From 2 Tickets Sold In 3 Months To 100k+ Stadiums | The Rise Of The Savanah Bananas

0:00 A man who had a vision for a gimmick baseball team.

0:05 When I assume a lot of people were not believers.

0:09 Yeah.

0:09 Just had thoughts of something that could become a hundred and two,

0:13 hundred and three thousand ticket seller down in Texas on a regular basis.

0:17 Ladies and gentlemen, the founder of the Savannah Bananas,

0:20 who just had a massive weekend at Texas A&M.

0:24 Hundred some thousand tickets on gimmick baseball.

0:30 Unbelievable.

0:31 It is truly preposterous.

0:34 Yes, it is.

0:35 What has been uh uh accomplished.

0:37 Ladies and gentlemen, yellow tux, JESSE JESSE COLE.

0:42 WHAT'S UP, GUYS?

0:43 OKAY, SO CAN YOU please tell me um how you go from I If the story is right,

0:50 I I tried to Google as much information as I possibly could,

0:52 so I'm kind of uh being held hostage

0:55 by whatever they decide to show me about your story.

0:57 But I did read in debt over a million bucks, 1.7 million.

1:01 Uh you sell your house, you and your wife sleeping on a mattress on the floor

1:04 basically with your visions of what this could all be.

1:07 How many years ago was that?

1:09 And do you have the visions at that point of selling out

1:12 Texas A&M hundred and some thousand uh tickets for a gimmick baseball?

1:17 Like how big did you dream and believe in where you're at now?

1:20 How can you describe it?

1:21 Well, at first our goal was just to make baseball fun.

1:24 We were a college summer baseball team when we started.

1:27 So and we only sold, you know, two tickets in our first three months.

1:30 So that's when we had to sell our house,

1:32 empty out our savings account, sleeping on an air bed.

1:34 Um but yeah, we believe we can make the game fun.

1:36 More entertainment, more excitement, and make the game faster.

1:39 And so yeah, we I mean,

1:40 when we started with the Bananas, we had a male cheerleading team,

1:42 the Man Annas, the Dad Bod Cheerleading Squad,

1:44 the Banana Nanas senior citizen dance team.

1:46 But more than anything,

1:47 the players were all in on celebrating, dancing, and having fun.

1:50 And after a few years, we you know,

1:51 we were selling out games, but fans were still leaving games early.

1:54 And that's when we said we have to change the rules and create a new game.

1:56 And back in 2020 we played our first ever Banana Ball game,

2:00 you know, with a 2-hour time limit.

2:01 You win the inning, you get a point.

2:03 No bunting cuz bunting sucks.

2:04 If you bunt, you're thrown out of the game.

2:06 Fans catching foul balls for an out.

2:08 We added all these new rules and just took

2:09 it on the road with a a bigger dream then,

2:12 but went from one city world tour to now playing

2:15 in front of 3.4 million fans this year and 102,000 on Saturday.

2:18 Jeez, congratulations on it all.

2:20 Obviously having the fortitude to continue to go

2:22 forward whenever everything is seemingly against you

2:25 and to believe in yourself is obviously a great

2:27 story for future generations to listen to and experience.

2:31 So, you're a content-driven company, would you describe yourself?

2:34 How do you describe you?

2:35 Are you a live event company?

2:36 Are you a content-driven company?

2:37 And who do you find are most interested?

2:40 Because I think you and the Dude Perfect crossover seems

2:42 like a perfect demo match and also a massive home run,

2:45 not only in Texas A&M, but probably anywhere you go, right?

2:48 That's very similar markets.

2:50 Yeah, we're a live entertainment company.

2:51 We obsess over the fan experience.

2:53 So, fans start showing up at 2:00 for a 7:00 game.

2:56 There were 40,000 people in the plaza 4 hours before the game.

2:59 So, we do a show from 2:00.

3:00 The fans are out there meeting fans at 2:00.

3:03 Live show in front.

3:04 Live show afterwards.

3:05 We stay We sign to the last fan.

3:07 We are obsessed.

3:07 But, yeah, it's really the sport of Banana Ball.

3:09 You know, people have compared us to the Globetrotters,

3:11 but the sport of Banana Ball is what we're most proud of.

3:13 There are six teams competing to go

3:15 to the Banana Ball Championship and it's unbelievably competitive.

