Banana Bowl 2026: Savannah Bananas DJ Predicts Something Fans Have Never Seen Before

Mark “Shark” Ediss has been part of the Savannah Bananas show since Day 1. His prediction for the first Banana Bowl: expect something fans have never seen before. By R. Kenner French | Savannah Bananas on SI

R. Kenner French interviewing with Mark "Shark" Ediss | R. Kenner French

The first Banana Bowl is going to Washington, D.C.

Nationals Park. October 10. Banana Ball championship for 2026. That part we know.

What exactly Banana Ball plans to do once it gets there is another matter entirely.

Longtime Banana Ball employee Mark “Shark” Ediss isn't claiming inside knowledge.

He actually went out of his way to tell me he doesn't have it.

But he has something arguably more useful: a decade of experience watching Jesse Cole and company repeatedly decide that whatever sounded ridiculous yesterday should become tomorrow's show.

His prediction for the Banana Bowl?

“Look forward to seeing something you've never seen before.”

Shark often finds out late too

That's one of the funny things about his role. He is a DJ and PA announcer.

Fans may assume somebody as central to the live show knows every surprise months in advance.

Not necessarily.

Shark often only learns what he needs to learn when he actually needs the information to execute his part.

Kristen Bell's Denver appearance was an example. He says much of the cast didn't know until rehearsal—not long before the show.

So when he says he doesn't know who might appear or exactly what Banana Ball has planned for Washington, I believe him.

He also doesn't sound worried.

“Jesse's mind never shuts off,” Ediss said.

Bigger stadium, same show

I asked whether performing the Banana Bowl inside a major venue changes anything for him.

His answer surprised me a little.

Not really.

“The stadium venue is the only thing that changes.”

Whether it's 5,000 people or 50,000, Shark's fundamental job remains the same.

Create the experience.

Read the crowd.

Get people singing.

Hit the cues.

Don't suddenly abandon everything that made Banana Ball successful because the building got bigger.

There will simply be a lot more people watching.

Everyone is coming

Ediss also said all six teams' casts and players are expected to be part of the Banana Bowl experience regardless of which teams ultimately play for the championship.

That alone tells you this isn't being treated as a conventional title game where the eliminated teams disappear and everybody else watches television.

It's a Banana Ball event.

The championship matters.

So does the show.

And Shark sounds pretty confident that the two are going to collide in a major way.

“We always say you're going to see stuff on the baseball field that you've never seen before,” he said. “And this one will absolutely be the same way. And then some.”

How do you top Kristen Bell and John Cena?

That's the question Shark himself keeps asking.

Kristen Bell appears.

John Cena appears.

The organization sells out enormous buildings.

Then everybody internally has to figure out what could possibly come next.

According to Shark, that's exactly where Banana Ball gets dangerous.

They don't want to settle.

“If you settle, you're doing yourself a disservice, but you're also doing your fans a disservice.”

The inaugural Banana Bowl gives them an unusually large canvas.

First championship of the Banana Ball Championship League era.

Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.

All six teams expected to be represented.

And a group of people who appear pathologically incapable of leaving well enough alone.

I don't know what they're going to do either.

That's probably part of why October 10 should be fun.

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