Banana Ball to return to Utah for 3 games in 2026 after last year's sellouts

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

Banana Ball returns to Utah in 2026 with three games Aug. 13-15.
The Party Animals and Firefighters will face off at The Ballpark at America First Square.
A ticket lottery is open until Oct. 31 for the unique baseball series.

SOUTH JORDAN — Forget two, the Savannah Bananas want to play three in Utah.

Well, sort of.

The zany baseball team announced Thursday that its budding Banana Ball universe will return to the Beehive State, but with two of its offshoots sparring in a three-game series. The Party Animals and Firefighters from the league will battle each other at The Ballpark at America First Square Aug. 13-15, 2026.

A ticket lottery for the three games will remain open through the end of October.

Ty Wardle, general manager of the Salt Lake Bees, said in a statement he's "thrilled" for the league's return.

"It will be a fun and unforgettable weekend of baseball and entertainment for fans of all ages," he added. We can't wait to showcase the excitement of these teams and create another memorable experience at our new ballpark."

Banana Ball debuted in the Beehive State last year, as the Savannah Bananas and Party Animals squared off for a pair of sold-out games at Smith's Ballpark. The unique style of America's pastime originated in Georgia and has since swept over the nation with its many viral moments over the years. Banana Ball mixes a traditional baseball game with entertainment elements, ranging from comedy to choreography.

"It adds in trick plays, fun, excitement (and) energy," Zack Frongillo, director of entertainment for the Savannah Bananas, told KSL.com ahead of last year's games, adding that teams try to incorporate dozens of new creative ideas every game.

What started with the Savannah Bananas has now grown into a full league with six teams, all playing the same type of game. Many of the players are former college and professional athletes, and a surprise athlete is also typically brought into the game for the fans. For instance, former MLB and BYU pitcher Jeremy Guthrie joined the Bananas at Smith's Ballpark.

It's not the only different type of baseball league coming to The Ballpark next year. The Tri-City Chili Peppers and Glow Mojis, a pair of touring baseball teams, are also barnstorming through Daybreak next year, bringing glow-in-the-dark "Cosmic Baseball" to Utah. Exact dates for their matchup have yet to be announced.

To learn more about the Savannah Bananas, click on the video below.

The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.