Savannah Bananas take over Rio Rancho Dunkin'

The Savannah Bananas, known as the “Greatest Show in Sports,” brought the Banana Ball World Tour to New Mexico this weekend.

The Bananas played at a sold-out Isotopes Park Saturday and Sunday but before that, the popular baseball team took over the Dunkin’ restaurant at 1197 Rio Rancho Drive with a special surprise for guests ahead of the team’s matchup with the Party Animals Saturday night.

Rio Rancho's Dunkin’ hosted Savannah Bananas K-Club members Maceo and Princess Potassia, the Queen of Bananaland. K-Club Members went behind the counter to serve orders and treat guests to giveaways from the Dunkin’ prize wheel and also surprised five lucky guests with pairs of tickets to the game on Sunday.

The national phenomenon drew a big crowd in Rio Rancho Saturday with hundreds showing up to Dunkin’ to kick off the Bananas’ weekend party in New Mexico.

"This is awesome," Rio Rancho resident Dylan Romero said. "I didn't think so many people even knew about the Bananas."

The Savannah Bananas have been featured on ESPN, Wall Street Journal, CNN and Sports Illustrated and are made popular by their in-game entertainment and social media presence. The team has been known as TikTok’s favorite team with more than 8 million followers.

The Bananas have been featured across the globe for everything from playing a game in kilts, using a Dancing First Base Coach, the first ever baseball player to wear stilts, players backflipping while catching fly balls and more.

The Bananas play their own version of baseball called Banana Ball, a fast-paced, action-packed style of baseball with rules that include no bunting, a two-hour time limit, fans catching foul balls for outs, batters stealing first base and a one-on-one tiebreaker showdown at the end of the game if the game is tied.