MLB parks, a third team — and a cruise! What's coming for the 2024 Savannah Bananas World Tour

The Savannah Bananas 2024 schedule is out now — along with other big changes.

Banana Ball is headed to six Major League Baseball ballparks — including in Houston, Boston, Washington D.C., Cleveland, Philadelphia and Miami — and, perhaps most noteworthy, the Bananas will be headed to sea.

Additionally, capacity at Grayson Stadium, the home field of the Bananas, will be increased by 1,000 seats.

To see the full schedule, with cities and dates, go to TheSavannahBananas.com

Combining all games and experiences, the Bananas are expected to play in front of 1 million people next season, according to team owner Jesse Cole.

Mark your calendar! Here's when the Savannah Bananas play at home in 2024

Savannah Bananas 2024 World Tour schedule

Tampa Bay, FL - February 8-10, 2024

Peoria, AZ - February 15-17, 2024

Savannah, Ga. - February 23-25, 2024

Jacksonville, FL - March 1-3, 2024

Houston, TX - March 9, 2024

Baton Rouge, LA - March 14-16, 2024

Gwinnett County, GA - March 22-24, 2024

Savannah, Ga. - March 28-29, 2024

Savannah, Ga. - April 4-6, 2024

Durham, NC- April 12-14, 2024

Albuquerque, NM - April 20-21, 2024

Mesa, AZ - April 25-27, 2024

Fresno, CA - May 3-5, 2024

Sacramento, CA - May 9-11, 2024

Oklahoma City, OK - May 16-18, 2024

Columbus, OH - May 24-26, 2024

Savannah, Ga. - May 30-31, 2024

Savannah, Ga. - June 1, 2024

Boston, MA - June 8, 2024

Nashville, TN - June 13-15, 2024

Indianapolis, IN - June 27-29, 2024

Buffalo, NY - July 5-7, 2024

Washington, D.C - July 13, 2024

Savannah, Ga. - July 18-20, 2024

Louisville, KY - August 1-3, 2024

Cleveland, OH - August 10, 2024

Norfolk, VA - August 16-18, 2024

Savannah, Ga. - August 22-24, 2024

Salt Lake City, UT - August 30-31, 2024

Des Moines, IA - September 6-8, 2024

Savannah, Ga. - September 13-15, 2024

Philadelphia, PA - September 21, 2024

Savannah, Ga. - September 26-28, 2024

Miami, FL - October 12, 2024

Bananaland at Sea - Oct. 14-18

When is the Savannah Bananas Cruise?

The Savannah Bananas are partnering with Norwegian Cruise Line to offer a Caribbean cruise dubbed "Bananaland at Sea" as the season finale.

The cast and crew will be on board, offering entertainment and more.

The Bananas will play at the Miami Marlins ballpark before setting sail to the Bahamas from Oct. 14-18, 2024.

When are the Bananas playing in Savannah, Ga.?

The Savannah Bananas will play at Grayson Stadium on the following dates:

• February 23-25, 2024

• March 28-29, 2024

• April 4-6, 2024

• May 30-31, 2024

• June 1, 2024

• July 18-20, 2024

• August 22-24, 2024

• September 13-15, 2024

• September 26-28, 2024

Who are The Firefighters?

As part of Thursday's announcement, a third team, in addition to the Bananas and the Party Animals, was introduced. The Firefighters will play 19 games, including against the Bananas at the Washington Nationals stadium.

How to get tickets for the Savannah Bananas 2024 games, cruise

The Bananas ticket lottery opened up on the team's website after the schedule was announced. The lottery list will close on Dec. 1, and those who do not sign up will not be eligible.

The lottery doesn't guarantee an opportunity to buy tickets, the website notes. A random drawing two months prior to the event will notify those who are selected and will have the option to purchase tickets.

Tickets start at $35.

What is 'Banana Ball'?

‘Banana ball’ is baseball but with nine rule changes, all aimed at speeding up play. The game is scored unconventionally, with teams tallying points for innings won rather than runs scored. There is also a two-hour time limit - no inning can start after the 1 hour, 50 minute mark.

Other “banana ball” rules include prohibiting mound visits, bunting and stepping out of the batter’s box between pitches. A fan favorite involves ruling a batter out if a ball he fouls off into the stands is caught by a spectator.

Aside from the rules, “banana ball” features a litany of hijinks, from dancing base coaches and umpires to pitchers on stilts to hitters wielding flaming bats.

Team owner Jesse Cole introduced “banana ball” in 2018 with secret test games against college teams Lander and Wofford in Greenwood, South Carolina, a three-hour drive from Savannah. The debut game finished in 99 minutes.

The first public trial came the next year in Savannah. Cole took the game on the road for the first time in 2021, playing a series in Mobile, Alabama. In 2022, the Bananas played “banana ball” games in nine cities, including Savannah. Then in 2023, the Bananas moved to full-time "banana ball," dropping the collegiate summer league team.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah Bananas 2024 schedule, MLB locations, Bananaland cruise info