The Savannah Bananas

The Story Behind the Massive Success of the Savannah Bananas

If you’ve browsed social media recently there’s a decent chance you’ve seen a video of the Savannah Bananas. Everything from hitters doing the splits, to dancing grandmas, to flaming bats – nothing is off-limits. He LITERALLY went up with his bat on fire and got on base 🔥 @TheSavBananas pic.twitter.com/M6phO6qULY — ESPN+ (@ESPNPlus) April 12, […]

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Latest

Articles
The Story Behind the Massive Success of the Savannah Bananas

If you’ve browsed social media recently there’s a decent chance you’ve seen a video of the Savannah Bananas. Everything from hitters doing the splits, to dancing grandmas, to flaming bats – nothing is off-limits. He LITERALLY went up with his bat on fire and got on base 🔥 @TheSavBananas pic.twitter.com/M6phO6qULY — ESPN+ (@ESPNPlus) April 12, […]

Read More
Fans First
Pre-Game: Normal Gets Normal Results

The Savannah Bananas are a baseball team – but owner Jesse Cole knows they aren’t in the baseball industry. They’re in the Fans First Experience industry. The game of baseball comes with a slew of challenges – it’s too slow, or too boring, or too long, or too antiquated. But, instead of seeing friction, Cole […]

Read More
Fans First
First Inning – Warmup

A lifelong baseball fan, Jesse Cole has seen it all. From potential big-league dreams to a journey toward finding how best to engage with the game after his career came to a close, Cole eventually landed an internship with a small team in South Carolina. Since, he’s held key roles in several organizations and innovated […]

Read More
Fans First
First Pitch: The Savannah Bananas Take the Field

When Cole, his wife and their small team began working to replicate past success in Savannah, they sold two tickets…in three months. The lowest point came shortly after, when the team was informed it had completely overdrawn the organization’s bank account. Instead of folding, Cole and his wife doubled down. They sold their house, going […]

Read More
Fans First
Second Inning – Creating a Better Experience

It was time to pull out all the stops. From renaming the team to the Bananas to senior-citizen dance teams, male cheerleading squads, dancing players and a mascot named Split, the Bananas now have a waitlist for tickets that numbers in the thousands. To follow that fans-first lead, you’ll need to ask some key questions, […]

Read More
Fans First
Stop Doing What Your Customers Hate

The best business model in the world is to stop doing what your customers hate. Sounds simple, right? Each day, your organization does something that frustrates customers and prevents them from becoming the true fans you’re after. Work toward solutions for those frustrations.

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Latest

innovation in sustainability
Closing the Loop: Our Sustainable Commitment to Circular Economy
December 6, 2023

This video focuses on EcoLOK4, a groundbreaking product by CONTROLTEK that exemplifies innovation in sustainability. It highlights the process of transforming landfill waste into new deposit bags, with 90% of each bag’s material being repurposed trash. This initiative not only reduces waste but also closes the sustainability loop, demonstrating CONTROLTEK’s commitment to environmentally friendly […]

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Ntracts Inc.’s David Paschall and Stephanie Haywood contract lifecycle management
Contract Life Cycle Management is Coming Out on Top, as Healthcare Providers Increasingly Rely on the Tool
December 6, 2023

The healthcare industry is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by the need to improve patient experiences, access, and outcomes. Amidst this shift, contract lifecycle management (CLM) is emerging as a critical tool for healthcare providers. With the increasing pressure on cost management and compliance, healthcare organizations are seeking solutions that streamline operations and enhance […]

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Creativity in the Classroom Starts With Embracing Positive Tools and Attitudes
December 6, 2023

Fostering creativity in the classroom has become increasingly significant, specifically in a time where standardized testing often reigns supreme. Some experts in the education field maintain that while hard skills like math and reading are essential, the intangible qualities of kindness, empathy, and curiosity can have profound impacts on a student’s overall development.  In […]

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Latest Fans First

Fans First
First Inning – Warmup
June 12, 2020

A lifelong baseball fan, Jesse Cole has seen it all. From potential big-league dreams to a journey toward finding how best to engage with the game after his career came to a close, Cole eventually landed an internship with a small team in South Carolina. Since, he’s held key roles in several organizations and innovated […]

Read More
First Pitch: The Savannah Bananas Take the Field

When Cole, his wife and their small team began working to replicate past success in Savannah, they sold two tickets…in three months. The lowest point came shortly after, when the team was informed it had completely overdrawn the organization’s bank account. Instead of folding, Cole and his wife doubled down. They sold their house, going […]

Read More
Second Inning – Creating a Better Experience

It was time to pull out all the stops. From renaming the team to the Bananas to senior-citizen dance teams, male cheerleading squads, dancing players and a mascot named Split, the Bananas now have a waitlist for tickets that numbers in the thousands. To follow that fans-first lead, you’ll need to ask some key questions, […]

Read More
Stop Doing What Your Customers Hate

The best business model in the world is to stop doing what your customers hate. Sounds simple, right? Each day, your organization does something that frustrates customers and prevents them from becoming the true fans you’re after. Work toward solutions for those frustrations.

