Latest news with #Bananas
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The CW will broadcast Savannah Bananas baseball madness as network leans into live sports
Baseball isn't boring and the CW isn't stupid, at least when it comes to the Savannah Bananas, the Georgia-based team that has rewritten the rules around the classic American pastime. The network has picked up rights to broadcast the July 27 Bananas game at Citizen's Bank Park in Philadelphia. "Banana Ball" incorporates humor, gymnastics, lip syncs and snappy dance choreography in a minor league baseball game with rules that definitely don't match those of Major League Baseball — though many of the players once had MLB aspirations. This year the team has sold out 18 major league ballparks, plus three football stadiums with capacities of more than 70,000. Advertisement Read more: Going bananas: Why Savannah Bananas tickets cost more than a Dodgers-Yankees rematch The CW in recent years has been leaning into live sports coverage, which has generally been delivering ratings results in a rapidly changing TV-viewing landscape. The network has the NASCAR Xfinity Series, WWE NXT on Tuesday nights, Grand Slam Track, AVP beach volleyball on summer Saturdays, ACC and Pac-12 football games in the fall and, starting next year, PBA professional bowling. The Savannah Bananas come with a built-in audience earned via posts on TikTok, Facebook Reels and the like. The team has 10 million followers on TikTok alone. 'We've always been very clear about our goal,' Bananas owner Jesse Cole told The Times in 2022. 'We exist to make baseball fun.' Advertisement 'It's all about energy. We want to give people energy, delivering it every second, from the moment we open the gates at two o'clock until the last fan leaves at 11," he added over the weekend, when the team played to a sellout crowd at Anaheim Stadium. Read more: Meet the Savannah Bananas, who've captivated fans and MLB. 'We exist to make baseball fun' There's definitely an audience appetite for the Savannah team: There are tickets available for games in August and September, but only through a lottery — and the wait list for the lottery is more than 3 million names long. Last season's games drew a million fans total. On Friday, the only way into the Anaheim game was through the resale market. Hours before the first pitch, the lowest price (fees and taxes included) for a pair of Bananas tickets on StubHub was $209.52, while it took a mere $171.72 to snag a pair of tickets to the Yankees-Dodgers series opener at Dodger Stadium the same night. Advertisement Who needs Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge anyway: Banana Ball has the Savannah team facing rival outfits the Texas Tailgaters, the Firefighters, the Party Animals and the Visitors. And while Ohtani and Judge can be counted on for multiple home runs, only the Bananas deliver baby races, a dancing umpire and backflips before balls are caught in the outfield. Plus the games are limited to two hours max, something even the much-loved MLB pitch clock can't deliver. Read more: Dropped Aaron Judge ball sold by MLB (not Dodgers) gets $43,510 in auction 'The Savannah Bananas have taken the sports world by storm through their high-energy blend of baseball and entertainment that connects with viewers of all ages,' Mike Perman, senior vice president of CW Sports, said in a statement Tuesday. Advertisement 'We are thrilled to partner with them for their broadcast television debut, and we cannot wait to bring our audience every unpredictable play in front of what promises to be an electric atmosphere in Philadelphia.' 'Banana Ball on The CW is a no-brainer,' Bananas owner Cole added in that news release. "After seeing their recent commitment to sports, we knew this could be a great partnership. With the speed and entertainment of Banana Ball, we look forward to creating new fans together in the years to come.' Times staff writer David Wharton and Times fellow Anthony De Leon contributed to this report. Sign up for Screen Gab, a free newsletter about the TV and movies everyone's talking about from the L.A. Times. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Axios
4 hours ago
- Business
- Axios
Bank of America Stadium will transform into a baseball field for the Savannah Bananas
