The Bananas also feature two cheerleading squads: the Banana Nanas, made up of costumed grandmas, and the Man-Nanas, usually referred to as the “Dad Bod Cheerleading Squad,” who perform between innings.
And fans aren’t just spectators. They are active participants. One might get called on to race around the bases in an inflatable tube. Or participate in a player sing-along. The Bananas even randomly insert the crowd into the rules … if a fan catches a foul ball, it can be ruled as an out (against the opposition, of course).
Think of the Harlem Globetrotters … or The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings … just a whole lot more fan-centric. The Bananas follow the Globetrotters competition format, having created two partner teams, the Party Animals and the Firefighters. But unlike the Washington Generals, the Globetrotter’s nightly foil, the Banana Ball surrogates don’t play the “straight man” role. They are an active part of the show.
Hometown: Savannah, GA
The Bananas are based in Savannah, on the southeastern coast of Georgia, about four hours from Atlanta. Savannah is a jewel, a sweet Southern sanctuary known for its rich history1, antebellum architecture, and coastal landscapes … and the famous bus stop scenes in the film Forrest Gump.
They started traditionally, competing in the Coastal Plain League, a collegiate baseball summer circuit. And they were successful. They won three championships (2016, 2021, 2022) during their time in the CPL.
But as their popularity grew, they set their sights on something bigger and became independent in 2023.
Over time, they’ve revamped their Savannah home, Grayson Stadium, dressing the entire venue in yellow and green. They’ve installed a proprietary vending operation … but with a twist. All food and drink menu items (except alcohol) are included in the price of a ticket.
Top Banana: Jesse Cole
The mastermind behind the Bananas is 39-year-old owner Jesse Cole, who mortgaged his house to purchase the team in 2015. He and his wife Emily, who doubles as the Bananas’ “Director of Fun,” began brainstorming ways to draw new fans into Grayson Stadium.
A former minor league baseball player himself, Cole envisioned a fan experience that catered to a younger generation, one raised on social media, music videos and instant gratification.
Banana Ball taps into that desire perfectly. But, as Cole puts it, their “ap-peel” (sorry!) captures fans of all ages.
Barnstorming Bananas
This unique approach has struck a chord with fans everywhere. The Bananas have sold out every game since their inaugural season in 2016. They have been featured on ESPN, the Wall Street Journal, Sports Illustrated, and CNN.
Their YouTube channel boasts 1.3 million subscribers. They have 2 million followers on TikTok, more than most major league teams, all eager to go viral with their latest on-field exploits. Marketing is almost wholly focused on new media … Grayson Stadium is the only ballpark in America with no advertising signage.
The Bananas currently are touring ballparks across the country, mostly college stadiums and minor league venues. But they’ve also broken into the major league market. They recently played to a soldout crowd at Minute Maid Park in Houston. The tour includes a June 8 stop at legendary Fenway Park in Boston, and future dates in Washington, D.C., Cleveland, Miami and Philadelphia.
If you want to see the Bananas in person you’ll have to wait a while. A long while. Their roadshow has been sold out for months. And there’s a ticket waitlist of more than 1 million for the 2025 season.
Maybe it’s not your grandfather’s game, but it is still the greatest show in sports.
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Links:
Full Game: Minute Maid Park, Houston (3/9/24)
Savannah also is known for being the final stop in “Sherman’s March” through Georgia in 1864.