Louisville, KY., February 15, 2024 — Athletx Sports Group, a leading youth baseball and softball event company, is thrilled to announce a dynamic partnership with The Savannah Bananas, the Most Entertaining Show in Sports. This collaboration marks a significant milestone as both organizations join forces to bring an innovative and experiential event to the youth baseball community.
The highlight of this partnership is the official launch of the Youth Banana Ball Tournament, a thrilling competition that aims to inspire and engage young athletes in the exhilarating world of Banana Ball. Banana Ball, a unique and dynamic version of baseball, has gained popularity for its fast-paced nature and entertaining game play. The inaugural event is exclusively designed to be “Fans First”, creating unique experiences for players, parents and fans alike.
Jesse Cole, founder of The Savannah Bananas, has successfully brought to life his vision of the greatest show in sports, through the creation of Banana Ball. “We are proud to bring the game of Banana Ball to the youth level,” said Cole. “We’ve seen countless videos of kids performing trick plays, celebrating, and having fun on the field in pure Banana Ball style. This is great for the game and I can’t wait to see what the youth teams bring to this tournament.”
By combining their expertise in entertainment and passion for the game of baseball, Athletx Sports Group and The Savannah Bananas aim to develop an affinity for Banana Ball through this official tournament in hopes of growing the next generation of Savannah Banana players. Athletx Co-Founder and CEO, Jim Haddaway, says, “We are humbled and thrilled to be partnering with the Savannah Bananas in bringing to life the first official Youth Banana Ball tournament. Partnering with the Bananas is a tremendous opportunity to incorporate a playful and fun style of play from a completely different vantage point, to players and fans across the country.”
Key Highlights of the Event:
The inaugural Youth Banana Ball Tournament will take place August 7-10, 2024 at Victory Sports Park in Cleveland, Ohio. Baseball teams from across the country are invited to participate in this crazy, zany, one-of-a-kind event.
The tournament will feature wacky entertainment-based competition including a 4-game guarantee, Banana Ball instructional camps led by Savanna Bananas players and coaches, tickets for teams and families to the Savannah Bananas vs. the Party Animals at Progressive Field and a first-time opportunity for young athletes to experience the joy of playing Banana Ball.
Athletx Sports Group and The Savannah Bananas will work collaboratively on various initiatives aimed at promoting sportsmanship, teamwork, playful on-field entertainment and community engagement. Both organizations are committed to fostering a positive and inclusive environment for youth athletes to develop their skills and passion for Banana Ball.
Fans can look forward to exclusive experiences during the Youth Banana Ball Tournament, including meet-and-greets with Savannah Bananas and Party Animals players, interactive games, access to official merchandise, on-site activities and giveaways and hours of smiles and laughter throughout the duration of the event.
About The Savannah Bananas:
The Savannah Bananas are a professional team based in Savannah, GA and play their home games at Historic Grayson Stadium. They take the show on the road on their Banana Ball World Tour. The team has been featured on ESPN, Wall Street Journal, CNN, CBS Sunday Morning, Today Show and Good Morning America and are made popular by their in-game entertainment and social media presence.
The team has been known as TikTok’s favorite team with over 8 million followers, millions more than every MLB team. The Bananas have been featured across the globe for everything from playing a game in kilts, using a Dancing First Base Coach, the first ever baseball player to wear stilts, players backflipping while catching fly balls, and a whole lot more.
The Bananas play their own version of baseball called Banana Ball, 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 the game is tied.
For more information about the Youth Banana Ball Tournament and upcoming events, please visit https://youthbananaball.com.
About Athletx Sports Group:
Athletx Sports Group is a leading sports marketing and event management company dedicated to creating memorable and impactful sports experiences. With a focus on innovation and community engagement, Athletx Sports Group collaborates with organizations to elevate the youth sports landscape. Since its foundation in 2012, Athletx Sports Group has brought together multiple brands under one banner, including Baseball Youth, Softball Youth, Game Day USA, Youth Baseball Nationals, Youth Softball Nationals, Pastime Tournaments, Mid-America Baseball, Youth World Series, Softball World Series, NET Elite Baseball, New Year's BaseballFest and SoftballFest and TravelBall Select. Collectively, the Athletx Sports Group brands represent over 600 team-based and individual player events across the nation, featuring over 15,000 teams, 194,000 players, 38,000 coaches and 371,000 spectators.
For more information about Athletx Sports Group, please visit https://athletx.com.
Media Contact:
Aaron Pridmore
Youth Tournament Coordinator
apridmore@athletx.com
502-357-2900