Read More
Fans First
Stop Doing What Your Customers Hate
June 11, 2020

The best business model in the world is to stop doing what your customers hate. Sounds simple, right? Each day, your organization does something that frustrates customers and prevents them from becoming the true fans you’re after. Work toward solutions for those frustrations.

Read More
What Do You Want to Be Known For?

Think about what you want to be known for and what you’re known for now. Do they align? It’s time to consider every interaction and touchpoint and craft a Perfect Fan Testimonial. Figure out what business you’re really in. If you could have one review perfectly sum up what you want your fans to feel, […]

Read More
Learn from Experiences in Other Industries

Cole and the Bananas’ team are constantly looking elsewhere. If you ask Cole who the organization’s competitors are, he won’t tell you the rest of the teams in the Coastal Plain League. He’ll rattle off the likes of Google, Amazon and Starbucks, because he’s not putting on a baseball game – he’s putting on an […]

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Create Shareable Moments

As Cole said, the Bananas aren’t in the baseball industry. The organization is in the Fans First Experience industry. When looking to craft your own customer experience, don’t be afraid to look outside your industry and learn from successes elsewhere. What inspires you? How can you leverage that to inspire customers, turn them into fans, […]

Read More
Fans First
Create Shareable Moments
June 11, 2020

As Cole said, the Bananas aren’t in the baseball industry. The organization is in the Fans First Experience industry. When looking to craft your own customer experience, don’t be afraid to look outside your industry and learn from successes elsewhere. What inspires you? How can you leverage that to inspire customers, turn them into fans, […]

Read More
Whatever is Normal, Do the Exact Opposite

It’s a simple relationship – normal gets normal results. Question everything and make two lists – one for the normal and one for the remarkable. Look at what’s normal in your industry and think about what you can do to become remarkable. Further, don’t break the rules. Make the rules. The Bananas have made their […]

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Latest Podcasts

Podcasts
Extra Innings with Chip Maxson of the AAA Affiliate for the San Francisco Giants
September 25, 2018

Extra Innings gives you exclusive behind-the-scenes looks and commentary on MarketScale’s Welcome to the Show, a reality television series that follows the Savannah Bananas, the collegiate summer league baseball team that is changing the sport with their brand of Fan-First Entertainment. On this episode, we chat with Chip Maxson, General Manager for the Sacramento River […]

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Extra Innings with Joshua D’PenhaD’Souza of the AA Affiliate of the Texas Rangers

Extra Innings gives you exclusive behind-the-scenes looks and commentary on MarketScale’s Welcome to the Show, a reality television series that follows the Savannah Bananas, the collegiate summer league baseball team that is changing the sport with their brand of Fan-First Entertainment. On this episode, we chat with Josh D’PenhaD’Souza, who works in Sports Sales for […]

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Listen: Extra Innings with Zach Brockman of the California League Affiliate for the Seattle Mariners

Extra Innings gives you exclusive behind-the-scenes looks and commentary on MarketScale’s Welcome to the Show, a reality television series that follows the Savannah Bananas, the collegiate summer league baseball team that is changing the sport with their brand of Fan-First Entertainment. On this episode, we chat with Zach Brockman, general manager of the Modesto Nuts, […]

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Extra Innings: Live! With The Savannah Bananas Crew (August 4th, 1:30 PM ET)

Extra Innings gives you exclusive behind-the-scenes looks and commentary on MarketScale’s Welcome to the Show, a reality television series that follows the Savannah Bananas, the collegiate summer league baseball team that is changing the sport with their brand of Fan-First Entertainment. On this episode we’re joined by the front office crew of the Savannah Bananas!  […]

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Podcasts
Extra Innings: Live! With The Savannah Bananas Crew (August 4th, 1:30 PM ET)
August 3, 2018

Extra Innings gives you exclusive behind-the-scenes looks and commentary on MarketScale’s Welcome to the Show, a reality television series that follows the Savannah Bananas, the collegiate summer league baseball team that is changing the sport with their brand of Fan-First Entertainment. On this episode we’re joined by the front office crew of the Savannah Bananas!  […]

