At just 23, Jesse Cole managed the Gastonia Grizzlies in North Carolina, but the team’s performance was dismal.
With turnout dwindling to a few hundred fans and finances dwindling, he took a bold step. He organized quirky events like Flatulence Fan Night, giving away whoopie cushions, and “Salute to Underwear Night,” where anyone who wore underwear on the outside got in for free.
As time went on, he incorporated live music, dance parties, and fireworks, creating engaging fan experiences like a grandma beauty pageant and dunking the GM in a tank. Unsurprisingly, attendance skyrocketed.
“It felt like going to a circus and then attending a baseball game,” he shared.
This unique approach at the Grizzlies laid the groundwork for his next venture—the now-famous Savannah Bananas. “I learned that putting fans first means everything else falls into place,” he noted.
Today, the Savannah Bananas attract crowds at major venues, including Boston’s Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium, where games are set for April 25 and 26.
In 2016, at age 42, he launched this new team after taking over from the Savannah Sand Gnats at the historic Grayson Stadium, aiming to do something that, well, felt different.
“We sold our home, drained our savings, and lived on $30 a week for groceries. A change was essential,” he recalled.
First, they needed a name, and after a public suggestion campaign, “Savannah Banana” was born.
Joe Martinelli, President and CEO of Visit Savannah, still remembers the team’s name announcement vividly.
“What was the community’s reaction?” he wondered.
When he first met Cole, he was impressed by the vision he had: “He said we’ll do the opposite of whatever is typical. I thought, ‘This should be interesting.’”
A decade later, Cole oversees an organization valued in the hundreds of millions, with the popularity of the Bananas extending across the U.S. and even beyond.
Marketing expert Michael Roberto, who teaches at Bryant College of Management, highlights how the Bananas prioritize fan experiences, citing their consideration of game duration, ticketing issues, parking troubles, and concession lines.
“It’s like Jesse Cole said: Avoid what annoys your customers,” he stated.
Baseball has a long heritage of innovative marketing, after all.
Bill Veeck, who owned the St. Louis Browns, famously shook things up by hiring a 3-foot-7 player in 1951 and introducing over-the-top promotions with the Chicago White Sox.
In a notorious stunt in 1974, the Cleveland Indians hosted a Ten Cent Beer Night, which ended in chaos.
One can see echoes of Veeck in Cole’s methods, plus perhaps a bit of P.T. Barnum’s flair.
The Banana Games promise a sensory overload—complete with team dance numbers, loud music, and other forms of entertainment.
Among the unique features is a moon-walking umpire and Dakota “Stilts” Albritton, who pitches and hits while on stilts.
“We’re all about experiences you can’t find anywhere else,” Cole explained.
Banana Ball is played under a strict two-hour time limit that, along with various other rule changes, makes it more dynamic and attractive to fans.
For instance, if a fan catches a foul ball, the batter is out.
Superfan Marty Jones expressed that Banana Ball has reshaped his view of baseball. “I’m a huge Braves fan too, but if they won 8-0 in five innings, I’d probably lose interest,” he noted. “With Banana Ball, though, the rules change everything.”
He asserted that Jesse adapts the experience to keep people engaged until the end.
However, the popularity of Banana Ball has brought its own kind of conflict with traditional Major League Baseball, raising questions about the sport’s ability to adapt to a new generation.
MLB’s decision to introduce a pitch clock in 2023, cutting down game times by 20 to 30 minutes, suggests a shift toward embracing change, even if it wasn’t Cole’s original aim. “We’re not in the baseball business. We’re in the entertainment business,” he emphasizes.
The Bananas often find themselves compared to the Harlem Globetrotters—celebrating its centennial this year—but Cole believes that’s not the core of what they do. “You never know the game’s outcome,” he pointed out.
They’ll also compete in a new 50-game Banana Bowl League with five other teams under his Fan First Entertainment umbrella, ensuring solid competition amid all the spectacle.
“We have athletes who throw 95 mph and hit home runs over 400 feet,” Cole stated.
“Yet, they must be performers too, catching flies while doing flips.”
Outfielder Reese Alexiades noted, “This is beyond just a baseball game. It’s a jubilant celebration.”
“From the moment you get to the gate until you leave, it’s all about your happiness. You’ll witness experiences you won’t find anywhere else.”
Other performers in the lineup include the Banana Nanaz, cheerleaders aged over 65, Princess Karium, and the Man Nanaz, who creatively celebrate their “Dad Bod” culture.
Marty Jones, who hung up his pom poms after being a Man Nana for eight years, shared, “Jesse asked about the guys in short pants and unconditioned jerseys. So we went for it—and had a blast.”
This fan-centered approach also extends to their ticket pricing.
At Grayson Stadium, tickets range from $35 to $75, featuring unlimited food and drinks (excluding beer), but demand is so high that seats quickly sell out.
In fact, the Bananas have sold out every game for 250 consecutive shows.
This trend continues on their road tours, outpacing attendance records set by Major League Baseball teams.
Recently, the Bananas drew around 140,000 fans at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, matching box office success akin to major music artists.
“There hadn’t been baseball in the Superdome for two decades until we showed up, and now fans are loving it,” Cole remarked.
But it’s not just ticket sales that set the Bananas apart.
With a social media presence far exceeding traditional baseball teams—10 million TikTok followers, 4.1 million Instagram subscribers, and 2.4 million YouTube fans—the Bananas boast a total of over 35 million followers across platforms.
Roberto pointed out that their social media strategy is vital. “They excel at short-form video content that resonates particularly well on TikTok,” he explained.
“In a way, they tailored the product for platforms like TikTok and Instagram.”
Merchandising also plays a crucial role, with items like Dolce & Banana apparel gaining immense popularity.
During a recent London trip, Martinelli spotted several German tourists decked out in Savannah Banana jerseys. “It’s astounding how influential the Bananas have become, both in the U.S. and globally,” he observed.
Reflecting on the past decade, Cole feels it’s been transformative for him. “Yes, I sometimes have to remind myself how surreal this all is, but it has a life of its own because we prioritize our fans,” he concluded.
“At the Banana Bowl, we rely on our fans. Without them, we’re nothing.”