There's a baseball field inside Bank of America Stadium this week as Charlotte prepares to go bananas for the Savannah Bananas. Why it matters: It's the first time Charlotte will host the wacky baseball team, and it's the first time there's a baseball field inside Bank of America Stadium. State of play: The Savannah Bananas will play the Party Animals June 6-7 at Bank of America Stadium. If you're unfamiliar with banana ball, catch up here. Preparations for the Bananas began after the May 24 Charlotte FC match, Bonnie Almond, vice president of venue operations for Tepper Sports & Entertainment, tells Axios. How it works: Stadium staff cleared the soccer lines and mapped out the baseball field ahead of the Metallica concert last weekend. On Sunday, they pulled up the concert floor, and by Monday, crews were painting the lines for the baseball field. Netting to protect fans from baseballs went up on Monday, too. Both teams will bring in bullpens for pitchers to warm up and will use the stadium's field suites as dugouts. They'll play on a turf surface. Home plate will be located near the tunnel where the Panthers exit before home games, which is situated in the northwest corner. "We're very versatile in what we can do here," Almond said. Stunning stat: Bank of America Stadium sold out of approximately 74,000 tickets for each night in about five hours. The Bananas encourage people to be wary of scammers trying to sell fake tickets. If you go: There will be a festival on the stadium's plaza near the North gate off Graham Street at 4:30pm both days. The plaza itself opens to fans at 2pm. Games start at 7pm. You must have a ticket to access this area. Tickets will be screened before you get to the stadium. Merchandise locations open to the public will be available around the stadium from 11am-1pm both days. Dig in: There will also be special food and drinks at the stadium for the games. A banana pepper popper dog ($9.99) with cream cheese, roasted banana peppers, bacon bits and chipotle aioli will be available near section 120 at the Uptown Market. The Banana bourbon BBQ burger ($14.99) with a double beef patty, banana-bourbon BBQ sauce, crispy onions, cheddar and smoked bacon on a brioche bun will be available at the Queen City Eatery near section 122. The Elvis Spotted in Savannah sandwich ($17.99) with peanut butter, sliced banana, crispy bacon and a honey drizzle on griddled Texas toast will be available at the Culinary Corner on the 300-level. Savannah Banana Beer from Service Brewing and banana cream soda will also be available throughout the stadium. Local businesses are going bananas, too. Merchant and Trade, for instance, will serve a special cocktail called Banana Land ($18) June 6-7. Banana Land includes banana cream soda and Grey Goose Vodka. This isn't an official collaboration with the team, a Merchant and Trade spokesperson tells Axios, but rather a celebration of their stop in Charlotte.
Los Angeles Times
4 hours ago
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
The CW will broadcast Savannah Bananas baseball madness as network leans into live sports
Baseball isn't boring and the CW isn't stupid, at least when it comes to the Savannah Bananas, the Georgia-based team that has rewritten the rules around the classic American pastime. The network has picked up rights to broadcast the July 27 Bananas game at Citizen's Bank Park in Philadelphia. 'Banana Ball' incorporates humor, gymnastics, lip syncs and snappy dance choreography in a minor league baseball game with rules that definitely don't match those of Major League Baseball — though many of the players once had MLB aspirations. This year the team has sold out 18 major league ballparks, plus three football stadiums with capacities of more than 70,000. The CW in recent years has been leaning into live sports coverage, which has generally been delivering ratings results in a rapidly changing TV-viewing landscape. The network has the NASCAR Xfinity Series, WWE NXT on Tuesday nights, Grand Slam Track, AVP beach volleyball on summer Saturdays, ACC and Pac-12 football games in the fall and, starting next year, PBA professional bowling. The Savannah Bananas come with a built-in audience earned via posts on TikTok, Facebook Reels and the like. The team has 10 million followers on TikTok alone. 'We've always been very clear about our goal,' Bananas owner Jesse Cole told The Times in 2022. 'We exist to make baseball fun.' 