Banana Balls will be back in 2024, bigger and better.
The Savannah Bananas announced their 2024 schedule Thursday, which includes stops at six Major League Baseball ballparks and an ocean cruise.
In addition, the capacity of their home stadium, Grayson Stadium in Savannah, Georgia, will increase by 1,000 seats.
The six MLB cities the Bananas will visit are Houston, Boston, Washington, D.C., Cleveland, Philadelphia and Miami. Team owner Jesse Cole told the Savannah Morning News, a USA TODAY Network affiliate, that the team expects to play in front of about 1 million people next season.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Savannah Bananas’ 2024 schedule and how to purchase tickets.
Who is Savannah Banana? :Everything you need to know about show baseball teams.
Savannah Banana 2024 Tour Schedule
- February 8-10: Tampa Bay, Florida; George Steinbrenner Field
- February 15-17: Peoria, Arizona; Peoria Sports Center
- March 1-3: Jacksonville, Florida; 121 Financial Field
- March 9: Houston, Texas; Minute Maid Park
- March 14-16: Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Alex Box Stadium
- March 22-24: Gwinnett County, Georgia; Cooley Field
- April 12-14: Durham, North Carolina; Durham Bulls Athletic Park
- April 20-21: Albuquerque, New Mexico; Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotope Park
- April 25-27: Mesa, Arizona; Sloan Park
- May 3-5: Fresno, California; Chukchance Park
- May 9-11: Sacramento, California; Sutter Health Park
- May 16-18: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark
- May 24-26: Columbus, Ohio; Huntington Park
- June 8: Boston, Massachusetts; Fenway Park
- June 13-15: Nashville, Tennessee; First Horizon Park
- June 27-29: Indianapolis, Indiana; Victory Field
- July 5-7: Buffalo, NY; Sullenfield
- July 13: Washington, D.C.; Nationals Park
- August 1-3: Louisville, Kentucky; Louisville Ballpark
- August 10: Cleveland, Ohio; Progressive Fields
- August 16-18: Norfolk, Virginia; Harbor Park Stadium
- August 30-31: Salt Lake City, Utah; Smith Ballpark
- September 6-8: Des Moines, Iowa; Rector Park
- September 21: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Citizens Bank Park
- October 12: Miami, Florida; Loan Warehouse Park
- October 14-18: Sea Banana Paradise
Savannah Bananas 2024 Home Games
The Bananas will play at historic Grayson Stadium in Savannah, Georgia on the following dates in 2024:
- February 23-25
- March 28-29
- April 4-6
- May 30-31
- June 1
- July 18-20
- August 22-24
- September 13-15
- September 26-28
When does the Savannah Banana Cruise depart?
The Bananas will sail for the Bahamas on October 12, 2024, after playing in Miami.
The cruise, dubbed “Bananaland of the Sea,” will run from October 14 to 18 and will have Banana Company cast and crew on board providing entertainment and more.
The cruise is a partnership between Banana and Norwegian Cruise Line.
How to Get Savannah Banana Tickets
After the schedule is released, the Bananas ticket lottery opens on the team’s website. The lottery will close on December 1, and those who have not registered will not be eligible.
The website notes that drawings do not guarantee a chance to purchase a lottery ticket. Those selected will be notified of a random drawing conducted two months prior to the event and given the option to purchase tickets.
Tickets start at $35.
Firemen
As part of Thursday’s announcement, a third team was introduced, in addition to Team Bananas and Team Animals. The Firemen will play 19 games, including against the Bananas at Nationals Stadium in Washington.
What are “banana balls”?
“Banana Ball” is baseball, but with nine rule changes, all designed to speed up the game.
The game is scored in such a way that teams calculate points based on innings won, not points scored. According to Team Banana’s website, if you win the round, you get one point.
Other rules include a ban on visiting the pitcher’s mound and walking out of the batter’s box between pitches and at-bats.
Perhaps the most popular rule is that if a batter hits a foul ball and a fan catches it, the batter is out.
In addition to the games, “Banana Ball” features plenty of shenanigans, including dancing base coaches, umpires and batters wielding flaming bats.
