Is Banana Ball the Downfall of the MLB?

The Savannah Bananas have reshaped the game of baseball. Their focus on fun gameplay has dominated the fan experience for game attendees and leaves questions for “traditional” baseball fans. 

Banana Ball, as the team officially calls it, is the “most entertaining game of baseball,” according to the organization’s website — and fans seem to agree. 

With choreographed dances before pitches, music videos and players going into the stands during the game, the Bananas prioritize the fan experience. They even have a variety of rules to get them involved in the game. 

The Bananas play at Historic Grayson Stadium, located in Savannah, Ga, which is the first ever ad-free ballpark. The experience is all-inclusive and all-you-can-eat style concessions, leaving fans with only the purchase of a ticket, which is tax-free, for the game. 

The Bananas started in 2015 as a college summer team after the Savannah Sand Gnats — the minor league team of the New York Mets —  were relocated to Columbia, S.C. in 2016 and renamed the Columbia Fireflies, switching their Major League Baseball (MLB) affiliate to the Kansas City Royals. 

Today, you can’t scroll on social media or read any baseball news without the Savannah Bananas taking over. 

The MLB can learn a lot from the Bananas and their fan-focused drive. While the league can’t implement all the rules of Banana Ball, there are ways the MLB can reshape baseball to make it better for the “traditional” fans.

The first rule in Banana Ball is “win the inning, get the point.” At a Savannah Bananas game, facing one of their three opponents in the Banana Ball League, — the Party Animals, the Firefighters or the Texas Tailgaters — whoever scores the most runs in an inning, gets the point. 

This rule prevents blowout wins seen in the MLB. Recently, the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Colorado Rockies — who are currently, statistically, the worst team in baseball — 18-0. In 2023, the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Rockies 25-1, another blowout for the league. 

Obviously, this rule can’t be implemented into the league, with hits and runs added to players’ stat sheets. But fans in attendance at blowout games like these are more likely to leave the game early, spending less money on concessions and not getting the full use of their $177 ticket. 

One rule the MLB has somewhat implemented, but not directly related, is the rule of a two-hour time limit on Savannah Banana games. With the addition of the pitch clock — which gives pitchers 30 seconds in between batters, 15 seconds between pitches when there are no players on base and 20 seconds when there is — average MLB game times have dropped from over three hours, to two hours and 40 minutes, according to ESPN. 

While the time drop is significant, MLB games can still go into extra innings if there’s a tie in the ninth. In recent history, the Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners game of the 2022 American League Division Series went into 18 innings, lasting over seven hours. 

My favorite rule created by Banana Ball includes the fans in the game. If a player hits a foul ball and it’s caught by a fan, it’s ruled as an out. Not only do fans have the opportunity to get a ball from their favorite Banana, but they also get to contribute to the outcome of the game. 

Additionally, fans have the opportunity to challenge calls on the field. One fan is selected to speak for all in attendance, and if they disagree with a play, they shoot off a confetti cannon and hold up a “fan challenge” sign. 

In traditional baseball, these rules wouldn’t work. The MLB leaves its official rulings to the trained umpires on the field and not to the angry fans, who can disagree with their calls by booing in the stands. 

The MLB needs to take a lesson from the Savannah Bananas and put their fans first. 

The current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) in the league is set to expire Dec. 1, 2026. The new agreement is rumored to include a salary cap, making baseball the last North American sport to implement this rule, according to Fox Sports. 

The Major League Baseball Players’ Association (MLBPA) has unanimously opposed a salary cap while the majority of team owners have continued to push for one, according to Fox Sports. If the new CBA takes effect with a salary cap, a lockout looks more and more likely in the future for the MLB. 

Different professional sports leagues have seen this as salary caps have been rolled out. The National Hockey League (NHL) had a lockout season in 2004-2005, causing the entire season to be cancelled. The main cause of this lockout was the salary cap. 

History may repeat itself at the end of 2026 as the MLB and MLBPA come to an agreement on their next CBA. The Dodgers’ designated hitter and pitcher Shohei Ohtani has the highest contract average annual value (AAV) at $70 million. Next in line is Mets’ right fielder Juan Soto, who tabs a $51 million AAV. 

These players — along with many others who are making far into the millions per year — will likely be opposed to a salary cap, which will likely decrease their pay. The MLB season can’t officially start until the CBA is finalized — and a lot of negotiation will go into this new agreement. 

If a lockout occurs, there will be no Major League Baseball, but there will be the Savannah Bananas. I can only speculate that fans will turn to the Bananas to get their fix of baseball. 

The Savannah Bananas have so much to offer for baseball fans, including shorter and more enjoyable gameplay in a time where we may see the future of baseball halted. My advice: become a fan while you can, as the Bananas have sold out every game — over 200 — since their first season. 

While the future may be dim for the MLB, fans can always turn to the Savannah Bananas for a fun game of baseball.