'It's all about energy. We want to give people energy, delivering it every second, from the moment we open the gates at two o'clock until the last fan leaves at 11,' he added over the weekend, when the team played to a sellout crowd at Anaheim Stadium. There's definitely an audience appetite for the Savannah team: There are tickets available for games in August and September, but only through a lottery — and the wait list for the lottery is more than 3 million names long. Last season's games drew a million fans total. On Friday, the only way into the Anaheim game was through the resale market. Hours before the first pitch, the lowest price (fees and taxes included) for a pair of Bananas tickets on StubHub was $209.52, while it took a mere $171.72 to snag a pair of tickets to the Yankees-Dodgers series opener at Dodger Stadium the same night. Who needs Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge anyway: Banana Ball has the Savannah team facing rival outfits the Texas Tailgaters, the Firefighters, the Party Animals and the Visitors. And while Ohtani and Judge can be counted on for multiple home runs, only the Bananas deliver baby races, a dancing umpire and backflips before balls are caught in the outfield. Plus the games are limited to two hours max, something even the much-loved MLB pitch clock can't deliver. 'The Savannah Bananas have taken the sports world by storm through their high-energy blend of baseball and entertainment that connects with viewers of all ages,' Mike Perman, senior vice president of CW Sports, said in a statement Tuesday. 'We are thrilled to partner with them for their broadcast television debut, and we cannot wait to bring our audience every unpredictable play in front of what promises to be an electric atmosphere in Philadelphia.' 'Banana Ball on The CW is a no-brainer,' Bananas owner Cole added in that news release. 'After seeing their recent commitment to sports, we knew this could be a great partnership. With the speed and entertainment of Banana Ball, we look forward to creating new fans together in the years to come.' Times staff writer David Wharton and Times fellow Anthony De Leon contributed to this report.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Why fans are paying more for Savannah Bananas than a Dodgers-Yankees clash
Image Source: Getty The Savannah Bananas, a quirky baseball team, are more popular than some of the largest Major League Baseball games. On June 1, 2025 their games at Angel Stadium in Anaheim had over 45,000 fans, and of course, tickets were selling for even higher than a Dodgers-Yankees World Series rematch. Here is why fans are spending more to watch the excitement of the Bananas' 'Banana Ball' as opposed to traditional baseball. Savannah Bananas tickets cost more than MLB's biggest game The Savannah Bananas make baseball a big, fun show, and fans are willing to pay more for it. On June 1, 2025, the cheapest pair of tickets for their game at Angel Stadium cost $209.52 on StubHub, while Dodgers-Yankees tickets were only $171.72. Their tickets are sold through a lottery, so they're hard to get, which makes resale prices higher. The Bananas mix baseball with dancing and circus-like fun, creating a lively event like a party. With almost 10 million TikTok followers, their videos spread fast, bringing huge crowds. Last year, they had one million fans, and this year, they expect two million, with three million people waiting for tickets. This huge demand makes their games more expensive than even the Dodgers-Yankees matchup, showing how much fans love their 'Fans First' style. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Esse novo alarme com câmera é quase gratuito em Ilha Solteira (consulte o preço) Alarmes Undo Also Read: "One whole year of loving you" — Dodgers star BlakeSnell's wife Haeley Ryane celebrates son's first birthday with heartfelt post Banana Ball's unique appeal transforms baseball into a party Banana Ball is very different from regular baseball, mixing sports with fun that everyone loves. Players dance, lip-sync, and even try backflip catches, making the game feel like a big celebration. Special rules, like picking the best hitter once per game, add excitement. Owner Jesse Cole, who loves Disney's magic, makes sure every part of the event, from the parking lot to the field, is fun. Fans come early to buy Bananas gear and meet players, like 9-year-old Carrigan LaCaze hugging her favorite player. The team's recent Disneyland parade with Mickey Mouse shows their special charm. Unlike the serious Dodgers-Yankees games, the Bananas create a happy, welcoming vibe for all ages. This fun and connection, plus their huge social media fame, explain why fans pay more for their tickets than for MLB's biggest stars. The Savannah Bananas make baseball fun and unforgettable, which is why fans love them so much. Their games are not just about sports; they're about creating happy moments. From packed stadiums to viral videos, the Bananas have changed how people see baseball. As they travel for their 2025 Banana Ball World Tour, their popularity keeps growing, proving that fun and connection can beat even the biggest names in baseball. Whether it's dancing players or a kid's dream coming true, the Bananas give fans a show worth every dollar.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
