“Last year, when the Savannah Bananas played here, a Houston Astros season ticket holder told me – ‘This was the stupidest, silliest, dumbest version of baseball we ever saw, but it was an INSANE amount of fun!”
Those were the words of a concession attendant at the Savannah Bananas game in Houston on Friday evening, September 26.
He shared how some fans responded to the Bananas after they had seen their first Bananaball (what the Bananas call their brand of baseball) in 2024.
Your bucket list concert may feature Taylor Swift or Garth Brooks. For Rebecca, it’s Barry Manilow. Or even 50 Cent – who, surprisingly, performed in a Bananas dance routine before he threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
This past Friday evening, she treated me (my birthday gift!) to see the Savannah Bananas at Daikin Park in Houston – my bucket list event!
If you’re not familiar with this phenomenon, here are a few fast facts: 1. ESPN calls the Savannah Bananas “The Greatest Show in Sports”
2. The Bananas focus on entertainment – they just use baseball as their vehicle
3. The game lasts two hours instead of the traditional three hours of an MLB baseball game 4. There is constant entertainment – from trick plays to dance routines on the field
5. The team hired a full-time choreographer in 2018, so he has taught the non-dancer Bananas how to boogie, do-si-do, line dance, and more
6. The players and team owner Jesse Cole are relentless in their willingness to sign autographs – for FREE, unlike most pro athletes
7. They involve fans in their clever hijinks, bringing people onto the field to participate in fun skits such as:
a. Which parent do you love more? A young child answers which parent is more fun, buys them more gifts, and gives the best hugs – the losing parent gets a pie in the face from the child!
b. Kissing contest: 3 married couples are charged with giving the best kiss, and in our game, the couple married 48 years won by making out like teenagers
8. The Bananas rotate playing their three other teams – the Texas Tailgaters (who we saw), the Firefighters, and the Party Animals
The Savannah Bananas have mastered social media, creating their own content on YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
You may have seen them on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon on Monday, September 15. This video will give you a fun introduction to their style of entertainment.
Here was the schedule for game day. It was more of a festival than a ballgame:
· 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.: Early merchandise sale at the ballpark
· 2:00-3:30 p.m.: Player Appearances in the stadium plaza
· 3:00 – 4:30 p.m.: Before the Peel Show:– complete with live music performed by team members and two dance squads – WELL OVER 10,0000 ATTENDEES!
· 4:30 p.m.: Gates open to the stadium
· 6:30 – 7:00 p.m.: The Pre-Game Show: Dances, live music, and more
· 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.: The baseball game – 2 hours of outrageous fun!
· 9:00 – 11:00 p.m.: Post-game live music from the concert stage
My friend Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale, owner of Gallery Furniture in Houston, introduced me to the Savannah Bananas two years ago when they played at the minor league ballpark in Sugar Land.
The Bananas played before 41,000 fans on Friday night and Saturday night in Houston – 82,000 total fans.
This year, they have played in front of 2.2 MILLION fans in their World Tour.
“Last year, when the Savannah Bananas played here, a Houston Astros season ticket holder told me – ‘This was the stupidest, silliest, dumbest version of baseball we ever saw, but it was an INSANE amount of fun!”
Those were the words of a concession attendant at the Savannah Bananas game in Houston on Friday evening, September 26.
He shared how some fans responded to the Bananas after they had seen their first Bananaball (what the Bananas call their brand of baseball) in 2024.
Your bucket list concert may feature Taylor Swift or Garth Brooks. For Rebecca, it’s Barry Manilow. Or even 50 Cent – who, surprisingly, performed in a Bananas dance routine before he threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
This past Friday evening, she treated me (my birthday gift!) to see the Savannah Bananas at Daikin Park in Houston – my bucket list event!
If you’re not familiar with this phenomenon, here are a few fast facts: 1. ESPN calls the Savannah Bananas “The Greatest Show in Sports”
2. The Bananas focus on entertainment – they just use baseball as their vehicle
3. The game lasts two hours instead of the traditional three hours of an MLB baseball game 4. There is constant entertainment – from trick plays to dance routines on the field
5. The team hired a full-time choreographer in 2018, so he has taught the non-dancer Bananas how to boogie, do-si-do, line dance, and more
6. The players and team owner Jesse Cole are relentless in their willingness to sign autographs – for FREE, unlike most pro athletes
7. They involve fans in their clever hijinks, bringing people onto the field to participate in fun skits such as:
a. Which parent do you love more? A young child answers which parent is more fun, buys them more gifts, and gives the best hugs – the losing parent gets a pie in the face from the child!
b. Kissing contest: 3 married couples are charged with giving the best kiss, and in our game, the couple married 48 years won by making out like teenagers
8. The Bananas rotate playing their three other teams – the Texas Tailgaters (who we saw), the Firefighters, and the Party Animals
The Savannah Bananas have mastered social media, creating their own content on YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
You may have seen them on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon on Monday, September 15. This video will give you a fun introduction to their style of entertainment.
