All About the Savannah Bananas’ Return to Pittsburgh
The team plays its own version of the game, dubbed “banana ball,” which features dance routines, trick plays and comedy sketches.
PHOTO COURTESY SAVANNAH BANANAS
Even if you’re feeling disenfranchised by another losing season for the Pittsburgh Pirates, you still may have cause to catch a game at PNC Park next summer.
The Savannah Bananas announced that the team will return to the Steel City for games against the Indianapolis Clowns on Aug. 6-7, 2027.
Once a collegiate-level team based in Savannah, Ga., the Bananas started functioning as an independent team in 2022 after going viral for their inventive, entertaining in-stadium presentation, often compared to basketball’s Harlem Globetrotters. They recruit and pay their own players, as well as the players on their opposing teams. Since then, they’ve developed their own rules — dubbed “banana ball” — and played with a focus on entertainment, adding theatrical elements, fan interaction and special guests to each game.
In 2025, their trip to Pittsburgh brought fans to a sold-out stadium for a pair of games against the Texas Tailgaters. It was also a homecoming for Western Pennsylvania natives and Bananas players Alex Ziegler and Ryan Cox.
Because of the team’s popularity, both Savannah Bananas games are expected to sell out, and tickets will only be available through a lottery system. The lottery is currently open and will remain open through 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 31.
In February, a random drawing will determine who may purchase available tickets for the August game dates. Selected entrants will receive purchase instructions directly, officials say.
“We are excited to host another round of Banana Ball in Pittsburgh,” Jim Britt, VisitPITTSBURGH’s vice president of sports events, says in a statement. “Their return underscores the continued evolution of our city’s reputation as a premier sports destination. Major sports events like this do more than entertain — they drive significant economic impact and demonstrate our ability to host innovative, large-scale sports properties. We’re happy to welcome Banana Nation back and continue building on our world-class sports legacy.”