Read More
Listen: Extra Innings with Hunter Horenstein of Chicago Cubs Affiliate, The Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Extra Innings gives you exclusive behind-the-scenes looks and commentary on MarketScale’s Welcome to the Show, a reality television series that follows Jesse Cole and his Savannah Bananas, the collegiate summer league baseball team that is changing the sport with their brand of Fan-First Entertainment. On today’s episode we’re joined by Hunter Horenstein, Director of Fan […]

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Latest The Savannah Bananas - Welcome to the Show

Original Series
Welcome to the Show: Episode 2
August 1, 2018

While the world is speeding up, baseball is slowing down, and the Savannah Bananas are determined to provide the best fan experience anywhere in the world. MarketScale followed the team during their weeklong lead-up to Opening Day 2018 to see how the Bananas sellout games in a town where baseball has failed for decades. If […]

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Welcome to the Show: Episode 1

Nothing says summer in America like our National Pastime. Terence Mann (played by James Earl Jones) may have said it best in the classic baseball movie Field of Dreams: “The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It’s been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt, […]

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The Official Savannah Bananas Trailer

Opening Day is a time of eternal optimism for baseball fans across the United States. A blank slate, a fresh start, and a new opportunity to make a lasting impression. For the Savannah Bananas, a summer collegiate team in the Coastal Plains League, every season means starting from scratch. A brand new roster, dozens of […]

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All The Savannah Bananas
The Story Behind the Massive Success of the Savannah Bananas
April 12, 2022

If you’ve browsed social media recently there’s a decent chance you’ve seen a video of the Savannah Bananas. Everything from hitters doing the splits, to dancing grandmas, to flaming bats – nothing is off-limits. He LITERALLY went up with his bat on fire and got on base 🔥 @TheSavBananas pic.twitter.com/M6phO6qULY — ESPN+ (@ESPNPlus) April 12, […]

Read More
Pre-Game: Normal Gets Normal Results
June 13, 2020

The Savannah Bananas are a baseball team – but owner Jesse Cole knows they aren’t in the baseball industry. They’re in the Fans First Experience industry. The game of baseball comes with a slew of challenges – it’s too slow, or too boring, or too long, or too antiquated. But, instead of seeing friction, Cole […]

Read More
First Inning – Warmup
June 12, 2020

A lifelong baseball fan, Jesse Cole has seen it all. From potential big-league dreams to a journey toward finding how best to engage with the game after his career came to a close, Cole eventually landed an internship with a small team in South Carolina. Since, he’s held key roles in several organizations and innovated […]

Read More
First Pitch: The Savannah Bananas Take the Field
June 11, 2020

When Cole, his wife and their small team began working to replicate past success in Savannah, they sold two tickets…in three months. The lowest point came shortly after, when the team was informed it had completely overdrawn the organization’s bank account. Instead of folding, Cole and his wife doubled down. They sold their house, going […]

Read More
Second Inning – Creating a Better Experience
June 11, 2020

It was time to pull out all the stops. From renaming the team to the Bananas to senior-citizen dance teams, male cheerleading squads, dancing players and a mascot named Split, the Bananas now have a waitlist for tickets that numbers in the thousands. To follow that fans-first lead, you’ll need to ask some key questions, […]

Read More
Stop Doing What Your Customers Hate
June 11, 2020

The best business model in the world is to stop doing what your customers hate. Sounds simple, right? Each day, your organization does something that frustrates customers and prevents them from becoming the true fans you’re after. Work toward solutions for those frustrations.

Read More
What Do You Want to Be Known For?
June 11, 2020

Think about what you want to be known for and what you’re known for now. Do they align? It’s time to consider every interaction and touchpoint and craft a Perfect Fan Testimonial. Figure out what business you’re really in. If you could have one review perfectly sum up what you want your fans to feel, […]

Read More
Learn from Experiences in Other Industries
June 11, 2020

Cole and the Bananas’ team are constantly looking elsewhere. If you ask Cole who the organization’s competitors are, he won’t tell you the rest of the teams in the Coastal Plain League. He’ll rattle off the likes of Google, Amazon and Starbucks, because he’s not putting on a baseball game – he’s putting on an […]

Read More
Create Shareable Moments
June 11, 2020

As Cole said, the Bananas aren’t in the baseball industry. The organization is in the Fans First Experience industry. When looking to craft your own customer experience, don’t be afraid to look outside your industry and learn from successes elsewhere. What inspires you? How can you leverage that to inspire customers, turn them into fans, […]

Read More