Why the wildly popular Savannah Bananas are bringing their baseball show to Toronto

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Baseball in Toronto is going Bananas in 2027.

Given the looming labour strife, who knows when Major League Baseball will return to the Rogers Centre, but Banana Ball is scheduled to drop in the city next summer, as the lively, viral sporting sensation makes its first Canadian visit.

The wildly popular, offbeat travelling baseball troupe headlined by the original sensation, the Savannah Bananas, announced its 2027 schedule on Thursday, one that includes four Canadian dates — two in Toronto and two more in Winnipeg.

It’s the first time that the baseball entertainment outfit will venture outside of the U.S., with four dates in Mexico also included in its international venture.

A variation of the sport designed to make the game faster, fun and appealing to a wider, younger audience, Banana Ball has become a hit for all of those reasons and its viral-friendly highlight content that accompanies the live fan experience.

There are trick plays, novel rule twists, loud music, choreographed dances and spectator participation, all designed to make for a lively blend of sports and entertainment.

While baseball purists may roll their eyes at some of the antics, the modern twist on the old American pastime has gained a wide audience, and one that has grown exponentially over the past four years.

“From the beginning, it was simple: We exist to make baseball fun,” says owner/founder Jesse Cole, the entrepreneur who adds personality to his role with the trademark yellow tuxedo he sports. “The name of our company is Fans First Entertainment.

“We are the fastest and most entertaining show in sports.”

Bananas to Canada

On its social media announcement of the 2027 schedule, which dropped on Thursday evening, the Bananas proclaimed: “You asked, we listened. See you in 2027, Canada!”

With that, the Bananas confirmed they will be at the Rogers Centre on Aug. 14-15 as well as two Banana Ball dates in Winnipeg on Aug. 26 and 28.

The Toronto contests will see the Bananas face the Indianapolis Clowns, as the league makes its Canadian debut.

The Bananas themselves won’t be in Winnipeg for dates at two different stadiums — Blue Cross Park, home of the minor league Gold Eyes and Princess Auto Stadium, home of the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

For each of those games, the Party Animals will face the Texas Tailgaters.

As is the case for all Banana Ball action, tickets will be sold via a lottery system which is available on the league’s website, bananaball.com.

For the Saturday and Sunday Toronto dates, the Blue Jays are scheduled to be out of town for a series against the Cleveland Guardians. Of course, with the strong possibility of labour disruptions between MLB and the players’ union, there is plenty of uncertainty surrounding the Jays 2027 schedule.

What is the Savannah Banana sensation?

Originally formed as a college summer team in Georgia, the group became the Savannah Bananas the following year with a team name and uniform that immediately garnered recognition and attention.

With a look that was voted “logo of the year” by various outlets in the U.S., the Bananas sold out opening night in the Coastal Plain League and were a hit for their seven years playing traditional baseball.

In 2022, the team announced it was leaving the Coastal Plain League to play Banana Ball year-round and essentially become a travelling road show.

Expansion led to six teams that became part of the Banana Ball Championship League that exists today.

Including the Canadian and Mexican stops, the 2027 Banana Ball Championship League will hit 79 stadiums in 74 cities, with league organizers projecting a total estimated audience of 4.3 million fans.

Who plays the Bananas?

While none are as colourful (or as famous) as the original, the Bananas have company in the cool and catchy name department. There are the Loco Beach Coconuts, the Texas Tailgaters, the Indianapolis Clowns, the Party Animals and the Firefighters.

In 2026, the six teams contested 60 regular season games each as they visited 76 stadiums, 14 of them that are also home to MLB teams.

The six teams all have “home” schedules as well as the travelling road show portion of their calendar.

Always on the lookout for new innovations, a stop at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Ind., will have a pair of baseball fields — one at each end of the football venue — with teams switching fields each inning.

As well, Banana Ball returns to Cooperstown, N.Y., home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum for a pair of games between the Clowns and Tailgaters on Memorial Day weekend.

What are some quirky Banana Ball rules?

It gets wacky, admittedly, but always fast-paced and wildly entertaining. Some of the rule highlights from Banana Ball:

There is a strict two-hour time limit, which Cole describes as “guaranteeing that every game is fast-paced.”

If a batter steps out of the box, it’s a strike. There are no mound visits, and if a fan catches a foul ball in the seats, it counts as an out.

And for the small ball advocates out there, there is no bunting.

“No bunting because bunting sucks,” Cole declares in a social media explainer of his league’s rules. “If you bunt, you’ll be thrown out of the game.”

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