Savannah Bananas owner Jesse Cole announced plans to create a Banana Ball youth league with a stated goal of reaching 1 million youth athletes. Cole’s vision includes a Banana Ball World Series drawing 30,000 fans.
“Youth sports has its challenges. It’s expensive, overly competitive and often inconvenient for families. It will take a lot of work to create something that is new and different. But we are ready for the challenge,” Cole said in a LinkedIn post.
Cole stated the organization aims to “bring back the fun and affordability to parents and kids all over the country.”
Existing Tournament Model Provides Foundation
The Bananas launched youth programming in 2024 through a partnership with Athletx Sports Group. The inaugural Youth Banana Ball Tournament took place in Cleveland in August 2024. A second tournament in Savannah in July 2025 drew 770 participants from 44 states, according to local media reports.
The tournament format uses individual registration, placing players on teams rather than accepting pre-formed rosters. Age divisions span 9U through 12U. Programming includes instructional camps led by Banana Ball players where participants learn trick plays and choreographed celebrations, tournament games played under modified Banana Ball rules, and tickets to professional Banana Ball games.
According to the tournament website, participants compete for awards including “Most Valuable Banana,” “Top Trickster,” and “Best Walk Out” in each age division. Championship games at the 2025 Savannah tournament took place at Historic Grayson Stadium, the home venue for professional Banana Ball teams.
Timeline and Implementation Details Unclear
Cole’s announcement did not include a timeline for league launch or operational details on how the organization plans to scale from current tournament attendance to 1 million participants.
“It takes putting ourselves in the shoes of our fans and focusing on one step at a time. We started on this journey by hosting camps and tournaments and learned a lot. We have a long way to go on what can we be done all over the country,” Cole wrote.
Adam Virant, the Bananas’ Director of Baseball Operations, told reporters during the July 2025 Savannah tournament that the organization was not ruling out a youth league but remained focused on tournaments and camps. Virant said the organization follows Cole’s principle to “keep the main event the main event,” prioritizing professional Banana Ball games.
The youth league announcement comes as the organization prepares to launch Banana Ball as a standalone professional league in 2026.
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