Atlantic Records has announced an unprecedented partnership with the world-famous Savannah Bananas and Ampersand, the multimedia production company founded by Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award-winning songwriters and producers Benj Pasek & Justin Paul (The Greatest Showman, La La Land, Dear Evan Hansen). The partnership kicks off with tonight’s official release of the beloved baseball team’s first-ever original song, “Show Starts Now,” performed by Savannah Bananas’ Entertainment Player and Pitcher, Tony Award-nominated Broadway star Derek Klena (Jagged Little Pill, The Bridges of Madison County, Anastasia). Arriving at all DSPs and streaming services tonight at Midnight EST, the song is available to pre-save now HERE.

To celebrate the historic collaboration, the Savannah Bananas will perform the high-octane anthem live as the opening act of the 2026 ESPY Awards, airing live from the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in New York City at 8:00 PM EST on ABC, in the ESPN App  and in the ESPYS streaming hub.

Co-written by the powerhouse team of Pasek & Paul alongside chart-topping songwriters Cal Shapiro (Alex Warren, Cameron Whitcomb), Ashley Gorley (Carrie Underwood, HARDY), and Ben Johnson (BigXthaPlug feat. Bailey Zimmerman, Lee Brice, Weezer), “Show Starts Now” was first teased to a roaring crowd earlier this summer during a surprise live debut at the Bananas’ own Historic Grayson Stadium in Savannah, GA, which generated immediate viral buzz. Watch here and here.

"Teaming up with Pasek & Paul on the first original anthem of Banana Ball is an absolute honor,” says Jesse Cole, the founder and owner of Savannah Bananas. “I have been a big fan of them and their music since I first heard The Greatest Showman soundtrack. Now, to perform ‘Show Starts Now’ on the ESPYS stage in front of millions is a full circle moment and milestone for our organization and I couldn't be more proud."

"We have been Savannah Bananas and Derek Klena fans for years,” say Pasek & Paul. “Getting to write Banana Ball’s very first original anthem alongside a group of some of our favorite songwriters was a no-brainer. We could not be more impressed by what Jesse has built over the last decade and getting to collaborate in this way was beyond thrilling.”

“I’ve known Pasek & Paul for over a decade and have been lucky to collaborate with them numerous times, and every experience is even more impressive than the last,” shares Klena. “Their attention to detail, ability to channel the subject matter and its audience, and develop the catchiest melodies is unmatched. They are the absolute dream team and I’m so grateful to get to work with them on this.”

About Ampersand

ABOUT AMPERSAND Ampersand is a multimedia production company specializing in live entertainment, digital, film and television, founded by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (Pasek & Paul), the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony-winning songwriters of The Greatest Showman, La La Land and Dear Evan Hansen.

Ampersand creates next generation entertainment at the intersection of music-driven storytelling and pop culture. Recent highlights include the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning musical A Strange Loop, the 2026 "Read with Jenna Jr.”-selected children’s picture book Axl the Axolotyl Is Not a Frog, and the record-breaking digital-first series Celebrity Substitute, now in its hit third season on YouTube. Upcoming projects include the Warner Bros. Animation feature film Oh, the Places You’ll Go from director Jon M. Chu.

About The Savannah Bananas

With the mantra “Fans First. Entertain Always”, the Savannah Bananas are on a mission to Make Baseball Fun by creating “The Greatest Show in Sports.” Created by founder and owner Jesse Cole, the team’s one-of-a-kind brand of “Banana Ball” puts a fun twist on traditional baseball with new rules featuring a two-hour time limit, no walks, no bunting, no stepping out of the box, no mound visits and best of all, fans can catch a foul ball for an out. Known worldwide for their choreographed dances, epic scoring celebrations, flaming bats, and an array of other antics, the Savannah Bananas have sold out every game at their home field, Savannah, GA’s Historic Grayson Stadium (a.k.a. Bananaland) since their 2016 inaugural season and currently boast over 35M followers across social media, including 11.6M followers on TikTok alone, outnumbering every franchise in Major League Baseball (as well as every team in the NFL, NBA, and NHL). The team has been featured on such high-profile media outlets as ESPN, CNN, CBS News, The Guardian, HBO Real Sports, and Sports Illustrated and were the subjects of Bananaland, a five-part documentary original series on ESPN+. For more information, please visit thesavannahbananas.com.

About Banana Ball

ABOUT BANANA BALL Banana Ball is a fast-paced, action-packed sport 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 that guarantees a must see ending to every game. The Banana Ball Championship League (BBCL) currently consists of six teams: the Savannah Bananas, Party Animals, Firefighters, Texas Tailgaters, Loco Beach Coconuts and the Indianapolis Clowns.  Banana Ball has been featured on ESPN, Good Morning America, the TODAY Show, Wall Street Journal, CNN, Sports Illustrated and more. The teams are made popular by their fans first approach, in-game entertainment and wide reaching social media presence. Banana Ball is a TikTok favorite with more 16 million followers combined across the six teams. Banana Ball has been featured across the globe for its unique and exciting atmosphere, including everything from theatrical walk-ups, the first ever player to wear stilts, players backflip catches, and a whole lot more.

Connect with The Savannah Bananas:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | X | YouTube

Connect with Ampersand:

Website | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | Facebook