Lifestyle
Baseball Gone Bananas
Conversation with Jared Orton
Image courtesy of Teh Savannah Bananas
Lifestyle Wellknown for its energetic antics and bold approach to the sport,the Savannah Bananas baseball team has captivated the sports world.
Team president Jared orton shares the story behind this innovative squad that became a national phenomenon.
If someone is not familiar, who exactly are the Savannah Bananas?
We launched in 2016 as part of a small collegiate wooden-bat summer league in Savannah, georgia. After the previous minor league team in town shut down, our owners thought it would be simple to create another baseball team to fill that void. Initially, we didn’t attract much attention; conventional baseball has so many home games each season that it’s tough to get people excited about somthing consistently.
Additionally, when we chose the name Savannah Bananas, people reacted strongly—we received feedback claiming it was the silliest name ever and that we were mocking the sport. However, once we communicated our intent not to be conventional but rather to make baseball more entertaining and enjoyable for everyone, things began to change. that’s been our goal from day one. We achieved some milestones: we played in that college summer league for seven years during which we sold out numerous games and secured three league championships.
How did you innovate within the game?
In 2021,we introduced a new style of baseball called Banana Ball with some fresh players. It alters all aspects of traditional gameplay; as an example, batters can take first base freely and if anyone on our team catches a fly ball, it’s an out. We debuted this format in Mobile, Alabama over two nights against our main rivals—the Party Animals; around 7,000 fans attended those games. Then in 2022, we embarked on a seven-city “world tour” featuring Banana Ball.
The moment our management recognized how popular this format was becoming; they thought,This could be huge—what if we fully commit and play year-round?.So at the end of 2022,we decided to exit from our college summer league and embarked on a thirty-three-city tour throughout the following year where Banana Ball reached half a million spectators. In 2024,we followed up with matches at six major league stadiums attended by over one million fans.
The event at Minute Maid Park (home of Houston Astros) sold out months ahead overnight with an astonishing waiting list of 160k ticket seekers! Now we’ve amassed millions of followers across social media platforms while competing against two additional teams within Banana Ball League—the Firefighters and Texas tailgaters.. Witnessing such growth has been incredibly rewarding!
This is quite an impressive rise! What do you attribute this success to?
We transformed baseball into an unmissable experience! Traditionally athletes are kept separate from their audience but we’ve broken down those barriers making entertainment accessible for everyone involved! Our audience isn’t just there watching—they’re engaging deeply with us! While every team typically features mascots—we’ve discovered creating unique experiences beyond just mascots keeps fans returning time after time!
What does your recruitment process look like considering how unique Banana Ball is?
Our players possess diverse talents without question! We recognize needing top-notch athletes—our coaching staff emphasizes playing well since it remains competitive despite different rulesets involved here. If performance doesn’t impress , audiences won’t stick around . Thus most recruits have solid backgrounds ranging from collegiate leagues through minor or even major leagues .
However , athleticism alone isn’t enough ; being part-of-the-Savannah-Bananas means also being great entertainers both on-and-off-field ! for instance , some guys perform backflip catches while others showcase choreographed dances during introductions . They understand their role extends beyond personal glory—it revolves around connecting & entertaining fans !
Our head coach Tyler Gillum joined us back-in-2018 ; he maintains extensive networks filled-with talented individuals he’s encountered throughout his career including those fitting profiles needed here . Players frequently reach-out seeking opportunities too leading recruiters towards rigorous scouting processes alongside invitation-only tryouts!
What advice would you offer someone attending their first-ever game featuring-Savannah-Banans?
Do your homework beforehand—familiarize yourself-with-the-rules & prepare mentally-for-an exhilarating high-energy event ! Arrive early because before gates open there’ll already be music magic & fun awaiting you ! Player introductions kick-off around six-thirty PM followed by game starting approximately seven o’clock packed full excitement lasting hours afterward !
Beyond actual gameplay itself—we’ve curated complete entertainment lineups including Jesse Cole (our owner/ringmaster/man-in-yellow-tuxedo) along-side secondary announcer known as Young Professor sporting wild outfits performing wrestling-style intros too ! Meanwhile Jake The Magician dazzles crowds both inside stands & field alike—you never know where he might pop-up next either !! Additionally professional dancers singing princesses banana nanas (our former dance troupe),dad bod cheerleaders plus much more await attendees hoping everyone finds something relatable here!
What lies ahead for your association?
We aim-to introduce additional teams competing against us expanding banana ball leagues increasing touring opportunities reaching wider audiences everywhere possible while continuously elevating stakes searching next big thing followers will adore.
For further information visit
thesavanahabanas.com