Here was the schedule for game day. It was more of a festival than a ballgame:
· 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.: Early merchandise sale at the ballpark
· 2:00-3:30 p.m.: Player Appearances in the stadium plaza
· 3:00 – 4:30 p.m.: Before the Peel Show:– complete with live music performed by team members and two dance squads – WELL OVER 10,0000 ATTENDEES!
· 4:30 p.m.: Gates open to the stadium
· 6:30 – 7:00 p.m.: The Pre-Game Show: Dances, live music, and more
· 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.: The baseball game – 2 hours of outrageous fun!
· 9:00 – 11:00 p.m.: Post-game live music from the concert stage
My friend Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale, owner of Gallery Furniture in Houston, introduced me to the Savannah Bananas two years ago when they played at the minor league ballpark in Sugar Land.
The Bananas played before 41,000 fans on Friday night and Saturday night in Houston – 82,000 total fans.
This year, they have played in front of 2.2 MILLION fans in their World Tour.
During the merchandise pre-sale event, I had the opportunity to visit with Jared Orton, President of The Savannah Bananas, who has been with the team since day one. He shared that the team struggled to find an audience, an issue that faces most minor league baseball teams. He said the team injected some fun with a few trick plays as the team won its league. Next came the question: How do we go from good to great in a baseball world where everyone does the same thing?
Their answer: Make the game fun. Make it outrageous. Involve the fans intensely. To quote Walt Disney – “Emotions Trump Everything.” Help fans fall in love with the team. I compared the team to the humor website, www.Babylonbee.com, which made outrageous predictions that, now, five years later, have come true. I asked Jared if their wildest “what if?” ideas from five years ago are now bearing fruit. He said, “Yes, without a doubt.”
Watch the Savannah Bananas on YouTube and make plans to see them in 2026. The team will announce TWO MORE teams and the 2026 schedule on Saturday, October 9, on ESPN+ and ESPN2. Let’s hope they might come to our area.
By the way, Savannah Bananas owner Jesse Cole produced a video that I use to introduce my podcast each week. In it, he says: “And now, presenting the official… non-official… non-sponsor… of the Savannah Bananas, but a big fan. Please welcome John Fletcher!”
If I’m not their biggest fan, I’m one of them.
The #1 rule of the Bananas: FANS FIRST. That means:
· Everything the team does focuses on “How can we create an even better experience for our fans?”
· When you buy merchandise, there is no shipping fee. No sales tax (it’s included, so there are no surprises)
· You won’t see any advertising on the field at their home games in Savannah, Georgia
· Your ticket for a game in Savannah includes ALL the food and soft drinks you want
How are YOU creating customer enthusiasm for your customers?
During the merchandise pre-sale event, I had the opportunity to visit with Jared Orton, President of The Savannah Bananas, who has been with the team since day one.
He shared that the team struggled to find an audience, an issue that faces most minor league baseball teams.
He said the team injected some fun with a few trick plays as the team won its league. Next came the question: How do we go from good to great in a baseball world where everyone does the same thing?
Their answer: Make the game fun. Make it outrageous. Involve the fans intensely. To quote Walt Disney – “Emotions Trump Everything.” Help fans fall in love with the team. I compared the team to the humor website, www.Babylonbee.com, which made outrageous predictions that, now, five years later, have come true. I asked Jared if their wildest “what if?” ideas from five years ago are now bearing fruit.
He said, “Yes, without a doubt.”
Watch the Savannah Bananas on YouTube and make plans to see them in 2026. The team will announce TWO MORE teams and the 2026 schedule on Saturday, October 9, on ESPN+ and ESPN2. Let’s hope they might come to our area.
By the way, Savannah Bananas owner Jesse Cole produced a video that I use to introduce my podcast each week. In it, he says: “And now, presenting the official… non-official… non-sponsor… of the Savannah Bananas, but a big fan. Please welcome John Fletcher!”
If I’m not their biggest fan, I’m one of them.
The #1 rule of the Bananas: FANS FIRST. That means:
· Everything the team does focuses on “How can we create an even better experience for our fans?”
· When you buy merchandise, there is no shipping fee. No sales tax (it’s included, so there are no surprises)
· You won’t see any advertising on the field at their home games in Savannah, Georgia
· Your ticket for a game in Savannah includes ALL the food and soft drinks you want
How are YOU creating customer enthusiasm for your customers?
