SAVANNAH, Ga. – They may have started on neighborhood ballfields and high school diamonds around Jacksonville, but now they’re dancing, entertaining, and playing their way into the national spotlight — live on TV. A handful of Savannah Bananas players with roots in Jacksonville will be showcased coast to coast when one of the wildly popular team’s game airs on The CW Network this July.
“It’s been crazy to see how far we’ve come — from the seven-city tour to 23 cities, to football stadiums, MLB stadiums,” West Nassau grad and Party Animals player Garett Delano said. “It’s been crazy.”
The Savannah Bananas are unlike any baseball team in the country. Known for combining high-level athleticism with viral dance routines, comedy skits, and fan interaction, the Bananas are bringing a new flavor of America’s pastime to fans who might not even consider themselves baseball lovers.
“At first it was kind of a rough start for me,” Atlantic Coast grad and Party Animals player Jason Swan said. “But after getting used to it — doing a walkup, memorizing the lyrics and everything, memorizing the dance also — then getting in the box and facing the guy that’s throwing fastballs and off-speed… It was kind of difficult at first.”
The adjustment is real, but the payoff is huge.
“When I’m grinding at 3 a.m. in the mirror just watching my dance moves, you know I’m like, ‘If I can do this in the dark, I can do this in front of 81,000,’” Mandarin grad and Bananas player Ty Jackson said. “Do you ever sleep? Someone asked me that the other day. I don’t. I just take long blinks.”
The CW deal means fans back home in Jacksonville can tune in and cheer on the players they once saw wearing local jerseys.
“I hope everybody tunes in and they’re like, ‘That’s the crazy dude from high school,’” Jackson said. “Then I’m going to be like, ‘Yo, that’s me, that’s me, that’s me.’ I wish we played back at home, but they get to see us back at home.”
The Bananas’ brand of “Banana Ball” blends circus-level showmanship with real baseball talent. Their on-field antics — from choreographed dances to mid-game mic’d-up banter — regularly go viral.
“All the videos that go viral each day — that we get out here and have fun and still put on the best game and the best show — [we’re] showing our potential in sports,” Swan said.
But it’s more than just fun and games. It’s about impact.
“When you see a kid come up to you with your jersey on or saying, ‘I’ve seen your TikTok. I’ve seen your Instagram Reels. I’ve seen your YouTube,’ it strikes a part of my heart,” Jackson said. “I’m like, am I really doing something good where this kid wants to watch me?”
From social media stardom to playing in MLB stadiums — a far cry from the early days when “it was just a normal whacky baseball team that did fun stuff between innings,” Delano said. The rise of the Bananas and their Jacksonville stars is a story of ambition, showmanship, and pure joy.
“It’s obviously blown up, and it really is just an awesome thing to see,” Tanner Thomas said. “Because we’re just trying to make an impact on everyone. Enjoy the game. Put smiles on people’s faces. That’s what it’s really all about — and people love that energy.”
And even as the grind continues…
“Yeah, I’m getting old, but I’m going to do this for as long as I can,” Thomas said.
Catch Jacksonville’s own and the rest of the Savannah Bananas live on The CW on July 27 at 3 p.m. — and maybe spot a familiar face (or dance move).