What Banana Ball does

Banana Ball, operated under Fans First Entertainment and headquartered at Historic Grayson Stadium in Savannah, GA, runs a professional baseball league built on 11 proprietary rules that compress game time to two hours and engineer continuous fan engagement (point-per-inning scoring, no walks, no mound visits, fan-catch outs, trick plays, a Showdown Tiebreaker, and a Golden Batter Rule). The Savannah Bananas were founded in 2016, the rule set was first played in 2020, and the company transitioned to full-time professional status in 2022. The Banana Ball Championship League (BBCL) launches its inaugural season in 2026 with six teams — Savannah Bananas, Party Animals, Firefighters, Texas Tailgaters, Loco Beach Coconuts, and Indianapolis Clowns — and a touring schedule of 180+ games projected to reach 2M+ live fans across U.S. venues ranging from minor league parks to MLB stadiums (Wrigley Field, Target Field, Coors Field, Globe Life Field) and, in 2025, an NFL stadium (Raymond James Stadium).

The business operates a direct-to-consumer model with five primary revenue streams: ticket sales through the exclusive Fans First Tickets lottery ($35-$125 with no hidden fees), merchandise via the official e-commerce store and on-site tents, youth programs (Savannah Camps, Pop-Up Camps, and the $525 Banana Ball U Savannah Experience), subscription-based K Club fan membership (priority ticket access, exclusive drops), and select premium experiences (Banana Ball Backstage). The product is distributed across free YouTube streaming on home team channels and broadcast deals (ESPN, ESPN2, Disney+, truTV, Bally Sports, Stadium, Roku Sports), supported by marketing through the ESPN+ Bananaland series, HBO Real Sports, major press coverage, and partnership activations at Dunkin', Tropical Smoothie Cafe, and Academy Sports + Outdoors. The company is privately held, with no disclosed institutional funding rounds and Jesse Cole identified as Owner; adjacent operations include the wholly owned Bananas Foster nonprofit (established 2023) supporting the foster care community.

Name

Banana Ball

Legal name

Banana Ball

Website

https://bananaball.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Banana Ball operates the Banana Ball Championship League, a six-team professional touring baseball league built on 11 proprietary entertainment-first rules, serving mass-market sports fans and families through live games, youth camps, merchandise, and the K Club fan membership.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Entertainment

NAICS

Spectator Sports (71121)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Baseball & Softball Leagues (MPAKAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Team & League Branded Merchandise Retail (Non-Apparel) (CRAMAOAF)

Keywords

• Entertainment baseball league
• Sports entertainment events
• Live sports ticketing
• Youth baseball camps
• Fan club membership

Headquarters

HQ city

Savannah

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Primary revenue through ticket sales via lottery system. Standard venue tickets start at $35, larger MLB venues start at $40, with Banana Ball Backstage premium tickets starting at $100-$125. Tickets sold exclusively through Fans First Tickets platform.
2. Merchandise Sales: Merchandise sold through official e-commerce store (shop.thesavannahbananas.com), merchandise tents at games, and team-specific merchandise for each of the six BBCL teams.
3. Youth Camps and Experiences: Revenue from Savannah Camps (ages 6-12), Pop-Up Camps (ages 8-12), and Banana Ball U Savannah Experience ($525 per player for 4-day program including instruction, games, competitions, jersey, hat, and medal).
4. Ticket Marketplace Commission: Face-value ticket resale marketplace operates without fees but creates customer loyalty and engagement ecosystem. No fees for buying or selling.
5. K Club Membership: Fan club membership offering priority ticket access, exclusive events, merchandise drops, and community access. Membership creates recurring engagement and loyalty program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Banana Ball is a fast-paced, fans-first version of baseball built around a proprietary set of 11 rules (2-hour time limit, no bunting, batters can steal first base, no walks replaced by sprints, fan catch = out, showdown tiebreaker, Golden Batter Rule, and others) designed to deliver non-stop entertainment. The company operates the Banana Ball Championship League (BBCL) with six touring teams playing 180+ games annually across MLB, NFL, minor league, and college venues in the United States, and sells tickets exclusively through the Fans First Tickets lottery and face-value resale platform, with additional revenue from merchandise, youth camps, the K Club membership, and premium Banana Ball Backstage experiences.

