I don’t know where to start, or how to wrap my arms and heart around all the energy, positivity, fan engagement, and fun it was to see the Savannah Bananas at Yankee Stadium in mid-September. A friend of mine won the ticket raffle (Thanks, Jenn!), and she was not able to attend. Jenn offered the tickets to my family and I. We had a blast, learned so much, and had a ton of fun together. It was truly a fan experience!
Here are some growth points and lessons. I learned throughout the experience:
#1. No extra fees or no hidden costs. Five tickets cost $200. Straight. No hidden fees, no extra costs, no tax, nothing. The owner and CEO, Jesse Cole, doesn’t want the fans to be overcharged or have different groups taking your money like a typical ticket experience to a big event. Straight $200.
#2. They run their own ticketing. I can’t imagine the growing pains that this took with different stadiums and different venues, but they figured it out. There was so much helpful, fan-friendly information throughout the ticketing experience. It was seamless and extremely well done. Even the language written in all of the emails and texts leading up to the event was so friendly and engaging. Again, no hidden or extra fees.
#3. Carry the banner. Everyone from the people in the merchandise booths, to Jesse Cole, to the players, to the umpires, and more. Everyone involved helped Carry the Banner for the Savannah Bananas. The players were standing the entire event out in front of the dugout, engaging with fans and energizing the crowd throughout. Watching Jesse Cole bounce around in his yellow suit, yellow sneakers, and yellow top hat was super motivating. He is a visible, proud leader who leads from the front lines.
#4. Keep it interesting, keep it moving. There was so much going on throughout the game, music, contests, and celebrities. Out of nowhere, Eli Manning came out, which electrified the crowd. They had fun contests, like throwing bananas from the upper deck to someone who was wearing giant pants, and they had to catch it within the waistline. They had the slow baby contest, which was incredibly funny. They had princesses. They had “bad cheerleaders”, and they had a hysterical race of characters that were labeled Boston, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York. The banana mascot tackled Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Boston, and of course let the New York person win. It was hysterical.
They kept their commitment to the time. The game is timed at two hours. As soon as the clock hit 3:30, they put a running clock and made sure the event kept moving. This reminded me to be on time with my leadership and to do what you say you were going to do within the timeframe that you were going to do it. Of course, there were those who wanted to leave early to beat the traffic, but pretty much everyone stayed most of the time because they knew when the game was going to end.
#5. People first. Sometimes at major league sporting events, it feels like they forget the crowd is there or hardly engage with the crowd. I know the teams are focused on winning the contest, but the Savannah Bananas are genuinely there to create a fan experience. We all loved it, and they certainly won over some new fans with the Marotta family. Engaging with your stakeholders, making it fun and creative, made for such a fantastic event.
Lastly, you could feel the gratitude. The players, the owner, and everyone involved are grateful for what they created. There are smiles on their faces, and they constantly said thank you throughout the event. Even if you look at the players’ social media accounts, they are so grateful to play at Yankee Stadium and be part of an amazing roller coaster of popularity and positive momentum. They are simply grateful for what they all get to do.
Thank you to the Savannah Bananas for not being afraid to be different, trying something new, staying the course, and really becoming something that people love.
This experience inspired me in so many ways to do more, not be afraid to be different, and continue to grow, invent, and create. If you get the chance to go to an event, I highly recommend it. They put the fun back into major events. Oh, one more thing, don’t forget to bring your dancing shoes. You’ll be singing and dancing the whole time!
Keep surviving and thriving, friends!
