Who’s watching the Savannah Bananas at Neyland Stadium?

#26
#26
GSPVol said:
Ah...Globetrotters. So it's not a new sport or league. It's a traveling circus like the globetrotters and their nightly opponent? Now I think I understand it. Thanks for clearing it up for me. To each their own. Can't believe it drew a crowd that big though.
Click to expand...
It is a league, I think there is a total of 6 teams now.

They sellout stadiums everywhere they go last year at Nissan Stadium in Nashville and last month they had three straight sellouts at Truist Park in Atlanta.
 
  • Like
Reactions: chuckiepoo, tbwhhs and tennrich1
#28
#28
I'd heard of the Bananas, but didn't really know anything about them before seeing this. It's such a spectacle that it's almost too much.

Anybody remember Eddie Feigner? These guys are kind of following in his footsteps, but just dialing it up to 11. A little over-the-top for my taste.
 
  • Like
Reactions: chuckiepoo
#33
#33
This is an example of why different flavors of ice cream exist- some like one flavor, while others like a different one. Not every one likes baseball; not everyone likes antics with a side of a baseball. It's ok to have both.

Jesse Cole has done a great marketing job and has come a long way. Before our ownership of the Owls, he was our very young GM. While with the Owls he started doing crazy things to attract fans. He formed a great relationship with Ken Silver, and later took over the Gastonia Grizzlies, continued with the crazy things, then started the Bananas. Savannah had a minor league history, but were neglected by the Mets and didn't have good attendance. Then they pulled out and moved to a new ballpark. Grayson Field was unloved, but Jesse took it on. Having a large population in Savannah definitely helped.

I'll dust off an old thread about them for some more background: Savannah Bananas
 
  • Like
Reactions: karmazone, TrumpedUpVol, A.Vol70 and 11 others
#37
#37
@1RBFjr said:
This is an example of why different flavors of ice cream exist- some like one flavor, while others like a different one. Not every one likes baseball; not everyone likes antics with a side of a baseball. It's ok to have both.

Jesse Cole has done a great marketing job and has come a long way. Before our ownership of the Owls, he was our very young GM. While with the Owls he started doing crazy things to attract fans. He formed a great relationship with Ken Silver, and later took over the Gastonia Grizzlies, continued with the crazy things, then started the Bananas. Savannah had a minor league history, but were neglected by the Mets and didn't have good attendance. Then they pulled out and moved to a new ballpark. Grayson Field was unloved, but Jesse took it on. Having a large population in Savannah definitely helped.

I'll dust off an old thread about them for some more background: Savannah Bananas
Click to expand...
 
#38
#38
How was the new traffic pattern after the game for anyone who went? I’ve read good and bad. I got 4 tickets for my college daughter and her friends and they had a great time. My wife and I watched on Disney+ and enjoyed it as well.
 
#39
#39
Good Lord, nothing but showboating, distractions, stupid gimmicks, rules made up by third graders, and talentless players. Looked like a bastard child of Vince McMahon era XFL, globetrotters, WNBA, WWE, sandlot baseball, who's line is it anyway.

I feel like I lost braincells just watching that drug addled fever dream 9th inning crap............... no wonder it's a hit in today's america
 
  • Like
Reactions: GSPVol
#41
#41
Baba_Yaga78 said:
Good Lord, nothing but showboating, distractions, stupid gimmicks, rules made up by third graders, and talentless players. Looked like a bastard child of Vince McMahon era XFL, globetrotters, WNBA, WWE, sandlot baseball, who's line is it anyway.

I feel like I lost braincells just watching that drug addled fever dream 9th inning crap............... no wonder it's a hit in today's america
Click to expand...
Well my boys had fun even if it wasn’t my speed so chill the hell out.IMG_7268.jpeg
 
  • Like
Reactions: karmazone, GoBigOrange_2309, TrumpedUpVol and 9 others
#42
#42
@1RBFjr said:
This is an example of why different flavors of ice cream exist- some like one flavor, while others like a different one. Not every one likes baseball; not everyone likes antics with a side of a baseball. It's ok to have both.

