By India McCarty
Disney+ just announced they will be the exclusive home of this year’s “Banana Bowl,” in partnership with baseball team the Savannah Bananas.
“The Banana Bowl will stream live on Disney+ and feature the top teams in the Banana Ball league facing off for the season championship,” a press release from Disney stated, adding that the event will stream in October.
The press release continues, “Known for blending athleticism with entertainment, the game will include one of the biggest performances the league has ever seen, bringing together all six teams, along with its signature on-field showmanship from first pitch to final out.”
Disney and the Bananas have taken part in a series of exciting collaborations, from a “Savannah Bananas Day” at Disneyland earlier this year to player Jackson Olson’s upcoming stint on DANCING WITH THE STARS.
“When I was a kid, I never thought any of this was possible,” Olson said during an appearance on GOOD MORNING AMERICA. “I was a shy kid, never danced, never put myself out there, never entertained, and…now I’ve kind of manifested this whole thing.”
The Savannah Bananas were founded in 2018 by husband and wife Jesse and Emily Cole. The team mixes baseball with other forms of entertainment, such as choreographed dances, karaoke and one player even playing in stilts.
“Since day one, we said we’d make baseball fun,” Jesse told PEOPLE. “That’s all we try to do.”
Emily added, “We have little kids [a son, 4 and two daughters, 4 and 2] and look at things through their eyes and their attention spans and we believe it’s the right thing to do. There are plenty of baseball teams to choose from. We are providing a different experience for the people who don’t want to sit through a three-hour baseball game with no music or dancing.”
The Coles have used their success to help others; in 2023, they launched nonprofit Bananas Foster, dedicated to celebrating and raising awareness for the foster community.
“We have a four-year-old bio son and two daughters in foster care,” Emily shared. “I love talking about foster care, but it’s kind of this taboo thing in society where people don’t talk about it. Our goal with Bananas Foster is to show people we’re just normal people who are foster parents and you can do it too.”
Jesse said, “I look at our players and look at what we built, at the joy. And then kids, grandparents, people of all ages come up to thank me and every night those moments happen and I think, ‘Wow, it’s so much bigger than baseball.’ And we’re just getting started.”
The Banana Bowl on Disney+ is certain to be a fun family event.
Read Next: 9 Ways the Savannah Bananas Minister to Their Community
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