The Cosmic Takeover Tour is a traveling blacklight baseball exhibition organized by the Tri-City Chili Peppers, a collegiate summer baseball team based in Colonial Heights, Virginia. The demand to create the Cosmic Takeover Tour was spurred by a waitlist of more than 50,000 fans wanting to be part of sports history over a 2-month span, following media coverage from CNN, FOX News, ABC, The Today Show, ESPN, MLB Network, and TBS Television Japan. The 2025 tour completely sold out across all cities.
What Is the Cosmic Takeover Tour?
The Cosmic Takeover Tour is a stadium-sized blacklight baseball experience that visits Minor League Baseball parks across the United States. Cosmic Baseball features UV-reflective neon balls and fluorescent jerseys played before fans. The first half of the game resembles a regular baseball matchup. After a brief intermission, there is a cosmic transformation for a completely new nocturnal game under blacklights. For context, see our previous guide on Corey Holcomb Tour 2026: Dates, Cities, Ticket Prices, and The 5150 Industry Repo Show.
Cosmic Baseball is essentially regular baseball played under blacklights that make the team’s specially designed UV-reactive uniforms, balls, bats, and bases glow in the dark. It is believed to be the first organized sporting event in history to be played entirely under blacklights.
Who Created the Cosmic Takeover Tour?
Chris Martin, owner of the Tri-City Chili Peppers, created Cosmic Baseball in 2024. Martin got the idea last season while watching fans enjoy glow sticks during an “80s neon and glow” promotional game. He thought “man, this would be really neat if the lights were off.” Since turning off stadium lights made playing impossible, he pursued an alternative: blacklights.
Martin brought the idea to Sonaray, a lighting company, before the start of the 2023 season. Sonaray initially told him no black light in the world was strong enough to illuminate a stadium field. After 6 months of R&D, the company called Martin back to confirm they had cracked the code.
The journey from idea to viral success took more than a year and cost over $100,000. Martin and J.W. Electric built an installation of 18 500-watt blacklights at Shepherd Stadium in Colonial Heights. UV-reactive uniforms were supplied by 3N2 Sports, and equipment was sourced from Tucci and Wilson Sports Goods.
Who Are the 2 Teams on the Cosmic Takeover Tour?
About 80% to 85% of the players making up the 2 teams – the Cosmic Chili Peppers and the Glow Mojis – are former professionals who competed in either the minor leagues or abroad, and wanted to be part of something breaking new ground.
Returning stars on the 2025 tour include Marcus VanAlstine and Zion Taylor, joined by rising talents Chase Swift and Logan Sutton, alongside viral stars Max Fries and Cory Cubano.
What Happens at a Cosmic Takeover Tour Game?
Fans who attend a Cosmic Baseball game are given glow sticks, bracelets, neon face paint, and light-up noisemakers to maintain consistency in the experience throughout the stadium.
A Cosmic Takeover Tour game includes 4 distinct elements:
- Regular baseball – The first portion of the game plays under standard lighting conditions
- Cosmic transformation – Blacklights replace stadium lights after a brief intermission
- UV-reactive gameplay – Players compete with glowing balls, bats, bases, and uniforms
- Fan participation – Audience members wear glow sticks and neon accessories throughout the event
In 2025, fans could expect 6 total Cosmic uniform sets – 2 returning fan-favorites and 4 new designs, including brand-new uniforms for the Glow Mojis team. 3N2 supplied fully sublimated jerseys, Pro Clutch tapered pants, hoodies, pullovers, helmets, and backpacks featuring proprietary UV-reactive fabrics.
Can Players Actually See the Ball Under Blacklights?
From testing with players, many said it seems easier to see and perform baseball tasks under blacklights because the ball is glowing and everything else behind it is black. Some players said it is easier to see than in regular white light.
What Were the 2025 Cosmic Takeover Tour Cities?
The 2025 Cosmic Takeover Tour was a stadium-sized blacklight baseball experience that visited 7 cities across the United States. The 2025 tour cities included:
|
City |
Venue |
|---|---|
|
Durham, NC |
Durham Bulls Athletic Park |
|
Nashville, TN |
First Horizon Park |
|
Sugar Land, TX |
Constellation Field |
|
Indianapolis, IN |
Victory Field |
|
Worcester, MA |
Polar Park |
|
Toledo, OH |
Fifth Third Field |
|
Lehigh Valley, PA |
Coca-Cola Park |
The 2025 Cosmic Takeover Tour completely sold out at every stop.
What Are the 2026 Cosmic Takeover Tour Dates and Cities?
After the completely sold out 2025 tour, the Cosmic Takeover Tour expanded its 2026 schedule to include more cities and multiple game nights at each stop.
The confirmed 2026 Cosmic Takeover Tour cities include:
- Nashville, TN – May 22 and 23, 2026 at First Horizon Park
- Buffalo, NY – July 3 and 4, 2026 at Sahlen Field
- Columbus, OH – July 23, 24, and 25, 2026 at Huntington Park
- Des Moines, IA – July 17 and 18, 2026 at Principal Park
- Indianapolis, IN – September 18 and 19, 2026 at Victory Field
- Durham, NC – 3 dates confirmed at Durham Bulls Athletic Park
- Akron, OH – Confirmed at 7 17 Credit Union Park
- Oklahoma City, OK – Confirmed at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark
- Mesa, AZ – Confirmed at Sloan Park
- St. Paul, MN – Confirmed at CHS Field
The Buffalo game on July 3, 2026, sold out within 24 hours of being announced, prompting organizers to add a second date on July 4.
How Do You Get Cosmic Takeover Tour Tickets?
Cosmic Takeover Tour tickets are available exclusively through the Cosmic Lottery at chilipeppersbaseball.com. The only way to get tickets is to enter the Cosmic Lottery. Organizers expect tickets to sell out within 24 hours of lottery selection, so fans should register immediately when a new city is announced.
The Indianapolis September 19 date sold out within hours of lottery selection, prompting the addition of a second date on September 18.
The Cosmic Lottery operates in 3 steps:
- Register – Submit your name and city preference at chilipeppersbaseball.com
- Wait for selection – Randomly selected registrants receive purchase access via email
- Purchase tickets – Selected fans complete their ticket purchase within the deadline window
Group ticket options are available at most tour stops. Fans can select the group tickets option during the lottery registration to be connected with a Cosmic Baseball representative to arrange group bookings.
The Cosmic Takeover Tour is the fastest-growing live sports experience in the United States. Major League Baseball has been backing the initiative, supporting the exhibition games that could someday be played in a host of minor and even major league parks. Chris Martin describes the experience as built for families: “Everybody walks up to us at the end of the day and says, ‘This is built for families.'” Fans seeking 2026 tour stops can register for the Cosmic Lottery and track new city announcements at chilipeppersbaseball.com.
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