Oh, don’t tell me you’ve never heard of the Savannah Bananas.
Since transitioning from collegiate summer team to becoming the Harlem Globetrotters of the baseball world, the road from a small, risky idea to a sell-out stadium event is one full of all the same hurdles many of us face every day. “Banana Ball”, as husband and wife owners Jesse Cole and Emily Cole call it, is not just the product of a love of the game, but that of the owners’ persistence, fearlessness in a sea of the mundane, and of not taking oneself too seriously (especially this one).
Here’s what we can learn from the Bananas’ incredible ascension to mainstream success:
Failure Is The Best Teacher
The Savannah Bananas’ success can be attributed to the countless viral video moments that sweep across social media every month, showing players dancing synchronistically in the baseball infield and memorable crowd interactions with fans and families. But the smiles on the field weren’t always shared behind the scenes. As Jesse Cole reveals in interviews, the journey had its fair share of setbacks. They sold only two tickets in the first 3 months of being in operation. The couple ran out of money and sold their house for extra capital. Even the first shipment of Savannah Bananas t-shirts was misspelled (The shirt is bananas B-A-N-N-A-N-A-S)
Through it all, the Coles learned from their blunders and fine-tuned their operation rather than accepting defeat. Each failure was an important lesson in how to continue to grow their brand while also teaching them that perseverance is key to any dream becoming a reality.
“If we’re not failing, we’re not trying big enough things” are words the Savannah Bananas live and breathe by.
Embrace The Cringe
Cole says, “You can’t innovate without trying and experimenting”.
Now, while he may not be the first (or last) person to say these words, the sentiment is a timeless one. After becoming the general manager of one of the worst teams in the country, Cole had to figure out a way to stand out. This led to him experimenting with adding choreographed player dances to the game, a move that was met with immediate rebuke. Only 4 players out of the entire roster took a chance and worked with Cole to create dance routines, even joining him at a dance studio to get better at dancing. The whole thing seemed embarrassing, cringey, and beneath the esteem of a professional athlete. But debuting the routines generated a fever in Savannah, creating fans seemingly overnight.
The verdict? A bit of cringe is actually kind of fun.
Feeling embarrassed is a natural feeling, not only when expressing yourself, but especially when expressing yourself in a brand-new, unproven (and somewhat risky) way. It should feel odd and uncomfortable. Comfort comes with repetition, and repetition is the heart of experimentation.
Which brings us to our next point…
Bet On Yourself
Your best investment is in yourself. Be authentic. Be devoted to your dreams.
The Savanna Bananas faced skepticism at every turn, and if they had listened to the naysayers, Banana Ball might never have seen the light of day. No one who lived in Savannah actually liked the team, especially the name. Jesse remembers wearing the team shirt down to a St. Patrick’s Day parade in downtown Savannah and being met with aggressive booing from bystanders. The public didn’t believe in the style of baseball or the name of the team. But Jesse believed in his vision, slowly turning critics into supporters.
To this day, the Coles continue to bet on themselves, even revealing that they’ve never taken on any outside investors, keeping it all in the family.
Take Risks. Fail Fast & Early. Never Count Yourself Out.
Creative work requires fearlessness.
Not being afraid of failing.
Not being afraid of embarrassing yourself.
Not being afraid to invest in your own ideas.
The Coles reinvigorated one of America’s greatest pastimes. Pulling inspiration from a myriad of entertainment offerings, the Savannah Bananas bet on themselves, failed countless times, and put themselves out there in ways they would have never done with a major league baseball team, to discover a new audience: an audience in love with Banana Ball, not baseball.
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Let Fenik Media be your team of fearless creatives, helping you make something remarkable through tough roads (and tough looks).