The Savannah Bananas are taking their baseball hijinks to the gridiron in 2025. Team owner Jesse Cole said his barnstorming squad, which has packed stadiums around the country with its rollicking, freewheeling version of the national pastime known as Banana Ball , will play at Clemson's 81,000-seat Memorial Stadium on April 26. The Bananas also will host a pair of games at NFL facilities, Cole said.
They will play at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, the 69,000-seat home of the Tennessee Titans, on May 10, followed by 75,000-seat Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, home of the Carolina Panthers, on June 7. “These will be some of the biggest crowds in baseball history to see Banana Ball,” Cole told The Associated Press. Since a full-sized baseball field does not fit in the tighter confines of a football stadium, especially at the home of the Clemson Tigers, the Bananas plan to install netting at least 50 feet high to make it a bit tougher to hit one out in the shortest portion of the outfield.
Cole — ever the promoter — noted the barrier in all three football stadiums will be significantly taller than Fenway Park's 37-foot-high Green Monster. And, of course, the Bananas plan to use the unusual dimensions to full comedic advantage. “In Banana Ball, we like to make things a little different,” said Cole, who is known for the yellow tuxedos he wears to games.
“We're going to have fun with it.” The Bananas, who started as summer league team for college players, have be.
