The Savannah Bananas have gained national attention over the past two years for their sold-out games, fan-favorite entertainment, and signature “Banana Ball” style of play. Now, the team and its sister clubs are expanding into a new six-team championship league starting next year.
What teams will participate in the Banana Ball Championship League?
Baseball America reported that the new initiative is officially named the “Banana Ball Championship League,” which features a 60-game regular season and ends with a Banana Bowl Championship in October.
The 2026 lineup includes returning teams: the Savannah Bananas, Texas Tailgaters, Party Animals, and Firefighters, along with two new additions: the Loco Beach Coconuts and the Indianapolis Clowns. The Clowns, introduced by Negro Leagues Baseball Museum president Bob Kendrick, pay tribute to the last surviving Negro Leagues team, per Baseball America.
In addition to the new franchises, each team will have an MLB legend as part of its respective roster. Former multi-team outfielder Shane Victorino will serve as the Coconuts’ “Prime Time Coach,” and former Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard will assume the same role for the Clowns.
The two new teams to the Banana Ball franchise, explained
Jesse and Emily Cole, the owners of Fan First Entertainment and creators of Banana Ball, oversee teams including the Savannah Bananas, Party Animals, Firefighters, and Texas Tailgaters, according to the Bananas Foster website. One of their newest teams, the Indianapolis Clowns, returned to the historic Grayson Stadium Thursday night, with more than 5,000 fans applauding their resurgence.
“They were pioneers on this way of entertainment and baseball mixed together,” Jesse told the Savannah Morning News. “Three years ago, we started having conversations. What if they came back? What if we could bring back this team and celebrate the history of what they meant for this game and being pioneers to truly bring the entertainment and the fun?”
The other team, the Loco Beach Coconuts, has been dubbed “the most fun brand we’ve ever created,” Jesse said. While there is no definitive answer on where the team is located, the squad is expected to gain new fans with each tour stop in 2026, according to comments from a post shared on the team’s official Instagram account on Thursday.
The expanded schedule showcases Banana Ball’s evolution into a nationwide tour, visiting 75 stadiums across 45 states, excluding Alaska, Hawaii, New Jersey, Vermont, and Wyoming. Games will be played in 14 MLB ballparks and 10 football stadiums, with over 3 million fans expected to attend the highly anticipated ball games if they continue to sell out.
The season will feature several major tournaments, including:
-Tallahassee, Florida (Feb. 26–28)
-Banana Ball Open (April 16–19)
-Banana Ball Playoffs (October 1–4)
-Banana Bowl Championship (October 10, site TBD)
2026 Team Schedules
Here is the full 2026 schedule for all teams part of the Banana Championship League, according to the Banana Ball website.
Savannah Bananas Home schedule
March 7-8: Savannah, Ga.
March 14-15: New Orleans, La.
March 21-22: San Diego, Calif.
March 27-28: Anaheim, Calif.
April 11-12: Chapel Hill, N.C.
April 25-26: New York, N.Y.
May 14-16: Savannah, Ga.
May 21: Knoxville, Tenn.
May 23: Knoxville, Tenn.
June 4-6: Savannah, Ga.
July 3-4: Iowa City, Iowa
July 30-Aug. 1: Savannah, Ga.
Aug. 14-15: Denver, Colo.
Aug. 21-22: St. Louis, Mo.
Sept. 11-13: Savannah, Ga.
Sept. 18-20: Savannah, Ga.
2026 Texas Tailgaters Home Schedule
March 8-9: Frisco, Texas
March 14-15: Round Rock, Texas
April 24-26: Amarillo, Texas
May 2: College Station, Texas
May 7-9: Tulsa, Okla.
May 15-16: El Paso, Texas
May 28-30: Corpus Christi, Texas
June 26-27: San Antonio, Texas
July 2-4: Midland, Texas
Aug. 21-22: Oklahoma City, Okla.
Aug. 28-29: Sugar Land, Texas
Sept. 24-26: Arlington, Texas
Party Animals Home Schedule
March 7-8: Memphis, Tenn.
March 20-21: Sacramento, Calif.
March 28-29: Conway, S.C.
April 11-12: Albuquerque, N.M.
April 30, May 1-2: Las Vegas, Nevada
May 8-10: Atlanta, Ga.
May 22-24: Tacoma, Wash.
June 6-7: Milwaukee, Wisc.
June 18-20: Nashville, Tenn.
June 27-28: Eugene, Ore.
July 31, Aug. 1: Boise, Idaho
Aug. 13-15: Salt Lake City, Utah
Sept. 18-19: Detroit, Mich.
Sept. 25-26: Cleveland, Ohio
Loco Beach Coconuts Home Schedule
April 10-11: Charleston, S.C.
May 29-30: Orlando, Fla.
June 18-20: Manchester, N.H.
July 2-4: Jacksonville, Fla.
July 24-25: Portland, Maine
July 31-Aug. 1: Bowie, Md.
Aug. 7-9: Minneapolis, Minn.
Aug. 13-15: Wilmington, Del.
Aug. 28-29: Foxborough, Mass.
Sept. 25-26: Biloxi, Miss.
Firefighters Home Schedule
March 14-15: Little Rock, Ark.
March 21-22: Montgomery, Ala.
March 28-29: Scottsdale, Ariz.
April 24-26: Greenville, S.C.
May 1-2: Richmond, Va.
May 7-9: Wichita, Kansas
May 22-23: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
June 4-6: Charlotte, N.C.
June 11, 13: Lincoln, Neb.
July 24-26: Chicago, Ill.
Aug. 7-8: Lehigh Valley, Pa.
Aug: 20-22: Billings, Mont.
Sept. 11-12: Syracuse, N.Y.
Indianapolis Clowns Home Schedule
May 15-16: Indianapolis, Ind.
May 30-31: Kansas City, Mo.
June 12-13: Morgantown, W.Va.
June 19-21: Cincinnati, Ohio
June 26-27: Fargo, N.D.
July 23-25: Hartford, Conn.
Aug. 6-8: Spartanburg, S.C.
Aug. 27-29: Sioux Falls, S.D.
Sept. 11-13: Lexington, Ky.
Sept. 19-20: Birmingham, Ala.