The Savannah Bananas' opening performance at the 2026 ESPY Awards on July 15, 2026, has been met with significant backlash online, with many social media users describing it as one of the worst performances ever broadcast on ESPN.
The three-minute dance routine, featuring members of the baseball exhibition team, took place at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in New York City.
Despite the event being an annual awards show, many observers, including those within the sports media industry, expressed surprise that the ESPYs were still being held and noted a lack of prior promotion for the event. The performance quickly became a trending topic on social media, with reactions largely negative.
The criticism directed at the performance is part of a broader commentary on the perceived decline of the ESPYs' cultural relevance and ESPN's current programming choices, which some critics argue have become increasingly driven by specific narratives rather than traditional sports coverage.