John Fletcher and his son Drew attended the final home game of the Savannah Bananas on Sunday, September 29, in Savannah, Georgia. This is the first of a two-part series, with this edition addressing the thrill of attending a Savannah Bananas game.
The second edition – will address what we as businesses can learn from the Bananas’ break-all-the-rules philosophy.
“When we had our one feasibility study done, we were actually told we shouldn’t do Banana Ball. We should stay with just regular, traditional baseball. Every survey and every study said, ‘Stick with what you’re doing.’ The reality is that’s the easy way out. You should think differently. Think big!”
Those are the words of Jesse Cole, founder/owner of the Savannah Bananas, the exhibition baseball team in Savannah, Georgia.
You will either say, “I’ve read about these guys, and they’re awesome,” or your thoughts will be, “What the heck is that?”
In 2015, Jesse had managed a minor league when his wife Emily surprised him with a trip to Savannah’s Historic Grayson Stadium. They fell in love with the stadium – now in its 98th year – mainly because the previous Savannah minor league team had failed.
Jesse and Emily called the commissioner of the Coastal Plain League (a college summer league).
They were awarded the franchise and went through the agonizing process of a launch. They sold only a handful of season tickets at their grand opening reception. Residents had been burned by the failure of team after team after team.
As they assembled their staff and team, their bank account was overdrawn. Choosing to bank entirely on their dream, Jesse and Emily sold their home, moved into a cheap apartment, and lived on $30 worth of food each week at Walmart.
They dreamed of a better tomorrow.
They held a “Name the Team Contest” on February 25, 2016, and the winning name astounded everyone and embarrassed many: The Savannah BANANAS.
People thought it was a joke. Very few saw the cleverness that would later offer brilliant marketing ideas.
The name captured attention locally, regionally, and nationwide and was even featured on CBS, NBC, and Sports Illustrated. The team logo was named SportsCenter’s Logo of the Year.
The Savannah Bananas won the Coastal Plain League title three out of their years.
Then, a massive transformation occurred in 2022. Jesse created Banana Ball – a version of baseball that would shock the world. Suddenly, his team looked like the Harlem Globetrotters had started a baseball team.
The games would be more fast-paced (a two-hour limit), entertaining, and fun.
Opening night 2022 was a rousing success. Fans loved their innovations, including:
· All-inclusive food
· A senior-citizen cheerleader team (the ladies are the Savannah Nanas, and the men are the Savannah Man-nanas)
· Acrobatic plays in the field
o The third baseman fields a ground ball, performs a cartwheel and then fires the ball to first base for the out
o The pitcher jumps on a trampoline on the pitcher’s mound and pitches between bounces
o Another player pitches atop his set of stilts and later plays first base – the tallest player ever.
· The first Banana Baby (think back to the Lion King hoisting the baby lion for his pride to see and celebrate)
· Dancing baseball players
Wait! Dancing baseball players?
Jesse explains that the players could have been more eager to dance. “Only four of the guys agreed to dance the first day, and the crowd loved them. They became our most popular players. Four more players joined in the next game, and the crowd embraced them. In the third game, everybody danced, and the crowd went wild.”
And not just the players. The umpires moonwalk and dance after a strikeout. The first base coach creates his own dance routines, as well.
Now, at the end of its third Banana Ball season, ABC News reports that “The Savannah Bananas Baseball Team is Creating ‘The Greatest Show in Sports’.”
Consider these metrics. The Savannah Bananas:
· Have SIX TIMES more social media followers than the New York Yankees.
· Have achieved over 300 million views on TikTok
· Have sold out over 200 consecutive games.
· Refuse to accept in-stadium advertising, so there are no logos on the outfield fences or game programs filled with ads.
· Played in their largest venue two weeks ago – home of the Philadelphia Phillies before 45,000 screaming fans.
· Host their docuseries, Banana Ball, on ESPN+.
· Have played numerous times on YouTube and are the subject of Netflix programming
· Play their own independent teams – the Firefighters and the Party Animals. Unlike the Washington Generals, who lose each time to the Globetrotters, these challenging teams win almost 50% of the time because their players are skilled. They also know how to “play along” with the antics of the Bananas.
· Former Major Leaguers have joined the Bananas at various times, including former Johnny Damon (Boston Red Sox and New York Yankee), Eric Bynes (Arizona Diamondbacks), Jake Peavy (Boston Red Sox), and Jonny Gomez (Boston Red Sox)
My son Drew and I enjoyed the season finale from the front row immediately behind home plate. What an incredible first-game experience!
But wait… there’s more! This past Thursday evening, October 3, the Savannah Bananas announced their 2025 Tour schedule that will take the team to 18 Major League Baseball parks and three massive football stadiums.
The Bananas played before ONE MILLION FANS this year and will play before TWO MILLION FANS next year. In addition, the team is adding a huge video board at its home field for 2025.
They are adding a new team for 2025 and will form a six-team league for 2026 because interest – and fanaticism – for Banana Ball continues to grow!
Here is the link to apply for the ticket lottery (https://www.bbwt25ticketlotto.fansfirsttickets.com). Wiith 3 million fans and 2 million tickets, it’s important to have a system. There are no processing fees, so the price is the actual price.
Coming next: The lessons the Savannah Bananas teach us about remarkable business decisions.