Fans of the Savannah Bananas, rejoice: Banana Ball will have a regular home on ESPN this season.
On Monday, the Disney-owned network announced plans to air 10 Savannah Bananas games on their platforms throughout their 2025 campaign, spanning from late-April to early-August. All 10 games will be played at either MLB or football stadiums, with the full schedule as follows:
- April 26: Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina (7 p.m. ET, ESPN 2)
- May 10: Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee (8 p.m. ET, ESPN 2)
- June 7: Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina (7 p.m. ET, ESPN 2)
- June 28: Nationals Park in Washington D.C. (7 p.m. ET, ESPN 2)
- July 5: Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts (7 p.m., ESPN)
- July 26: Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (7 p.m. ET, ESPN 2)
- August 1: Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland (7 p.m. ET, ESPN)
- August 2: Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland (7 p.m. ET, ESPN 2)
- August 9: Coors Field in Denver, Colorado (9 p.m. ET, ESPN 2)
- August 15: Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, Illinois (8 p.m. ET, ESPN 2)
In addition to the linear channels, all 10 games will also stream live on the ESPN+ and Disney Plus streaming services. ESPN announced the new package with a commercial featuring SportsCenter hosts Randy Scott and Gary Striewski.
“The Savannah Bananas have mastered the art of blending baseball with entertainment, creating an experience that resonates with fans of all ages, regardless of their baseball knowledge,” ESPN Vice President of Programming & Content Strategy Brent Colborne said in a release. “Their unique approach embodies two of ESPN’s key goals: reaching new audiences and inspiring the next generation of youth athletes. With Banana Ball showcased on ESPN and Disney linear and streaming platforms, we are confident new, avid fans will be created.”
Added Savannah Bananas founder and CEO Jesse Cole: “Our relationship with ESPN has been outstanding for the Savannah Bananas and for the sport of Banana Ball. As the ‘Greatest Show in Sports’ makes its way to sold out MLB, College Football and NFL Stadiums, ESPN is the perfect place to showcase the electricity of the game as we near the launch of the Banana Ball Championship League in 2026.”
The new deal between ESPN and the Bananas marks the latest chapter in the entertainment baseball team’s media rights. In addition to airing select games on ESPN platforms since 2022, the touring team has also had rights deals with Stadium, Bally Live and truTV.
News of the team’s 10-game package with ESPN comes one day after 60 Minutes featured the Bananas on Sunday’s episode, another sign of the product’s growing mainstream appeal. Moving forward, it will be interesting to see how ESPN’s relationship with the Savannah Bananas evolves, especially with MLB now set to exit the network’s airwaves following the 2025 season.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.