Savannah Bananas to Make Raymond James Stadium First NFL Venue on 2025 World Tour
Due to Hurricane Milton, The Bananas Have Moved their Tropicana Field Visit to the Home of the Buccaneers on March 15, 2025
TAMPA, FL (October 31, 2024) - The Savannah Bananas have announced a venue change for their 2025 Banana Ball World Tour, as Hurricane Milton effects have shifted its Tropicana Field visit (March 15-16) back across the Bay where Raymond James Stadium will host the Bananas with a one-night-only special event. The tour stop is expected to attract over 65,000 fans and will also mark the first of three National Football League (NFL) stadiums the Bananas will play during the tour. The 2025 Banana Ball World Tour also features 40 stops at 17 Major League Baseball (MLB) ballparks and a stop at Clemson’s Memorial Stadium.
The Bananas have entrenched themselves as regular visitors to our area, having hosted five sold-out Banana Ball games with over 50,000 total fans during the last two World Tours (2023, 2024) at George M. Steinbrenner Field. They hosted the Party Animals in four of those five contests and also defeated Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) in 2023. Last year’s world tour kicked off at Steinbrenner Field with Tampa Bay being the first pick of the Banana Ball World Tour Draft. In the Tampa Bay series finale earlier this year, fans were surprised by a guest player visit from WWE Superstar, John Cena.
"We could not be more excited for the Savannah Bananas to ‘Stay in the Bay'," said Rob Higgins, Executive Director at the Tampa Bay Sports Commission. “We’re thankful to our friends at the Tampa Sports Authority for their quick collaboration and to Jesse Cole and the Savannah Bananas for being such committed partners in keeping the World Tour in our region as we continue to heal from the significant effects of this hurricane season. The Bananas have such a great way of putting smiles on fans’ faces that we know the night of March 15th can play an important role in helping Tampa Bay’s continued recovery and rejuvenation.”
The Bananas hosted their annual World Tour draft in October which saw them unveil a new Banana Ball team, The Texas Tailgaters, headlining tours for their current squads, the Party Animals and Firefighters, as well as a sneak peek into the future with the announcement of the 2026 Banana Ball Championship League.
“Raymond James Stadium is proud to carry on the tradition of “Banana Ball” here in Tampa Bay.” said Eric Hart, President and CEO of the Tampa Sports Authority (TSA),” Due to damages at Tropicana Field from Hurricane Milton, the TSA and the Tampa Bay Sports Commission worked closely with the Savannah Bananas in converting Banana Ball into their first NFL stadium game, keeping the event and tourism impact in the Tampa Bay region. Their unique take on baseball will translate well into the field dimensions at Raymond James Stadium. We thank the Bananas for the opportunity to provide this unique and unforgettable baseball experience in Tampa Bay.”
Ticket purchasing opportunities are run through the Bananas lottery system and open through November 1, 2024. To learn more, or to join the lottery for the chance to purchase tickets (by Nov.1), click here.