The clock is ticking for Lehigh Valley fans hoping to catch Banana Ball when it returns to Allentown next spring. The ticket lottery for the 2027 games at Jefferson Park closes at 11:59 p.m. ET this Saturday, October 31, and after that, entries will not be accepted.
The Lehigh Valley IronPigs announced that the Firefighters and the Indianapolis Clowns will play at Jefferson Park on May 7 and May 8, 2027, with both first pitches set for 7 p.m., according to LehighValleyLive.com. Entering the lottery list doesn't guarantee anyone a chance to buy tickets — Banana Ball's own ticket page is blunt about it: “Joining the list doesn't guarantee the opportunity to buy tickets.” Instead, organizers will hold a random drawing before the games, and fans who are selected will be contacted directly about next steps, while those not picked will be notified if tickets later become available.
How the Lottery Actually Works
Per the Banana Ball Help Center, fans who are drawn get the opportunity to purchase up to five tickets each. The lottery is currently limited to residents of the United States, Canada and Mexico, and each person may have only one valid entry per city, per the help center's lottery guidance. The official 2027 World Tour lottery opened when the Selection Show concluded on October 15.
Standard tickets start at $35, with Meet and Greet tickets starting at $125 — and organizers say there are no hidden fees or added taxes tacked on. The IronPigs have also warned that any tickets sold outside the official lottery platform are likely fraudulent, so fans hunting for a deal elsewhere should be cautious. Anyone interested in group hospitality areas can call the IronPigs ticket office at 610-841-7447 to ask about availability and pricing.
A New Name for the Ballpark
The May 2027 games will mark some of the first events held at the venue under its new name. Coca-Cola Park had carried that name since its 2008 opening, but the IronPigs announced in September 2026 that the stadium would be rebranded as Jefferson Park starting in 2027.
The Firefighters are the third team in the Banana Ball championship league, while the Indianapolis Clowns take their name from a barnstorming team that entertained crowds in ballparks nationwide for more than 50 years. Banana Ball organizers are working with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum to help preserve that original team's history, per the release cited by LehighValleyLive.com.
What Makes Banana Ball Different
Banana Ball started in 2021 as a faster-paced spin on baseball built to cut out long pauses, and it now runs on 11 special rules — including one that turns a fan catching a foul ball into an out. The league has grown to six teams playing 60 games, according to WFMZ. The spectacle already proved itself a draw in the Lehigh Valley: Banana Ball was played before sold-out crowds at what was then Coca-Cola Park last summer. With the Saturday deadline approaching fast, fans who want in on next May's games at Jefferson Park don't have much time left to get their name on the list.
