ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex will host Banana Ball starting in 2026, marking a new chapter for the nearly three-decade-old sports venue. The complex originally opened in March 1997 and quickly became a major destination for both amateur and professional athletics. Baseball helped launch the venue into prominence with over 10,000 fans attending the opening exhibition game between the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds. The facility later served as spring training home to the Atlanta Braves from 1998 through 2019, hosting numerous baseball legends during that period. Today it features multiple venues including AdventHealth Arena, State Farm Field House, various baseball diamonds, track and field facilities, soccer fields, and competition spaces for numerous sports. The complex attracts nearly 300,000 athletes and 800,000 spectators annually for over 50 different sporting events. Beyond baseball the venue famously hosted the NBA Bubble during the league’s 2020 return-to-play season including the NBA Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat. Banana Ball will feature teams called Party Animals and Loco Beach Coconuts playing inside The Stadium at ESPN Wide World of Sports with a focus on fast-paced entertainment blending competition with Disney-inspired fun.
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