The Savannah Bananas just might save us all
- Dan Connors
- May 2
- 4 min read
Fans First: Change The Game, Break the Rules & Create an Unforgettable Experience
“Nothing matters more than making people feel like they matter.” Jesse Cole
After reading the depressing book about how the internet is turning to shit (Enshittification), I needed something uplifting to know that not everyone is trying to squeeze the last penny out of customers with the least effort. Fans First is a behind the scenes look at the Savannah Bananas, a rising phenomenon baseball model that's revolutionizing modern sports.
The world of sports, while still popular, has been coasting on its laurels and raking in huge amounts of cash for products that are less and less inspiring. Pro athletes are often overpaid prima donnas who want nothing to do with most fans. Parking, food and drinks, and even televised games are more and more expensive while loaded down with more and more ads. The introduction of sports gambling has introduced a more frightening aspect where young people can lose everything betting on whether the next pitch will be a fastball or a slider.
Baseball has a reputation as a slow, boring game- but it still manages to have a devoted fan base in many cities. Major League Baseball has tried to shorten games with new rules with a pitch clock, extra inning runners, and designated hitters, and it has helped. But looking at what the Bananas have accomplished puts the MLB to shame.
Jesse Cole took over a minor league team in Savannah, Georgia a decade ago and had to reinvigorate a declining fan base and an old stadium. He made that leap by taking on the philosophy of "fans first". Everything about the game experience was re-evaluated to make it more enticing and fun for the fans. As Cole writes,
"Where was the rule that said baseball had to be long, slow, and boring?
Baseball could be whatever someone dreamed it could be...
I dreamed of a place where players, coaches, staff, and fans could all have fun together.
A place where everyone was a fan and fans always came first.
A place where the score didn't matter.
A place where fun led the way.
A place where we could dance, sing, cheer, and laugh together, no matter our age, race, or where we came from.
A place where everyone could be kids again.
A place where baseball truly was a game that everyone could be a part of."
He called his vision Bananaland, and his philosophy reinvigorated a small town minor league team that soon expanded nationwide. Minor league baseball has always been something of a backwater where has been and never was aspiring players languished while waiting for a call to the major. The games don't inspire much press, betting, or interest beyond the small area that their fan base lives in. In 2018, Jesse Cole changed the rules entirely and invented an entirely new sport, Bananaball, that has caught on nationwide to sold out stadiums.
Bananaball is to baseball what the Harlem Globetrotters were to basketball. It takes a revered but often boring game and enlivens it with dances, audience participation, and new rules to make things more interesting. The Bananas would play the Party Animals, and it didn't really matter which team won. You would see some good pitching and hitting, but you'd also see outfielders doing a backflip while making a catch. The entire purpose of Bananaball was to entertain and have a good time.
Regular baseball has its moments, but the increasing emphasis on sports betting and the higher prices have ruined it somewhat for me- a longtime St. Louis Cardinals fan. Bananaball tickets are more affordable, but currently almost impossible to get. A lottery system has been put into place to make it fair for fans who want to participate. And as for concession prices- at their home stadium in Savannah, unlimited food and drinks are included with the price of a ticket.
Mr. Cole is an energetic, inspiring figure, and his book is full of stories that inspire great customer service. Management attends games incognito to see everything from a fan's viewpoint. Most games include a pre-game parade, half-time show, and post-game meet and greet. Banana-philosophy includes what Cole calls the 5 E's
Eliminate Friction- make the experience as seamless as practical
Entertain always- before, during, after the game and in social media.
Experiment constantly- Most of their best bits came from experimentation.
Engage deeply- get to know the fans, their wants and needs, and try to exceed expectations.
Empower action- staff and team members are encouraged to experiment on their own and celebrated for it.
I fear that as Banana Ball grows, it will start to lose some of its heart, as so many other promising things have. Once the money becomes the goal, the fun becomes only a means to some goal. Jeff Bezos of Amazon fame is quoted liberally in this book. Bezos started out very customer focused.
"We're not competitor obsessed; we're customer obsessed. We start with the customer's needs and we work backwards." Jeff Bezos.
But now that he is one of the richest men in the world, he doesn't seem to care that much about his customers, suppliers, or employees. He tries to squeeze out as much money he can through algorithms and brutal workplace policies that notoriously penalize people for going to the bathroom. Walt Disney was also known to not treat his employees to well, and the company seems to be drifting into the 21st century by resting on its past laurels. I assume Bananas players and employees are treated decently, but it's still a small company. The joy that they all find in every game seems to be enough compensation for most of them.
I hope that Banana spirit can stay as joyful and pure as it seems today, and perhaps spreads to other companies that are only looking at quarterly profits and replacing loyal workers with AI. There's something to be said for a batter on stilts or an infield that does choreographed dances together.
Below I include a great 60 minute piece on the Bananas, and they have an entertaining social media presence and occasional televised games for those who want to seek them out. Their slogan is "We make baseball fun" and wouldn't it be great if life itself was more fun?
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