this ain’t your grandpa’s baseball.

a random Saturday afternoon, cycling between checking my phone and whatever Ronnie has playing on youtube. i look up, and see an outfielder perform a flip then catch a pop fly. the next batter up is wearing an astronaut helmet.

i put my phone down. what the hell is happening?

bananaball!

this all comes from the mind of jesse cole, owner of the savannah bananas and genius who risked everything he had to turn baseball into a fans-first game.

games have a two hour time limit, players perform trick plays and choreographed dances, no bunting or mound visits, and if a fan catches a foul, that’s an out. oh, and fans can challenge a ruling on the field!

additionally, there’s lots of between-inning games and (more) dancing. there’s a dad bod cheerleading squad and dancing grandmas^[1]the banana nanas, ofc. without being bound to the capitalistic needs of the major league, no interminable commercial break moments. just straight-up fun for two hours.

the atmosphere is addictive. seeing players burst into song, watching the ump shake his ass, it’s hard not to be smiling the entire game. there’s even a player on stilts! the talent and joy on display is remarkable.

these folks are minor league players and already playing incredible ball. yet bananaball is the only league where they can make their uni sleeveless, wear a cape, or draw a smiley face with their eye black. their individuality can shine in a way no player could dream of in the MLB.

currently, there are three teams: the ogs, savannah bananas, the party animals, and the firefighters. recently a nondescript team called the visitors are playing games too. with the popularity skyrocketing, i hope this league will continue expanding. i mean, they sold out fenway^[2]and Nationals park but obvs that’s not as exciting! bananaball has sold out every game since 2016 so i know i’m a little late to the game here.

but better late than never!

while their ticket waiting list is millions^[3]literally, almost 3 long, i look forward to getting the banana experience in person one day!