Jesse Cole has done a great marketing job and has come a long way. Before our ownership of the Owls, he was our very young GM. While with the Owls he started doing crazy things to attract fans. He formed a great relationship with Ken Silver, and later took over the Gastonia Grizzlies, continued with the crazy things, then started the Bananas. Savannah had a minor league history, but were neglected by the Mets and didn't have good attendance. Then they pulled out and moved to a new ballpark. Grayson Field was unloved, but Jesse took it on. Having a large population in Savannah definitely helped.

I'll dust off an old thread about them for some more background: Savannah Bananas
Click to expand...
Bestest history evar… ! Will eventually be quoted as the authoritative genesis.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Orange., @1RBFjr and GSPVol
#43
#43
Baba_Yaga78 said:
Good Lord, nothing but showboating, distractions, stupid gimmicks, rules made up by third graders, and talentless players. Looked like a bastard child of Vince McMahon era XFL, globetrotters, WNBA, WWE, sandlot baseball, who's line is it anyway.

I feel like I lost braincells just watching that drug addled fever dream 9th inning crap............... no wonder it's a hit in today's america
Click to expand...
Talentless players? Lets see you make the plays they make. I doubt you had many spare brain cells to lose.
 
#45
#45
Baba_Yaga78 said:
Good Lord, nothing but showboating, distractions, stupid gimmicks, rules made up by third graders, and talentless players. Looked like a bastard child of Vince McMahon era XFL, globetrotters, WNBA, WWE, sandlot baseball, who's line is it anyway.

I feel like I lost braincells just watching that drug addled fever dream 9th inning crap............... no wonder it's a hit in today's america
Click to expand...
You nailed it. I feel much the same when I view most of what Hollywood bombards is with these days.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Baba_Yaga78
#47
#47
I've seen them a few times. Actually saw them in Yankee Stadium last year. (they sold it out twice, and twice again this year)

I know a guy who pitched at GT and then a few years in the minors who now plays for the Texas Tailgaters (the team the Bananas played an Neyland). He is absolutely loving it.....and they make LOTS more than minor league players. The average across all six teams is over 100k with full health benefits.
 
#48
#48
luthervol said:
I've seen them a few times. Actually saw them in Yankee Stadium last year. (they sold it out twice, and twice again this year)

I know a guy who pitched at GT and then a few years in the minors who now plays for the Texas Tailgaters (the team the Bananas played an Neyland). He is absolutely loving it.....and they make LOTS more than minor league players. The average across all six teams is over 100k with full health benefits.
Click to expand...
If they’re paying that much, that’s a dramatic increase in the past few years. Three summers ago they hired away our pitching coach who was two years out of pitching from the NAIA level at 35K a season. He never got drafted, but he saw it as a great opportunity to keep playing the game he loved, which is great. I was channel surfing a few weeks ago and there he was on the mound at the Braves ballpark. I was happy for him.
 
  • Like
Reactions: chuckiepoo, TrumpedUpVol and luthervol
#49
#49
@1RBFjr said:
If they’re paying that much, that’s a dramatic increase in the past few years. Three summers ago they hired away our pitching coach who was two years out of pitching from the NAIA level at 35K a season. He never got drafted, but he saw it as a great opportunity to keep playing the game he loved, which is great. I was channel surfing a few weeks ago and there he was on the mound at the Braves ballpark. I was happy for him.
Click to expand...
"Banana Ball players make $100K in average salary, the club has revealed 🍌 ," FOS reported.

"The Savannah Bananas were already on a growth wave, and a first-of-its-kind report from the team details how big. In 2025, the club sold 2.2M tickets to 113 shows (what the club calls games), averaged 500K viewers on TV, and sold 1.9M items of merch."

and they added two new teams this year
 
#50
#50
That is a lot more than they offered a former UT player that I know 2 years ago. It did not include any benefits and they had to provide own housing. But they have grown since then. I'm not sure he would have done it anyways because I don't think they would let them pitch competitively. I believe after watching it several times they tell the pitchers they have to let them hit. Can you imagine how bad it would be if you went to watch it and both pitchers threw no-hitters?
 
  • Like
Reactions: volsagain
New Posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

Advertisement



Back
Top