Banana Ball

[WEDWDW]

Does anybody else not "get" the phenomenon that it has become?

I find it OK to watch for a few minutes,but then I am ready to move on.

It just doesn't do it for me on a large scale.

Obviously,I am in the vast minority as this thing is selling out MLB Stadiums.

I have tried to "make" myself understand the euphoria-just can't get there.

A backflip catch and a pitcher on stilts and twerking umpire are fun,but WOW,the level BB has reached just amazes me.

But more power to them-they have created an obsession for,dare I say,millions!

 

[Kooks and Bay Bay]

It came to my city last summer.
My sister forced me to get on the email list like 8 months ahead of time to see if I could get picked to buy tickets.
I didn't get selected but she did.
I had zero interest in it.
She went with some friends last year and then travelled a couple states away to go this year.

 

[WorldWacky]

I didn’t know what it was so just looked it up. We went to a Ducks game last week. They’re part of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB). We left after 5 hours and it wasn’t over yet. 🫩So I can see where a time limit would be fantastic. I’m a lacrosse mom, so I’m used to quick paced games. Baseball in general isn’t my thing. I can also see where the gimmicks in Banana Ball could get a little old after a while.

 

[citruscurtis]

Something to do while sitting in the bleachers... kinda like watching gladiators....I guess. Supposed to be on CW... homeplate wait staff interesting to watch. St Louis game

 

[gottalovepluto]

Something to do while sitting in the bleachers... kinda like watching gladiators...

Banana ball is apparently not the sport I thought it was

 

[tvguy]

Obviously,I am in the vast minority as this thing is selling out MLB Stadiums.

No, The Savannah Bananas are selling out FOOTBALL stadiums which are often twice as big as MLB stadiums. 90,000 fans I believe at one game. It isn't a sporting even, it is an entertainment event. And yes the "baseball" game portion has a time limit, but fans show up a couple of hours before game time because the players are out actively doing things in the stadium before the game.
Yes, they have wacky rules. At an MLB game, if you catch a foul ball all you get is a ball to take home. At a Savannah Bananas game, if a fan catches a foul ball in the stands, the batter is out. Think Harlem Globetrotters type entertainment.
60 Minutes did a big story on them. One big difference between the Savannah Bananas and other sports entertainment, they respect their fans. Ticket prices are modest. And if you want to watch their games live, no need to buy a sports package, or extra cost streaming channel, all their games are carried live for free on YouTube.

 

[HopperFan]

You won't find me in the stands and if on tv .... I might just go do laundry.

 

[disneychrista]

It looks fun. The baseball version of basketball's Globetrotters.

 

[LKing]

Savannah Bananas were at Disneyland on May 28. Look at the crowds on a Wednesday!

https://disneyparksblog.com/disney-experiences/savannah-bananas-disneyland-may-28/

 

[EP Ripley]

To me it’s not entertaining and there are other ways I spend my time.

 

[_19disnA]

Never heard of it either. Perhaps there are fans who enjoy the novelty but wonder how long that will last? Part of the appeal is likely the free/low cost to watch unlike many other pro sports that lose fans over time with their excessive prices.

 

[CynBeth]

I had never heard of them until months ago when I saw they are coming to our ballpark. I know a few people who got tickets and it is supposed to be televised so I will watch and see what it is all about. Luckily I read in the paper about activities hours beforehand so I let the people know who are going and hopefully they can be there for it.

 

[sibesx2]

We went to a game last year. If you go get there early and find a seat. They apparently oversold the game we went to. I heard families saying they couldn’t find a seat and had to stand the whole game.

I found it a fun novelty for about an hour and then it just felt like the same thing over and over. They even started rerunning the music soundtrack about half way through the game.

 

[sam_gordon]

Its as if a baseball game broke out during an entertainment show. As mentioned, it's baseball's version of The Harlem Globetrotters.

As for why it's popular...

* Two hour time limit (no long games)
* Walks can still result in an out
*Fly foul balls into the stands can result in an out (audience participation)
* Trick plays by defenders
* Game is won by winning innings vs total runs (scoring 6 runs in a single inning still just means 1 pt)
* Crazy antics by players and officials
* No mound visits
* It's still "new'. Will it hold it's attraction for decades? Too soon to tell.

I've watched segments of games on TV and it's entertaining. Complaining because it's "repetitive" seems strange when you think about a normal baseball game

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

My husbands is the one who said we had to get tickets when they came around, so we both signed up for the lottery. I got the seats and then he got sent on business travel this week. So, I'm currently preparing to bring 4 kids to whatever this is amid threats of damaging thunderstorms. They open the festivities at 11am for a 3:30pm game, but there's no way I'm spending 4+ hours there before it even starts! Wish me luck, will report back.

 

[mjkacmom]

They sold out my daughter’s college stadium right away, 82,000 seats. Looked like fun!

 

[RedAngie]

I watch about five minutes of a video but was already bored at two minute mark. It didn’t get any better before I shut it off.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Love the 'Globetrotters' concept around the Bananas - would go to a game in a sec. Very entertaining. My biggest hope is they start incorporating some of the Banana Ball rules into MLB games - would make them more fun and interesting!!

 

[amcnj]

I am just learning about it here. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for Banana Ball.

 

[kdonnel]

Complaining because it's "repetitive" seems strange when you think about a normal baseball game

The one Savannah Bananas game I went to became really repetitive after about 5 innings. They only have so many trick plays and antics to perform before you have seen them all.

I feel a normal baseball game is unwatchable.

Here is the thread I started when I attend a show.

Thread 'Has anyone been to or watched a Savannah Bananas show?'

Mar 24, 2024

My family and I got back from a great afternoon of Banana Ball.

The Savannah Bananas and The Party Animals put on a great show. I like how they referred to it as a show and introduced the cast.

The Banana Ball rules made the baseball part so much more entertaining. Some of the ones I found that made the game portion more entertaining:

A foul ball caught by a fan is an out. It happened during the show I attended and a couple innings later the fan was brought out on the field to receive congratulations and praise from all the fans.

There are no walks, instead there are sprints. As...

• kdonnel
• Replies: 24
• Forum: Community Board

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