Shure and the Savannah Bananas Redefine Immersive Broadcast Storytelling with New Array Microphone Technology
NILES, May 19, 2026—Shure has been named the Official Audio Provider of the Savannah Bananas, supporting the team’s fast-paced, fan-first version of baseball with a new approach to immersive broadcast audio through the DCA901 Broadcast Microphone Array. Built to capture sound across the entire field of play, DCA901 fundamentally changes how live sports broadcasts are heard, delivering greater detail, scale, and realism for fans watching from everywhere, while simplifying audio capture for production teams.
“With the Shure DCA901, we’re now able to capture audio that we’ve never been able to capture before,” said Matthew Webster, Head of Technology for the Savannah Bananas. “We’re able to hear things like bat cracks, pitcher reactions, players running down the baseline, and crowd reactions that truly bring the game to life. This gives us a much more immersive sound experience than we’ve been able to achieve before. The sound is fuller, louder, and captures much more of the action happening across the field.”
Known for their sold-out games, viral moments, and high-energy “Banana Ball” format, the Savannah Bananas have built one of the largest and most engaged fan bases in sports. With millions on the ticket waitlist and a rapidly growing global audience watching via livestreams and social platforms, delivering a broadcast that lives up to the energy of Banana Ball has become increasingly important.
“With the Savannah Bananas, the show is go, go, go all the time. There’s music playing constantly, fans cheering, and baseball happening on the field all at the same time. Not everybody can get tickets for this event, so translating that experience to the broadcast is really important,” said Nicholas Keldie, Broadcast Engineer for Savannah Bananas.
“Our goal is to deliver an experience that feels just as exciting, if not more exciting, for viewers watching our broadcast,” said Webster.
To meet the challenge, the Bananas have integrated Shure’s award-winning DCA901 broadcast array microphones into their field audio lineup. DCA901 is a digitally steerable broadcast array microphone that gives engineers precise control over areas of action, simplifying traditional multi-microphone deployments across the field. With this new technology, production teams can capture the sounds that define Banana Ball and deliver truly immersive experiences, all while keeping up with the game’s constant movement.
Shure’s DCA901 solution replaces complex multimicrophone field setups with a low-profile array deployed at each dugout. Using digitally steerable audio capture, engineers can focus on specific areas of action while minimizing unwanted noise, delivering cleaner and more immersive sound for live and recorded broadcasts. A single-cable connection carries audio, power, and control, reducing setup time and simplifying integration across different ballparks.
“The DCA901 has become such a valuable tool for our Banana games because it makes everything so much easier to mix,” said Gwen Gitto, A1 Audio Mixer for the Savannah Bananas. “I used to sit here with the nats (natural sounds) and be really picky about which ones I’d use and which ones I wouldn’t. But with the DCA901, I use everything now, and I really employ it everywhere. At first and third base, I’m getting every single sound I want, that’s something I’ve never been able to do before with other microphones."
In addition to DCA901, the Savannah Bananas are also deploying Shure Axient Digital Wireless Systems, including Axient Digital PSM and the ANX4 Scalable Wireless Receiver.
“The advantages with Axient Digital PSM are the ability to keep the broadcast organized. Before, I had multiple receivers bringing in multiple IFB packs on them. Now it’s all coming through Axient Digital PSM with two split channels. I have all my packs, I can label them by players or reporters, I can see their batteries, their connections, and it’s just much easier to maintain,” said Clayton Franklin, A2 Audio Operator for Savannah Bananas.
Shure plays a critical role in how we build the audio side of our broadcast,” said Webster. “The Axient Digital wireless system is used throughout every show, allowing us to capture clean audio from interviews, player interactions, and fan moments. With the new ANX4, we have a lot more capacity and a smaller footprint.”
As broadcast productions increasingly compete with the in-venue experience, high-quality, authentic audio has become essential. Shure’s collaboration with the Savannah Bananas reflects a broader shift in sports media toward more immersive storytelling, ensuring fans hear the game as vividly as they see it—no matter where they’re watching.
“At Shure, our focus is helping audiences feel closer to the moments that matter,” said Bill Oakley, Associate Director of Global Product Management at Shure. “The Savannah Bananas are redefining what a baseball broadcast can be, and we’re proud to support the crews who make that experience possible.”
A graduate of DeVry Institute of Technology, Doug has been in the Technology industry since 1976 and actively oversees Fearing’s daily operations. Along with his wife, Lois, and three others, Doug started Fearing’s in a 600 square-foot facility in Portage, Wisconsin. In the 25 years since, the company has grown to over 30 employees with offices in Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Doug likes to say he’s a “TV Technician with a dream� going back to his history with the family’s original business-Fearing’s TV and Appliance.
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