Building the Savannah Bananas (with Jesse Cole, Founder and Owner) · ACQ2 by Acquired summary

Key takeaways

Transforming sports requires innovative entertainment strategies to engage fans.
Simplicity in ticket pricing and removing hidden fees enhances the fan experience.
Control the end-to-end fan experience to create loyalty and engagement.
Adapting and experimenting leads to discovering the right product-market fit.
Building a brand that fans can rally around is crucial for long-term success.

Summary

The Birth of the Savannah Bananas

Jesse Cole, the founder and owner of the Savannah Bananas, shares the story behind the unique baseball team. It began with the Gastonia Grizzlies, where Cole learned the importance of entertainment in sports, as the team struggled to attract fans. With a vision to transform the experience into one of pure entertainment, Jesse created outlandish promotions and themes that turned games into spectacles. The bananas were born out of the need for a playful and engaging brand that appealed to a wider audience.

Banana Ball: A New Game Concept

Banana Ball was developed to make baseball faster and more exciting, implementing new rules that differ significantly from traditional baseball. These include rules such as: if a batter steps out of the box, it’s a strike; a fan catching a foul ball results in an out; and games are capped at two hours. The goal behind these changes is to enhance the fan experience and keep everyone entertained throughout the entire game.

The Fans First Philosophy

A pivotal aspect of the Savannah Bananas’ model is their ‘Fans First’ approach. This includes an all-inclusive ticketing strategy where fans pay a flat fee for a game ticket that includes food and drinks with no hidden costs. There are no ads or sponsors inside the stadium, creating a pure environment for fans to enjoy. Jesse emphasizes the company's long-term vision over short-term financial gains, believing that investing in fan experience is key to success.

Overcoming Challenges and Building Momentum

Jesse recounts the ups and downs of launching the Savannah Bananas, including financial struggles, criticism from skeptics, and logistical issues. Despite only selling two tickets in the initial months and facing community resistance, consistent innovation and energetic marketing turned things around. The team's success led to unprecedented ticket sales and a large waiting list, ultimately establishing them as a famous name in sports entertainment.

The Future of the Bananas and Banana Ball

Looking ahead, Jesse shares plans to expand the reach of the Savannah Bananas. By taking advantage of underutilized stadiums across the country and even entering large football stadiums, the Bananas aim to create an even bigger fan experience. They continue to prioritize fun, entertainment, and fan engagement as they grow into new markets, and there are discussions of developing a league around Banana Ball gameplay.

Show notes

The Savannah Bananas have created a whole new sport. It’s baseball, but it’s not. It’s fast-paced, exciting, and incredibly entertaining. For example, if you're batting, and you step out of the batter’s box... it’s a strike. If you bunt, you’re out. If a fan catches a foul ball… you’re also out. Games are capped at two hours with no exceptions. It’s sacrilegious to traditional baseball fans everywhere. But it’s hard to argue with their numbers: they have 3.2 million fans on a waiting list to see them and have been selling out 80,000-seat football stadiums over the past few months!

Today, we sit down with Jesse Cole, founder of the Savannah Bananas and creator of Banana Ball. We unpack the whole story, staring with a failing college summer league team, an air mattress, and a $30 weekly grocery budget. But these days... it's safe to say that Jesse and his wife don’t have to sleep on an air mattress anymore! And they have built the business in their own way, fully under their control, and uniquely “fans first”. They have a unique all-in ticketing model, where your game ticket gets you full access to food along with your seat. There are no ads or sponsorships. There are no ticket fees or middlemen. And in fact, Jesse and crew will even pay the sales tax on your ticket for you! Jesse is just totally obsessed with delighting fans, controlling the end-to-end experience, and thinking long term… even if it means leaving (a lot) of money on the table today.

This may be our most fun ACQ2 (or Acquired!) episode ever. Enjoy!

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