The Savannah Bananas announced this week that they will making a trip to Baton Rouge in 2024 with a three-night stretch of games in LSU’s Alex Box Stadium — and it will be unlike any baseball games you’ve seen before.
Their viral presence on social media — with over 7 million followers on TikTok alone — and their annual sold-out home games since 2016 are clear indicators that the Bananas are loved by many.
The games in Baton Rouge next year will be the first time that the team has ever played games in a college baseball stadium. If you attend and expect to watch a normal baseball game, think again. Here are a few things you should know before signing up for their lottery tickets:
Expect the unexpected
The Savannah Bananas are an unpredictable team. Sometimes, players are escorted to the plate by the Banana Pep Band. Other times, players take the mic and introduce themselves to the crowded stadium.
Their scoring celebrations are like none other. The players may run through the crowd or perform choreographed country line dances.
Scoring isn’t the only time that you’ll get a chance to see choregraphed dance moves. Their senior citizen dance team, the Banana Nanas, and their Dad Bod Cheerleading Squad, Man-Nana’s, make their special appearances, too.
You may be wondering if the Savannah Bananas have anything that resembles a traditional approach to baseball — and the answer is no. The players don’t even wear the traditional baseball uniform, as they are the only team to pair their jerseys with kilts instead of pants.
Rules of the game
The team plays baseball with an untraditional, unique twist that they call Banana Ball.
Bunting and mound visits are nonexistent in their game rules. On top of that, batters can steal first and if a fan catches a foul ball, it’s an out. If the batter steps out of the batter’s box, it’s a strike.
There is a two-hour time limit, with one exception. If there’s a tie, the pitcher and hitter compete in a one-on-one showdown with only one fielder. There are only two options in this scenario: the pitcher stops the hitter or the hitter scores.
Tickets
Just like the Savannah Bananas’ games, their way of selling tickets isn’t traditional, either. The team has a ticket lottery list that closes on Dec. 1, 2023.
The game dates in Baton Rouge are March 14-16. There will be a random drawing from the list about two months before the game, and if you’re name is chosen, you’ll have a chance to purchase up to four tickets. To sign up for the ticket lottery, visit their website.
