Banana Ball is expanding its reach once again, unveiling a 2027 tour schedule that features 79 stadiums across 75 cities, organizers announced Thursday evening.
The extensive schedule, revealed during a live selection broadcast on ESPN2 and YouTube, features stops at Major League Baseball venues, minor league ballparks and regional facilities across the country. Headlining the slate is the Savannah Bananas’ return to Yankee Stadium in New York on May 28-29, 2027, where the squad will face the Firefighters, The Bergen Record reported.
Major Stops and Matchups
The 2027 schedule marks the second consecutive year the Bananas will play at Yankee Stadium, following an appearance during their 2026 tour. However, not every tour date will showcase the flagship Bananas club. The touring circuit now operates as the six-team Banana Ball Championship League, which includes the Bananas, the Firefighters, the Party Animals, the Indianapolis Clowns, the Loco Beach Coconuts and the Texas Tailgaters.
Organizers stressed that fans should review specific matchups prior to making plans. For example, regional dates at ShoreTown Ballpark in Lakewood, New Jersey, and Maimonides Park in Brooklyn will feature other league teams, including the Loco Beach Coconuts and Indianapolis Clowns, rather than the Bananas themselves, according to The Bergen Record.
Other cities on the 2027 itinerary include Memphis, Tennessee, and Detroit. In Memphis, the Party Animals and Indianapolis Clowns are scheduled to play April 2-3 at AutoZone Park, home of the Class AAA Memphis Redbirds, The Commercial Appeal reported. It marks a return to the venue after two sellout crowds attended games there in March 2026. The Bananas themselves will not play in Memphis.
In Michigan, entertainment company 313 Presents announced that the Party Animals will face the Indianapolis Clowns at Fifth Third Park in Detroit on June 25-26, following a successful debut in the city earlier this year, according to The Detroit News.
Rules and Growing Popularity
Created by the Savannah Bananas in 2018, Banana Ball was designed as a faster, theatrical alternative to traditional baseball. Often described as baseball’s equivalent to the Harlem Globetrotters, games emphasize entertainment, choreographed dance routines, trick plays and fast pacing.
Under the league’s unconventional rules, contests carry a strict two-hour limit. Batters cannot step out of the batter’s box, walks can become sprint races around the bases, and spectators who catch foul balls record outs for the defense. Instead of counting total runs over nine innings, teams earn points by winning individual frames, with tied games resolved in a one-on-one showdown.
The organization’s national profile has expanded further in recent months, boosted in part by player Jackson Olson’s appearances on Season 35 of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars,” the Democrat and Chronicle reported.
Ticket Lottery Details
Attending a Banana Ball matchup will not follow a standard public ticket sale. Organizers opened an online ticket lottery following Thursday’s broadcast, requiring prospective buyers to register for a chance to purchase seats.
- Registration deadline: Oct. 31, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET.
- Purchase limit: Up to five tickets per selected entrant.
- Selection process: Entrants select one city and will be drawn randomly.
Officials warned that joining the lottery list does not guarantee seats, nor does early registration increase a participant’s odds of being drawn. Those selected will receive an email containing a designated purchase window. The league stated tickets are sold directly through its official lottery or its Fans First Marketplace, cautioning fans that passes obtained from third-party resale websites are not guaranteed to be valid.
Specific game times and additional venue specifics are expected to be finalized and released as the 2027 season approaches.