Product overview

Banana Ball is a fast-paced, entertainment-first version of baseball created by the Savannah Bananas with 11 unique rules. The portfolio centers on the Banana Ball Championship League (BBCL), a professional league with six teams (Savannah Bananas, Party Animals, Firefighters, Texas Tailgaters, Loco Beach Coconuts, and Indianapolis Clowns) competing across over 180 games annually. Beyond live games, the offering includes youth camps and programs, the K Club fan membership, the Bananas Foster nonprofit, employment and internship opportunities, the Fans First Ticket Marketplace for face-value ticket resale, Banana Ball Backstage premium experiences, merchandise, and free game streaming on YouTube channels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Banana Ball Backstage: Premium ticket experience including exclusive meet and greet with players and cast, behind-the-scenes access, and special swag.

Products and services

• Banana Ball Championship League (BBCL) Live Games Live entertainment baseball games played under the proprietary 11-rule Banana Ball format across 180+ dates per year at MLB, NFL, minor league, and college venues in the United States; sold directly to consumers through the Fans First Tickets lottery and resale marketplace.
• Savannah Bananas Team Flagship Banana Ball team founded in 2016 that created the sport and plays home games at Historic Grayson Stadium in Savannah, GA.
• Party Animals Team Second Banana Ball team, introduced in 2020, that tours and competes against the Savannah Bananas.
• Firefighters Team Third Banana Ball team, announced in 2023, that tours with the league.
• Texas Tailgaters Team Fourth Banana Ball team representing the Lone Star State, featuring line dancing, parking lot grilling, and country music as part of its entertainment identity.
• Loco Beach Coconuts Team Fifth Banana Ball team, launched in 2025, with a beach-themed brand identity.
• Indianapolis Clowns Team Sixth Banana Ball team, launched in 2025, that honors the legacy of the historic Negro Leagues Indianapolis Clowns through a partnership with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.
• Banana Ball Backstage Premium Experience Premium ticket tier offering early entry, exclusive meet and greet with players and cast, photo and autograph opportunities, and Banana Ball Backstage swag; priced starting at $100 for standard venues and $125 for MLB/larger venues.
• K Club Fan Membership Recurring fan club membership offering priority ticket purchasing, exclusive events, merchandise drops, meet and greets, and community access via a private Facebook group and ambassador program.
• Banana Ball Youth Camps & Tournaments Youth baseball programming for ages 6–12, including 2-day Savannah Camps at Grayson Stadium, 3-hour Pop-Up Camps, and the 4-day Banana Ball U Savannah Experience ($525 per player) featuring instruction, exhibition games, Trick Play Contest, Home Run Derby, Ball Four Sprint, jersey, hat, and medal.
• Official Banana Ball Merchandise Shop Direct-to-consumer merchandise store selling official Banana Ball and team-specific apparel and exclusive items online at shop.thesavannahbananas.com and at on-site merchandise tents at every game.
• Fans First Ticket Marketplace Official face-value ticket resale marketplace integrated with the Fans First Tickets platform that lets fans list tickets they cannot use at the original price paid, with no fees for buying or selling, preventing scalping.
• Banana Ball YouTube Game Streaming Free live streaming of all Banana Ball games on each team's official YouTube channel, complementing selected TV broadcasts on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN App, Disney+, truTV, Bally Sports Live App, Stadium, and Roku Sports Channel.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2 million live fans projected for 2026 season
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Negro Leagues Baseball MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to preserve and honor the legacy of the Indianapolis Clowns, one of the greatest barnstorming baseball teams for over 50 years. The Clowns were pioneers in combining baseball and entertainment, and this partnership brings their story to millions of fans while educating about Negro Leagues history. Bob Kendrick, President of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, called it 'an exciting and historically relevant tribute' to the team that influenced Banana Ball.
• Academy Sports + OutdoorsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for player appearances and autograph signings at Academy Sports + Outdoors locations during tour stops. Example: EvoShield Academy Sports + Outdoors appearance in Midland, TX with Texas Tailgaters and Party Animals players.
• Dunkin'minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity engagement partnership with Dunkin' for player/cast appearances at local restaurants during tour cities. Example: Cast members served coffee, donuts, and dance moves at Jacksonville Dunkin' location.
• Tropical Smoothie CafeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for player appearances and fan events at Tropical Smoothie Cafe locations during tour stops. Example: Loco Beach Coconuts players and cast members at Jacksonville location with autographs and fan activities.
• IronPigs CharitiesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCharitable partnership during Lehigh Valley games where 50/50 raffle proceeds support Bananas Foster (foster care community) and IronPigs Charities.
• Host Ballparks/StadiumscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with various ballparks and stadiums across the country for World Tour stops. Includes MLB stadiums (Wrigley Field, Target Field, Coors Field, Globe Life Field), minor league parks, NFL stadiums (Raymond James Stadium, Kinnick Stadium), and college venues (Albertsons Stadium).

