INDIANAPOLIS — We aren't clowning around.
The Savannah Bananas, known for their wild antics and unique brand of baseball, announced the inaugural season of the Banana Ball Championship League (BBCL) on Thursday.
Jesse Cole, creator of Banana Ball, said in the 2026 season, the Bananas will be joined by five teams, and games will be played in 75 stadiums across 45 states.
Two new teams will be joining the league — the Loco Beach Coconuts and the Indianapolis Clowns.
"This is the most ambitious tour and schedule we’ve ever embarked on. Our goal was always to take Banana Ball to as many fans as possible. This year, we intentionally chose cities so fans from every part of the country could drive to a Banana Ball game,” said Cole in a press release.
Cole said the Indianapolis Clowns will pay homage to the barnstorming barrier-breaking Negro League team of the same name.
The Indianapolis Clowns were pioneers when it came to baseball and entertainment. They were the greatest barnstorming baseball team for over 50 years and one of the first barnstorming teams to travel the country playing in ballparks of all sizes. They paved the way by… pic.twitter.com/f31fxeGBbH
— Banana Ball (@BananaBall_) October 9, 2025
According to the team's bio, the Indianapolis Clowns were pioneers in terms of baseball and entertainment, and were one of the first barnstorming teams to travel the country. Players like Hank Aaron, Satchel Paige, Goose Tatum, Toni Stone, Mamie Peanut Johnson and Connie Morgan all played for the Indianapolis Clowns, and were considered some of the greatest showmen and show-women to grace the sport.
The Clowns skipper will be Errick Fox, who Savannah Banana fans have come to know as the Banana's assistant coach. Fox will be joined by World Series champion Ryan Howard, who has been named the Clowns Primetime coach.
The Indianapolis Clowns will play their first home games at Victory Field on May 15 and 16. The team will open the season on February 27 in Tallahassee, Florida.
If fans want to score some tickets, they must enter the ticket lottery. The ticket lottery will be open until October 31.
You can view the full 2026 Banana Ball Championship League schedule below.
