The Savannah Bananas, an exceptionally entertaining baseball team that defies the ordinary, are finally set to make their eagerly anticipated debut in St. Louis this weekend.

On Friday, July 18, and Saturday, July 19, the Savannah Bananas will compete in two games at Busch Stadium. They will face off against their exhibition team rivals, the Party Animals, on consecutive nights. The start time for both games is 7 p.m. CT.

The Bananas originally planned to visit St. Louis in April as part of their world tour, but storms pushed the party back to July.

If you hope to catch the Savannah Bananas in action this weekend or you’re just curious about the hype, here’s what you need to know.

Are tickets still available?

According to the team, all tickets available through the Savannah Bananas’ website for these games have been sold out. There was immense demand, and a full-capacity crowd exceeding 46,000 is expected at Busch Stadium on both Friday and Saturday.

That said, some tickets may still be available through the St. Louis Cardinals or third-party platforms. The Cardinals are listing some all-inclusive tickets starting at $235 on Friday and $475 on Saturday.

You might also find some resale ticket listings available through third-party platforms like Ticketmaster, StubHub and SeatGeek.

How to watch

If you can’t catch the games in-person, you can stream them for free on the Savannah Bananas’ official YouTube channel.

A broadcast for both games will begin around 7 p.m. CT on Friday and Saturday. Fans with access to YouTube’s website or YouTube’s app can stream the games at no cost.

The game will not be broadcast on a traditional TV channel or radio.

What is Banana Baseball?

The Savannah Bananas describe their baseball experience as a “fast-paced, action-packed style of baseball with rules that include no bunting, a two-hour time limit, fans catching foul balls for outs, batters stealing first base, and a one-on-one tiebreaker showdown at the end of the game if it’s tied,” according to their website.

Banana Ball began in 2018 as a fan-focused spin on traditional baseball. While the basics are familiar, the Bananas have introduced plenty of twists to keep things unpredictable. Over the years, Banana Ball has evolved into players wearing silly hats, playing on stilts, backflipping while catching fly balls and even choreographed dancing in between plays.

Originally part of the Coastal Plain League, a summer collegiate league, the Bananas played exhibition games on the side and developed their own brand of baseball, leaving the league to to go all-in on Banana Ball and become cultural sensations.

Rules

Banana Ball rules that spin on traditional baseball include the following:

• Two-hour time limit: The game is capped at two hours. Once the clock runs out, teams can complete the current inning, but cannot start a new one.
• Scoring system: Teams earn one point per inning by scoring more runs than their opponent in that specific inning. Whether it’s a blowout or narrow lead, the team ahead scores one point.
• A scoring system twist: In the final inning, determined by the clock, all runs scored in that inning count as a point.
• Innings: The Bananas cannot play past nine innings, and the ninth inning might not be the last or come close depending on the clock.
• No walks: If a pitcher throws four balls (before three strikes), rather than a walk it’s a “Ball 4 Sprint.” The batter can run as many bases as possible while all eight fielders much touch the ball. Once that happens, the runner is able to stop at a base or be thrown out or tagged out.
• No stepping out: If a batter steps out of the batter’s box during an at-bat, they take a strike.
• Strikeouts: A strikeout can be achieved in the same way as traditional baseball, a swing-and-miss or caught-looking third strike. It can also happen if a batter fouls off a pitch or steps out of the batter’s box with two strikes.
• Fan catchers count: If a fan catches a foul ball during any point of an at-bat, the batter is ruled out.
• Stolen bases: Batters can steal at an time, including on a wild pitch or passed ball.
• No bunts: Bunting at any points of the game results in an automatic ejection.
• No mound visits: Coaches and mangers aren’t allowed to visit the pitcher during a game.
• Pitcher substitutions: Pitchers can be substituted and reenter the game once per inning.
• Challenges: Each team gets one challenge per game to dispute an umpire’s call. The coach initiates the challenge by throwing a designated prop on the field. If the challenge is unsuccessful, the team loses the right to challenge any further calls in the game.
• Golden Batter Rule: Teams can call one specific hitter, regardless of the batting order, to bat at any point of the game.
• Showdown Tiebreaker: If the game is tied after time or nine innings, it enters a showdown with up to three unique one-on-one duels between a pitcher and a hitter. The first round begins with a pitcher, catcher and one fielder. The second round eliminates the fielder. The third round brings back the fielder, but with the bases loaded. A home run at any point of the showdown tiebreakers wins the game. If tie after three rounds, there are additional tiebreakers until a winner is decided.

As a friendly reminder, the Bananas have shared a well-made video explaining all of the important Banana Ball rules on their YouTube channel.

What else to know

PLAYERS

One player certain to draw attention is Noah Niznik, a St. Louis native and right-handed pitcher. Niznik formerly played baseball for Vianney High School and Southeast Missouri State University.

Dakota “Stilts” Albritton, a utility player, will be hard to miss for his unique style of play while wearing stilts.

Jackson Olson, a versatile infielder, is one of the team’s largest social media influencers.

Bill LeRoy, a catcher, and Kyle Luigs, a pitcher, are co-captains and two of the team’s longest-tenure players, both part of the Bananas’ 2021 CPL Championship squad.

For the complete Savannah Bananas roster, click here.

PREGAME PARTIES

The Cardinals Nation complex within Ballpark Village will host pre-game parties ahead of both Banana Ball matchups. Fans can purchase a ticket to attend a Savannah Bananas pep-rally style celebration on Friday and Saturday with food, drinks and live music. The party runs from 2-4:30 p.m. CT both nights. Pregame party tickets will be required for both events, and those tickets do not allow access to the games.

GATES OPEN

Busch Stadium’s gates open for ticketed fans for both games at 4:30 p.m. CT. The Bananas and Party Animals might partake on-field pregame activities and warmups leading up to first pitch.

BAG POLICY

Bag policies and prohibited items will be the same as those enforced at any regular St. Louis Cardinals home game. For more information, click here.

PARKING/TRANSPORTATION

Be prepared for a bit of a walk to Busch Stadium. Ballpark Village lot is a popular option, though parking will likely be hard to come by.

Some other nearby parking options include the Starr parking lot under Interstate 64 along 7th Street, garages near Kiener Plaza and Union Station. Check out Parkopedia.com for a closer look at options. Most spots will cost at least tens of dollars.

Rideshares can drop off and pick up on the east side of the stadium on Broadway near Spruce Street or on the west side of the stadium on Spruce Street near the Westin Hotel.

Additionally, there will be several MetroLink stations and more than a dozen MetroBus routes serving downtown St. Louis. For a closer look at the St. Louis MetroLink Schedule, click here.