Pickled Bananas
Pickled Bananas
Reimagined American pastimes took center stage this summer. They grew in popularity, and are likely here to stay
Summer trends come and go. However, this year, two relatively new sports with somewhat funny names have captured America’s attention. They’re likely here to stay.
WASHINGTON—British pop star Charli XCX may have said, "goodbye forever brat summer," last week in a post on X, following the worldwide cult-like obsession she ushered in with neon green and blurred fonts following the release of her album, brat, in June. She even went so far as to declare, “kamala IS brat,” also on X, throwing her apparent support behind Vice President Harris and her bid for the U.S. presidency this year.
"Brat summer," for those of you who may not have been following — don’t worry if you didn’t; GenZ dominated it — was a social media trend that encouraged embracing imperfections, taking risks, and being bold. However, there was never a clear and perfect definition. It was more of a feeling associated with being carefree and rebellious. It was usually depicted in videos of younger people dancing to “Apple,” a chart-topping track from the album. Yet, the likes of former Labor Secretary Robert Reich and television host Stephen Colbert got in on the act, too.
Most summer trends, such as fashion styles, memes, viral challenges, or even food crazes, are only popular for the few short months of June, July and August before losing their appeal and fading into memory in the fall. However, a handful of these trends can actually stick around and gain steam, signaling broader social or cultural shifts.
As the trend of brat summer begins to unwind, two unlikely and very different sports trends — pickleball and banana ball — will likely stick around and cement their place in the zeitgeist. They’ll likely continue to grow and be around for years to come, firmly entrenching themselves in the culture.
Evolving Existing Sports
Neither pickleball nor banana ball is entirely new; they’ve been around for a few years and borrow from existing sports that have been around for a very long time. But what makes these sports different is their ability to draw people together, creating community on the court and in the stands.
For those not already playing (or know a loved one who is), pickleball is a paddle sport invented in 1965 by Joel Pritchard and Bill Bell that combines elements of tennis, ping pong, and badminton, a sport played for at least 2,000 years. It's played on a badminton-sized court with a net, using paddles and a perforated plastic ball. It can be played indoors or out, and, as I learned on a recent walk through Rose Park in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C., existing basketball and tennis courts can also be used for the game.
My father joined the pickleball movement this summer, much to my surprise. He plays at least five days a week all over Pittsburgh on the city’s newly constructed public courts. He shares his obsession with millions of Americans of all ages and skill levels.
“I love the people,” he told me. “Unlike most games, it’s really fast — each game only takes 12 minutes — so you’re playing with different people all the time. There’s also no shaming. I don’t know if I like the game or the social contact more.”
A growing body of evidence finds that racquet sports, like pickleball, help extend life expectancy even more than other forms of physical activity. As my father asserted, “Pickleball extends your life more than any game.” There might be something to that because it can be played at any level, helps with balance and strength, is strategic, makes you think, and encourages social engagement.
And for those who haven’t seen a banana ball game, an altogether different sport, it is a reimagined version of baseball, the American sports pastime since the Civil War era. Launched in Savannah, Georgia, in 2018 by Jesse Cole and his wife, Emily, the Savannah Bananas modified the traditional rules of baseball to keep it shorter, fast-paced and “fan first.”
Cole’s team employed a test-and-learn approach to getting everything right, from the game's rules to the social media strategy. “Innovation starts when you start questioning the way things have always been done,” he said. “I'm never thinking about what things should be. I'm thinking about what they could be.”
The conventional nine innings still exist, but gameplay is capped at two hours. Spectators can even be involved, so if one catches a foul ball, the player who hit it is called “out.” Cole’s team has also worked to make the game affordable for attendees, ensuring more people from different socio-economic backgrounds can attend. A regular ticket for a banana ball game costs $35, taxes included, while a ticket for a Major League Baseball game costs, on average, $53 before taxes and fees. The Savannah Bananas even built their own online ticketing platform to trim costs for the fans.
It’s also wildly entertaining and encourages social interaction for people of all ages, creating a community of sorts at each game. The Savannah Bananas players dance for mid-game entertainment, focusing on ensuring the audience has a great time at all times. Having attended their sold-out game at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., earlier this year, I can attest that it’s a rip-roaring experience that encourages interaction between the players and the fans. It is far more entertaining than traditional baseball.
“I love everything about attending these games, from the game itself to the fan engagement and community,” according to Pepper Przepiora, a Savannah native who traveled to Washington, D.C., for the game. “I’d seen the Bananas play at Grayson Stadium (in Savannah), which is one of the oldest and smallest in baseball. However, I couldn't pass up seeing them in a sold-out 42,000-seat ballpark when a waiting list ticket came available.”
Trajectory for Long-Term Growth
So, will these two sports be around for a long time? A mix of signs and signals, including player and spectator excitement, public and private investment, and market growth, point to their longevity. Their ascension into popular culture suggests a desire for people to come together again, a rebuff to the digital world and the isolating pandemic years, and an embrace of the in-person experience and the third space.
Pickleball grew in 2023 to 13.6 million players in the United States, according to the 2024 Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) Topline Participation Report. In the report, the SFIA also announced that pickleball continues to be the fastest-growing sport in America, having grown 51.8% from 2022 to 2023 and an incredible 223.5% in four years since 2020.
Every U.S. state and all Canadian provinces now have pickleball courts, and they can be found in diverse locations, like retirement communities, local parks and recreation centers, and schools, highlighting the sport’s intergenerational appeal. There are for-profit indoor courts, which allow enthusiasts to play year-round. According to USA Pickleball, the national governing body for the sport, the known places to play totaled 11,864 in the U.S. at the end of 2023, an increase of 1,140 locations from the previous year. There’s even Major League Pickleball, backed by the likes of Kevin Durant, Heidi Klum, Eva Longoria, Michael Phelps and Tom Ricketts.
The Savannah Bananas has witnessed exceptional growth, too. In its first year, the owner and his wife sold their house, emptied their savings, and slept on an air mattress to make ends meet. But this year, according to Kara Heater, the team’s marketing director, all games have sold out, and the team is currently on its 378th straight sellout — a statistic any team would envy. They’ve found success in creating a community of fans.
“This year, we'll play 95 games in front of one million fans. With only eight games left (this season), we're closing out strong!” she shared. We played 84 games last year in front of just over 500,000 fans, so we've doubled our impact this year in terms of fans attending games!”
And if you need more evidence of its massive popularity, Heater told me that the Savannah Bananas have more followers on TikTok than any team in the NBA, NFL, NHL, or MLB.