Introduction to Banana Ball
Frisco is going bananas this weekend. Banana Ball, the traveling, entertainment-first version of baseball made social-media-famous by the Savannah Bananas, is coming to Riders Field on Friday and Saturday. Normally the home of the Frisco RoughRiders, the park will host a two-game set with each starting at 7 p.m., though fans may want to arrive early for the so-called “Greatest Pregame in Sports.”
The Teams Playing
It won’t be the Bananas on the field specifically, though that doesn’t seem to have affected demand for tickets. The game will instead be played between the Party Animals and the Texas Tailgaters, the first time the Tailgaters have played the role of the headliner in a Banana League game. “A little over a year we’ve been working with [the Tailgaters] to get them lined up and bring them here to Frisco, bring them here to North Texas for the first time,” said Scott Burchett, the general manager of the RoughRiders.
The Texas Tailgaters
The Tailgaters are, for now, the only Banana Ball team in Texas, and are wrapping up their inaugural 33-game schedule by hosting a trio of series in minor league parks around the state. They’ll play in San Antonio next weekend at the home park of the San Antonio Missions, and the following weekend in Round Rock at Dell Diamond, home of the Rangers’ Triple-A affiliate, the Round Rock Express.
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Players from the Texas Tailgaters participate in a "Red Solo Cup" game.
Courtesy Fans First Entertainment
Ticket Information
And if you’re trying to get in the building for any of those, you might be out of luck. The Bananas have been selling out games at major league ballparks and even NFL stadiums, so you can imagine how hot the tickets were for the 12,000 or so spots that Riders Field holds. According to Burchett, both games have long been completely sold out. There are still limited tickets available to RoughRiders season ticket holders, but otherwise you’ll be left to the secondary markets if you’re trying to watch Banana Ball this weekend, with ticket prices on StubHub, SeatGeek and the like starting at around $200 each.
What to Expect
So expect a packed house at Riders Field — and if you know anything about Banana Ball, you know that might serve the home team well. Banana Ball is known for its unique rules and quirky differences from traditional baseball, perhaps the most famous of which being that if a fan catches a foul ball, it’s an out. Fans in attendance are encouraged to bring their gloves — they might get a chance to come down with a game-changing snag.
The Players
The players are probably best known for their in-game and even mid-pitching-windup dance moves, but they’re certainly more than a dancing troupe out on the diamond. The rosters are composed mostly of former college baseballers, several of whom were drafted and spent multiple seasons in the minor leagues. The Tailgaters’ manager is Joe Mikulik, a longtime coach who spent seven seasons in the Texas Rangers’ minor league system and served as the manager for the RoughRiders and the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, the Rangers’ Single-A team at the time.
Surprise Activities
The Bananas also have a knack for bringing out surprise, pop-up members of the roster, though. When they played at Rate Field in Chicago, it was former White Sox battery mates AJ Pierzynski and Mark Buehrle subbing in to work an inning together. In Anaheim, former Angel Troy Glaus ripped a base knock in the banana-yellow uniform in a surprise pinch-hit appearance. Burchett said that there are some “surprise activities” planned for the weekend, but he’s keeping them surprises for now.
Other Rules and Entertainment
Other rules include ejections if a player attempts to bunt and a Home Run Derby-esque “Showdown Tiebreaker” rather than extra innings, but the fun isn’t limited to between the lines. Banana Ball aspires to cut down the “often criticized lulls and lengthy pauses” of the traditional game, according to the website, and in-game entertainment like the senior citizen dance team and the “Banana Baby” help to hold the attention of the younger crowd in attendance.
Conclusion
In short, expect bunches of banana-fueled fun in Frisco this weekend. “They’re rolling out all the stops for the Tailgaters,” Burchett said. “I got the opportunity to see these teams play in Baton Rouge at LSU a couple weeks ago and it was an absolute blast. Whole family had a wonderful time, my seven-year-old daughter, who didn’t know much about it going in, was asking if we could go to every Banana game.”
FAQs
Q: What is Banana Ball?
A: Banana Ball is a traveling, entertainment-first version of baseball made social-media-famous by the Savannah Bananas.
Q: Who are the teams playing in Frisco?
A: The Party Animals and the Texas Tailgaters will be playing in Frisco.
Q: Are tickets still available?
A: Both games have long been completely sold out, but there are still limited tickets available to RoughRiders season ticket holders.
Q: What are some of the unique rules of Banana Ball?
A: If a fan catches a foul ball, it’s an out, and players will be ejected if they attempt to bunt.
Q: What kind of entertainment can fans expect?
A: In-game entertainment like the senior citizen dance team and the “Banana Baby” will help to hold the attention of the younger crowd in attendance.
Q: Can I still get tickets?
A: You can try checking secondary markets like StubHub, SeatGeek, but be prepared for higher prices starting at around $200 each.
