Savannah Bananas Make Historic Debut at Raymond James Stadium

TAMPA, Fla. — This weekend, the Savannah Bananas are set to make sports history as they host their first game ever in a football stadium, taking over Raymond James Stadium on Saturday night. The team’s transition from their usual baseball field comes after hurricane damage forced them to find a new venue.

Originally scheduled to play at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, the Bananas opted for Raymond James after severe weather tore off portions of the Tropicana’s roof. An anticipated crowd of over 65,000 fans is expected to fill the stadium to capacity, showcasing the Bananas’ unique blend of baseball and entertainment that has taken the nation by storm.

“Tomorrow’s our Super Bowl,” Bananas owner Jesse Cole said. “Fans have given us a reason to do this. The fan support has been unbelievable. I’m just so proud and so happy for the players to experience something like this. You hope to play Major League Baseball. You have that goal and you have that dream. But you can never picture this.”

Among the players is Sean Fluke, a Port Richey native who just five years ago was working to install elevators at Raymond James Stadium. Now, he’s taking the mound as the starting pitcher for the Party Animals, the Bananas’ arch-rival.

“From the stainless steel to the panels to the ceiling, all the stuff you see on the inside. We actually came and remodeled all the elevators here,” Fluke explained. “Now here we are playing. So it’s a pretty cool full-circle moment for me.”

Fluke shared that his phone has been buzzing with messages from friends and family eager to attend. “A bunch of friends and family are coming. About two, three hundred probably. So it’s going to be a good homecoming for me,” he said with a smile.

St. Pete native Chase Achuff, who has attended numerous events at Raymond James Stadium, expressed his excitement. “I feel like I’m gonna be like Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans coming out of that tunnel, ready to go. Ready to play two halves of football,” he joked. “I feel like I’m going to get that feeling that I really haven’t gotten at a baseball field before.”

Fans can look forward to various pre-game activities, including merchandise stands opening at 10 a.m. Gates will open at 4:30 p.m., with the first pitch scheduled for 7 p.m.