Banana Ball: The Fan-First Baseball Revolution

Banana Ball. Ever heard of it? It is the phenomenon that is transforming the game of baseball and what it can mean to fans: the people who buy tickets and, in this case, sell out major league stadiums that even the hometown teams cannot accomplish.

For anyone wanting to revitalize their business or even their entire industry, and hit their customers where it counts (no, not their pocketbooks – their hearts and definitions of value, letting pocketbooks follow naturally), take a few lessons from the Savannah Bananas, the team that pioneered this creative version of baseball.

How the Savannah Bananas Put Fans at the Heart of the Game

In business terms, Banana Ball places the fans, and what they love and hate about the baseball game experience, in the middle of the value network. They remove what fans hate and capitalize on what they love about baseball and other forms of entertainment: family-oriented fun, fast-paced action, cross-generational appeal, great food, engagement, and music.

Jesse Cole: The Visionary Who Reinvented Baseball

In 2015, owner Jesse Cole decided to do something about the recognized need to make baseball fun and bring fans back. For years, people in and out of the baseball industry had been complaining about it, but they did little other than a few tweaks to the rules. Jesse Cole truly innovated the sport.

Jesse integrated his new team into the already existing college summer league. This provided venues to play, teams to compete against, and the recognized tie to baseball. It’s the path that many entrepreneurs need to take when doing something new in a company or an industry: tie it to something that already exists. Use the familiar to evolve something new.

At first, things did not go so well. Jesse and his wife had to sell their home to come up with the money to keep their team afloat, but they had faith and intuition it would work. Innovators and entrepreneurs need vision and faith to succeed.

The Power of Rebranding: Naming the Savannah Bananas

In February 2016, Jesse and his team made a symbolic change that nodded to the culture of what they were creating, and it entirely changed the success trajectory of the innovation. They named the team the Savannah Bananas. This move garnered mass media attention across networks and TikTok. It also attracted naysayers, but positive interest outweighed the skepticism.

Building a Baseball Brand That Fans Love

The brand of the team lives up to the name. Players come out dancing and performing throughout the game, donned in their banana-yellow uniforms. Jesse, the owner, wears a banana-colored tuxedo to every game. Grandmothers make up the team’s dance squad known as the Banana Nanas. The cheerleaders consist of men with “dad bods.”

Every game features a Banana Baby brought by a fan who dons their infant in banana-colored blankets and holds them up high for all to cheer (flashback to The Lion King). The concessions at Grayson Stadium in Savannah, Georgia, home to the Savannah Bananas (a.k.a. Banana Land), are all-you-can-eat and offer special drinks like the Slippery Banana.

Fan Engagement Through Game-Changing Rules

What makes the team and now the sport unique is not just the show and perks but the changes in fundamental rules that make the game go faster and be more fun and fan-centric. Fans are not passive in Banana Ball. They elect a representative who can challenge a call. They are involved in dances with players when points are scored.

Key Banana Ball Rule Changes That Keep Fans Hooked

• Games can last no longer than 2 hours
• Things that can slow a game and enthusiasm are prohibited:
  
  • Batters stepping out of the batter’s box
  • Managers and catchers making visits to the pitch mound
  • Walks
  • Adhering to the regular batting order if the game is tied after 2 hours

The Business Impact: Demand That’s Off the Charts

Tickets to Savannah Banana games are difficult to obtain. Market demand is through the roof. Right now, the lottery to be able to purchase tickets is next available in 2026. In the meantime, make use of the Savannah Banana lessons for your business and industry to not only survive but thrive and demonstrate a new standard of what can be when you connect with the heart of your business and the heart of its customers.

Business Lessons from the Savannah Bananas for Innovation and Growth

1. Making money and making meaning are inextricably linked. It takes both to create and sustain a thriving business.
2. Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. Stay true to the core of what your industry is meant to be. This may mean piggybacking on what already exists and adapting from there.
3. Don’t become insular in your own business models and ways of doing business. Listen to your customers as people. They will tell you what they need and what they miss.
4. Make business fun again. You don’t have to wear a yellow tux to work as CEO or do backflips on the job. But remember that your company, profession, skills, and abilities bring you joy and use it.
5. Ask your customers for their contributions. Nothing garners engagement like tapping into “What’s in it of me?” not just “What’s in it for me?”
6. Build your own ecosystem where others like you can join and build a movement, even if they are competitors.
   
   

Like the Savannah Bananas, lasting transformation starts when you choose to see your game from a fresh angle, honoring what is at its heart while reimagining the rest. Third Angle helps organizations do the same by uncovering the moments, values, and connections that matter most to customers. It is about stripping away what no longer inspires, doubling down on what sparks joy and loyalty, and shaping an experience so distinct that people cannot help but share it. When you see your business from a different angle, you do not just change the play, you change the whole game.

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