How much Clemson grossed in alcohol sales at Savannah Bananas, spring football, baseball, softball
CLEMSON — Clemson is seeing the benefits of allowing alcohol to be sold at sporting events. According to the school's athletic department, it has generated $470,927 in gross revenue and sold 39,392 units over 15 events since sales began April 5. Those games include eight Clemson baseball games at Doug Kingsmore Stadium, five softball games at McWhorter Stadium and two events at Memorial Stadium: Clemson football's spring game and the Savannah Bananas game. Advertisement The net total for alcohol sales are not available yet because Clemson is still figuring out expenses and revenue split, according to Clemson spokesperson Jeff Kallin. It received its gross revenue numbers from Aramark Sports and Entertainment, the company that sells alcohol at concession stands and kiosks at games. "The rollout of the alcohol sales from an in-venue standpoint has gone incredibly well," Clemson athletic director Graham Neff said on April 25. "... Fan-experience component, there has been great feedback on that from our folks that the sales have been beyond what we had (expected) so to speak." Clemson's athletic department announced April 1 that alcoholic beverages would be available for purchase at designated stands and kiosks at sporting events. It was one of three Power Four schools nationally (the others being Utah and BYU), including the only school in the ACC, SEC and Big Ten, that neither offered the sale of alcoholic beverages in its athletic venues nor accepted sponsorship revenue from alcoholic beverage advertisers. However, Clemson hopes its change in stance will be a boon for its revenue as it is aligned with other Power Four programs as the college athletics landscape is set to shift with the pending House settlement. Advertisement Here's a breakdown of how much Clemson made in gross revenue from each event. Savannah Bananas, Clemson football spring game a sign of things to come The Bananas sold out Memorial Stadium, welcoming 81,000 fans. It was the largest sporting event at Clemson since alcohol was permitted, and its revenue was a reflection of it. MORE: What Clemson baseball's Erik Bakich said about alcohol finally being sold at home games Clemson sold 27,181 units to make $346,684 in gross revenue. In its agreement with the Bananas, Clemson was responsible for the facility infrastructure (field of play, dugouts, bullpens, backstops), concessions, its merchandising, parking, security and custodial staff. The Bananas handled ticketing (Clemson received money from premium seating), their merchandising and Fan Fest event and on-field entertainment. Advertisement For its football spring game on April 5, which was its first time selling alcohol, it welcomed around 35,000 fans and sold 3,394 units to make $35,174 in gross revenue. Clemson hopes this momentum can carry over to the football season when coach Dabo Swinney's team takes the field for seven home games in 2025 and potentially a College Football Playoff game. According to the Knoxville-News Sentinel, Tennessee sold more than 278,000 servings of beer at football games at Neyland Stadium, that generated $3.3 million in the 2022 season. Clemson baseball, softball could have stronger figures in NCAA regionals Clemson baseball and softball combined for 8,817 units sold, which made $89,069 in gross revenue. Clemson baseball coach Erik Bakich has been a proponent of alcohol sales, even labeling its new standing-room-only area near the opposing team's bullpen a beer garden. He hopes the new amenities will help create a rowdy environment, like it did against Georgia this season. Advertisement "We want the rowdy crowd. We want the beer-drinking crowd," Bakich said in January. "We want people to come out here and have a blast, and the opposing pitchers are going to have to get warm right in front of that section." Both programs are projected to host an NCAA regional this season, meaning not only could they have greater turnouts but have more alcohol sales. Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@ and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00 This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Alcohol sales: Here's how much Clemson has generated in gross revenue
