The Banana Ball is a quirky new twist on America’s favorite pastime. This new format of baseball is gathering hype at an unbelievable rate; according to the official Banana Ball account on X, just this last weekend, a record-breaking 148,000 fans packed Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte to witness the game.
So, what’s behind this wild craze sweeping the nation?
Everything You Need To Know About Banana Ball
Banana Ball is a fast-paced version of baseball played by the Savannah Bananas and their partner teams: the Party Animals, Firefighters, Texas Tailgaters, and the Visitors. Based in Savannah, Georgia, the league, which is set to become the Banana Ball Championship League (BBCL) in 2026, plays most of the games at Grayson Stadium.
Unlike traditional baseball, Banana Ball is all about entertainment. You can think of it as a mix of a Broadway show and a baseball game, with players performing choreographed dances and comedic sketches between innings.
The Teams of Banana Ball
The Savannah Bananas, founded in 2016, started in the Coastal Plain League, winning three championships before going full-time with Banana Ball in 2023. Their rivals, the Party Animals, debuted in 2020, rocking pink or black uniforms.
148,000 fans came to see Banana Ball this weekend in the @Panthers‘ Bank of America Stadium- the most EVER in a single weekend in Banana Ball history 📚 pic.twitter.com/liRGMjDG6Y
— Banana Ball (@BananaBall_) June 8, 2025
The Firefighters, introduced in 2023, wear firefighter-themed gear, complete with helmets. The Texas Tailgaters, launched in 2024, are the first team based outside Savannah, playing mostly in Texas.
The Visitors are a minor league training squad in gray uniforms. Each team has its own unique personality and identity, featuring former college and minor league players, plus occasional MLB stars like Jonny Gomes.
What Are the Rules of Banana Ball?
Banana Ball’s rules are just as unique as the game. Each game is capped at two hours, with no new inning starting after 1 hour and 50 minutes. Instead of runs, teams earn points by scoring the most in an inning, one point per inning, except the final one, where every run counts.
Batters can’t step out of the box; if they do, it is counted as a strike, and bunting gets you tossed out. If a fan catches a foul ball, it is also considered an out. Walks are replaced with the four-bowl rule. On the fourth ball, the batter sprints around the bases while the defense passes the ball to every fielder.
Batters can try to steal first base at any time during their at-bat; players also have the agency to challenge certain calls from the umpire, and the game has a ‘Golden Batter Rule’, which lets the teams send any hitter in the lineup to bat in any spot, once per game.
In case of a tie, it is settled with a “showdown tiebreaker,” which is a fancy way of saying extra innings. However, during these innings, if a batter manages to hit a home run, their team will be declared the winner.