Chicago is gearing up for a baseball event unlike any other as the Savannah Bananas bring their wildly popular “Banana Ball” to the city for the first time. The team will play at Guaranteed Rate Field on Friday, August 15, and Saturday, August 16, 2025, with both games starting at 7 p.m.

The arrival of the Bananas has sparked a ticket frenzy. More than 182,000 fans entered the lottery for a chance to attend, but only 81,230 seats were available for the two-night run. All tickets were claimed in less than four hours. Originally priced between $40 and $60, resale listings now range from $221 to nearly $4,800.

Banana Ball is a fast-paced, fan-first take on baseball, designed to keep the action moving and the crowd engaged. Games are capped at two hours, and every inning counts as a separate contest, with the team winning the most innings declared the overall winner. Fan involvement is built into the rules—if a spectator catches a foul ball, it counts as an out.

Other rule twists include banning bunting, requiring batters to stay in the box, allowing players to “steal first” on wild pitches, and replacing traditional walks with sprints as fielders race to tag the batter. If the game reaches extra innings, teams settle it with a one-on-one showdown between a pitcher, hitter, and a single fielder.

The Bananas are known for blending baseball with entertainment, incorporating choreographed dances, comedic skits, and theatrical entrances alongside competitive play. The result is part sports, part variety show, and part party atmosphere—a formula that has drawn sellout crowds across their U.S. tour.

Chicago’s debut will add to the growing national excitement around the Bananas, whose popularity has skyrocketed thanks to viral social media clips and appearances in major league stadiums. For those who missed out on tickets, the secondary market remains the only option, albeit at steep prices.