HBO Max is giving us another reason to keep it our top pick for the best streaming service out there — Banana Ball.
Yes, the baseball sensation that’s sweeping the nation is coming to HBO Max. Starting with The Savannah Bananas vs. The Firefighters at Rate Field in Chicago (home of the White Sox) on Saturday, Aug. 16, at 8 p.m. ET, you’ll be able to watch Banana Ball live on TruTV and HBO Max.
For those of you who’ve heard of the Bananas, you already know this is awesome news. The one-time collegiate summer league baseball team has transformed into the Harlem Globetrotters of baseball, ditching traditional baseball for fast-paced, two-hour games featuring everything from dancing grandmas (the “Banana Nanas”) to iconic 2000s pop-punk band The All-American Rejects performing an impromptu concert during a game.
As someone lucky enough to attend a game in person, I promise you that the hype around this sports sensation is earned. My wife does not like baseball in the slightest, and she had a blast, as this live sporting event is easily as much about the entertainment as it is about the baseball, if not more.
And when I say “lucky,” I mean it. These games sell out fast, so watching on TruTV or HBO Max might be the best chance you have at seeing what all the fuss is about.
Everyone wins with Banana Ball, including ad-supported tiers
Unlike with most live sports, everyone will get access to these Savannah Bananas live broadcasts.
Back in February, HBO Max announced that its Bleacher Report Sports add-on, which gives subscribers access to live sports streaming, would become free for most users.
But there was a catch: only Standard and Premium subscribers got this free perk. If you had the Basic with Ads plan, you wouldn’t get it, including those who get HBO Max through the Disney Plus, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle With Ads Plan.
Not this time, though. All 19 Banana Ball games on truTV will be free to all HBO Max subscribers, including those on the ad-supported plan. So tune in on Aug. 16 and get ready to go Bananas.
If you don’t have HBO Max, don’t worry. As these games are on TruTV, you can also get them through most of the best live TV streaming services.
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Malcolm McMillan
Malcolm has been with Tom’s Guide since 2022, and has been covering the latest in streaming shows and movies since 2023. He’s not one to shy away from a hot take, including that “John Wick” is one of the four greatest films ever made.
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