The Savannah Bananas - The Must-See Show Of The Summer
This is banana ball, and it’s like nothing you’ve ever seen before.
Photo: Instagram/thesavbananas
Written by Maddie Schlehuber
We’ve all seen them—the good-looking, yellow-dressing, home-run-hitting team from Georgia: the Savannah Bananas. If you weren’t a baseball fan before, you might change your mind. This sensational team has carved out a niche in the sport, embracing the fans as a part of the game experience while putting on quite a performance. Every gameday, people pack the small stadium early, enjoying beer and hotdogs and repping the unmistakable banana-yellow merch to watch the show. Best known for everything but playing baseball, you might be curious as to where the Savannah Bananas came from; who even are they? We have the answers and a little more to their story here.
In Savannah, Georgia, locals are lucky enough that their home team plays all year round. There is no agonizing off-season. There is no regular spring training. The Bananas are always ready to play; their fans go wild for them every game. For folks who aren’t lucky enough to be in person at the ballpark, the social media team works overtime to produce viral content on all their platforms, increasing their attention and attendance. Some popular videos are TikTok trends, choreographed dances, or trick pitches that send batters into overdrive. Instead of a pom team, they have the Banana Nanas, who are, as you might guess, all grandma-age but just as young at heart, putting on their dances on the field. Even the umpire shakes it a little for the camera. It is truly bananas.
We can’t ignore that their players also know their angle because being a part of the Bananas is more than being a good baseball player… they have to have the right moves, too. Often seen sporting mullets and yellow cowboy hats, the players assume a performative role just as much as they play a position, timing their game down to the minute so it adheres to the “under two hour” rule of Banana Ball. It is all about making a faster-paced game that fans pay attention to, something Major League Baseball might want to take notes on (see new rules on the pitch clock here).
At their home field, historic Grayson Stadium, the bleachers have seen an evolution of the sport of baseball. Built in 1926, the stadium was home to various minor league teams, as well as host to exhibition games for major league players, too. Legends like Babe Ruth graced the field. And Hank “Hammerin’” Aaron hit one over the fences on his visit, and Yankee legend Mickey Mantle played an exhibition game there in the 1950s. Savannah was home to many minor league teams through the twentieth century, including the Senators, the White Sox, the Braves, and most recently, the Savannah Sand Gnats. These days, the old stadium sees more action than ever with the Savannah Bananas, even if the sport doesn’t look quite as it did back in the day.
The Savannah Bananas are relatively new, founded in 2016. They operated more closely to a club team for their first seven seasons, playing in the Coastal Plain League (CPL) and winning a few championships. They had fans from day one, but after finding success with their adaptation of the baseball they call “Banana Ball,” they ultimately went all-in and decided to become a year-round entertainment team in 2022, leaving the CPL and traditional baseball behind.
Banana Ball is a fast-paced, fan-central experience that resembles baseball. Sure, there are hits and pitches, outs and strikes, but intermixed is a hilarious and captivating performance of dances, skits, routines and costume changes. The players are all talented, many of whom came from college teams or junior leagues, but they only play one opponent who is just as committed to the “performance:” the Party Animals. Some have compared these games to the Harlem Globetrotters’ model. This is a Savannah-created roster that the Bananas play all of their exhibition games against, and they are just as crazy.
So how did they get here? It seems like a dream—year-round games. Happy players. International success. What is the secret? It might just be all in their strategy. They put their fans first but also take care of their players by making sure they have what they need to be healthy and ready to play. According to their “2025 Vision” plan, they define a pretty straightforward marketing strategy: Get Attention. It has worked. So, we all support Banana Ball, and this summer, you might be lucky enough to have them play at a field near you. You bet we want tickets.
Monday Minute - Taylor Swift Sportscast, LeBron In Europe + Men's College World Series
One minute of news to start your week.
Photo: Instagram/taylorswift
It’s the last week in June. Time flies when you’re out there making it happen.
Taylor Swift in MN
Taylor Swift stopped in Minneapolis this weekend for her Eras Tour, and Chris Long, the sportscaster at KSTP in Minneapolis, flawlessly worked 46 Taylor Swift song titles into his sports update. So kudos to you, Chris, because that is impressive.
Men’s College World Series
LSU took a strong lead in game one of the Men’s College World Series (baseball), winning in extra innings against Florida. But Florida came back yesterday, dominating the Tigers to win game two. LSU has already taken home the title of Rocco's Jell-O Shot Challenge Champion in Omaha, and the winner takes all tonight in game three of the College World Series between Florida and LSU.
LeBron Takes on Europe
And last but certainly not least, let's talk about LeBron. He has been seen in Europe because he's demolishing his $37M house, and he's been enjoying the LeMans 24-hour race. He's been hanging out with Draymond Green, formerly from the Golden State Warriors (NBA - National Basketball Association), who is now a free agent. Maybe LeBron is trying to recruit him to the Los Angeles Lakers. LeBron was also spotted in the front row at the Louis Vuitton show in Paris, rubbing Rihanna's baby belly.
We look forward to seeing you here on Wednesday for our Wednesday Wisdom and Friday for our Weekend Preview edition. For today’s Monday Minute podcast episode or our podcast exclusive Weekend Preview, subscribe to the podcast or our YouTube channel. Have a great week ahead.
Photo: Unsplash
UP your game
David Beckham isn’t the only athlete to own a sports team. HE’S IN GOOD COMPANY
Photo: Unsplash
GAME CHANGER
Did you know that you can catch our podcast on YouTube now? THE MORE YOU KNOW
Wednesday Wisdom
Don't quit your day job - what do athletes do in the off-season? Plus, today's watercooler topics.
Whether you're at work or at a beach bar in a far away land, it never fails that sports are an easy way to drum up a conversation with a client or your favorite bartender.
We've got you,
The Last Night's Game
What athletes do in the off-season
One of our podcast listeners asked the question - what do athletes do in the off-season? That great question inspired this week's podcast.
Let's talk about Olympians. Remember, US athletes do not get paid to compete in the Olympics. They receive a medal bonus, which maxes out at $37,500 for a gold medal and can earn money through sponsorships or other benefits, but those latter avenues are only something some athletes can achieve.
You might recall the partnership with Home Depot that became synonymous with the Olympics. Home Depot ended its 16-year sponsorship of the US Olympic Committee in 2021, ending its employment program that provided full-time pay for part-time work for athletes at the company's stores.
From real estate to working in the family maple syrup business to playing in entirely different leagues, we answer what athletes do in the off-season in this week's podcast. LISTEN UP
Short and Sweet
The projected No. 1 pick in Thursday's NBA Draft (National Basketball Associaton), Victor "Wemby" Wembanyama, who is 7'4," threw out the first pitch at the New York Yankees game last night, and his giant hands made the baseball look like a marble.
French investigators searched the headquarters of the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic organizers yesterday in a probe into suspected corruption. This is the third consecutive Summer Olympics that has been investigated for corruption.
Are you ready for Messi mania? Global superstar Lionel Messi (in the photo above) will debut for Inter Miami FC (MLS - Major League Soccer) on July 21.
The NBA's Chris Paul, who you might recognize from his State Farm commercials, found out the Phoenix Suns traded him during a flight to a "Good Morning America" interview.
Photo: Unsplash
Up Your Game
Have you caught our smile-worthy sports posts every Sunday? They'll help you shake the Sunday scaries with an uplifting story from the world of sports. SMILE LIKE YOU MEAN IT
game on
The TikTok sensation, Peanut Butter Banana Oat Bars, is the breakfast of champions and this week's Tailgate Treat. DELISH