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• XFL: Alternative professional football league backed by major media/ownership capital seeking to reimagine an incumbent sport for modern audiences. Relevant as a broader industry benchmark for challenger leagues attempting format innovation and broadcast-distribution-led scale.
• WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment): The dominant sports-entertainment operator globally, with touring live shows, premium experiences, merchandise, and youth/NIL programming. While WWE is much larger and broader, it anchors the entertainment-first sports category in which Banana Ball competes and represents the upper-bound valuation and media-rights benchmark.
• Major League Baseball (MLB): The incumbent professional baseball league that Banana Ball explicitly reimplements through its 11-rule system. While MLB is vastly larger, it defines the demand context and broadcast economics (ESPN, Bally Sports, Disney+) within which Banana Ball negotiates airtime and venue access.

Direct peers

• Premier Lacrosse League: Tour-based alternative professional sports league with a traveling-city model, condensed season, and media-rights partnerships (ESPN). Its business model of bringing a product to fans in their home cities rather than anchoring a single franchise market is structurally identical to Banana Ball's World Tour.
• LIV Golf: Saudi-backed alternative professional golf league that competes directly with the PGA Tour via a tour-format, team-franchise structure, and entertainment-led presentation. Closely comparable as a challenger league using format innovation and non-traditional economics to disrupt an incumbent sport.
• Big3 Basketball League: Ice Cube-founded 3-on-3 professional basketball league built around an entertainment-forward product, shortened games, and marquee former players. Shares Banana Ball's playbook of reformatting a traditional sport for fan engagement and packaging it as a tour-friendly spectacle.
• Harlem Globetrotters: The most direct comparable: a touring entertainment-first basketball exhibition brand that sells out family-oriented arena shows across North America. Both monetize spectacle, choreography, and a fixed brand experience rather than pure competitive sport, and both rely on tour logistics, secondary merchandise, and recurring live demand.
• Athletes Unlimited: An emerging player-model pro sports league across lacrosse, softball, volleyball, and basketball that experiments with non-traditional formats and fan engagement. Comparable as an alternative-format league seeking to redefine how a professional sports product is packaged and consumed.

Others

• Savannah Bananas (parent brand context): Not a peer in the competitive sense — the Savannah Bananas is the founding franchise and parent operating entity of Banana Ball — but listed here as an ecosystem reference point that captures the same fan community, K Club membership, and merchandise funnel that drives Banana Ball's commercial engine.

Regional players

• Indian Premier League (IPL): India's entertainment-led cricket league that fused franchise branding, music, and short-format spectacle with professional sport. Comparable as a regional best-in-class example of how an alternative-format league can build brand and media value far beyond traditional expectations for its underlying sport.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@officialbananaball
• Facebookfacebook.com/officialbananaball
• Instagraminstagram.com/bananaball
• TikToktiktok.com/@officialbananaball
• Xx.com/BananaBall_

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Banana Ball