Savannah Bananas Expand Bananaball to 6 Touring Teams as 100,000 Fans Pack Texas Stop
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · May 27
Savannah Bananas Expand Bananaball to 6 Touring Teams as 100,000 Fans Pack Texas Stop
10 articles · Updated · The Guardian · May 27
Six full-time professional bananaball teams are now touring the US, turning what was once a two-team exhibition act into a small league built around the Savannah Bananas brand.
More than 100,000 fans attended a Bananas game in College Station, Texas, while other matchups ran simultaneously in Richmond and Las Vegas, showing the format can draw crowds beyond the flagship team.
New clubs including the Firefighters, Loco Beach Coconuts and Texas Tailgaters are designed to widen appeal through distinct identities, heavy merchandising and a family-focused, Disney-like entertainment style.
Founder Jesse Cole says the expansion is aimed at sustaining creativity and broadening the audience, even as critics question whether bananaball can avoid the short lifespan of past novelty sports ventures.
The model still trails MLB's scale—the major leagues averaged 29,386 fans last season—but its success with children and younger audiences suggests a possible template for baseball's future fan outreach.
Can bananaball's entertainment-first model sustain its explosive growth, or is it destined to be a short-lived fad?
As the brand outgrows the original team, will fans embrace new franchises with the same passion?
How does the new Indianapolis Clowns team balance honoring Negro League history with its modern, comedy-focused entertainment mission?