3:19 I mean, we had 23 trick plays on Saturday night, six home runs.

3:23 They're trying to compete and win every show,

3:24 but we're also trying to put on a, you know, a lot of entertainment non-stop.

3:28 The Texas Tailgaters ran into it with a Reese,

3:31 who's the football stadium home run king, I'll have you know.

3:35 I think I don't know if you saw the other day,

3:37 I caught one of your guys' games on ESPN2.

3:39 Congratulations on getting your[ __] licensed on ESPN for even bigger appeal,

3:44 not just digitally, but also linear reach.

3:46 I mean, you're doing fantastic.

3:48 We will follow along and watch your next business move as you

3:51 continue to go all in in this particular sphere, by the way.

3:54 So, I appreciate you doing what you're doing there.

3:57 Uh but football stadiums, how do you pick and choose where you're headed?

4:00 The because Texas A&M Kyle Field, obviously historic,

4:04 legendary place for college ball, fills up for you.

4:06 Do you feel like you fill up anywhere?

4:08 Or like what what are the best places for Savannah?

4:12 Cuz you came here, Indianapolis, filled up immediately.

4:15 I think you sold out three times if you needed to.

4:17 Are you everywhere right now?

4:18 Or how do you kind of view where you're selling these places?

4:21 Yeah, we're we're in 45 states, 75 stadiums.

4:24 Every single team has sold out.

4:26 We have 4.2 million people on the waitlist.

4:28 And yeah, with football stadiums, you know,

4:29 we we started with Clemson last year and the first college in stadium

4:33 and sold 81,000 tickets in the environment with Dabo Sweeney and C.J.

4:36 Spiller coming back and just it the atmosphere was electric.

4:39 Like, we got to do these college football stadiums.

4:41 And then, you know, also with the NFL,

4:42 we did the Superdome and Drew Brees came in and just

4:45 there's these great moments that we can create in a competitive environment.

4:48 So, yeah, we've heard from numerous uh stadiums over 100,000.

4:51 We still got We got Neyland Stadium, University of Tennessee in 3 weeks.

4:55 It's going to be 101,000.

4:56 That's completely sold out.

4:57 Boise State for the party animals, headliner and with the blue field,

5:00 that's going to be a lot of fun.

5:01 University of Oregon.

5:02 So, just you mix these worlds.

5:04 College football is known for the atmosphere.

5:05 Pat, you know this better than anyone.

5:07 But now you put in our show

5:08 with nonstop music and performances plus trick plays,

5:11 backflip catches, it's a great marriage and we're

5:13 having fun at these college football stadiums.

5:15 It's a beautiful thing.

5:16 Obviously, if people are getting introduced

5:18 to sports in this manner, we love it.

5:20 If they're just enjoying sports in this manner, we love it.

5:23 I appreciate the fact that you went out there and did it.

5:25 Now, in your business story, there's probably a climax moment or two.

5:28 Go ahead, D-Butt.

5:29 Yeah, Jess, you're talking about filling stadiums, you know, 100,000 plus.

5:33 Now, when was the moment, if you can go back a little bit,

5:35 when you really knew like, okay, we we've arrived.

5:38 When was that moment?

5:39 What was the venue?

5:40 Kind of what was the year?

5:41 Well, if you knew knew me and our organization, we've never arrived.

5:44 You You just getting started.

5:46 And that's the mindset and I believe that.

5:47 We're going to take this all over the world.

5:49 People think it's just a circus, just a show.

5:51 These guys can play and do things

5:52 that people never done before in a baseball field.

5:54 So, I still haven't felt that, but for me growing up south of Boston,

5:58 always a dream to play at Fenway Park, play professionally.

6:00 When we went to Fenway Park and sold

6:02 that out and watched the whole stadium turn yellow, that was pretty special.

6:05 But now, you know, every night, as big as this game was guys,

6:08 we did a pop-up game on Thursday in front

6:10 of only a thousand fans and we didn't tell anybody.

6:12 We went to a high school and surprised

6:13 fans and created moments people never seen.

6:15 Like, I love creating those fans

6:17 first moments that people have never experienced.

6:19 That's where this all comes into play.

6:20 Where could we play next?

6:21 You never know.

6:22 I'm excited a beach.

6:24 I'm excited for your I'm excited for your promotional

6:26 brain to continue to do absurd things.

6:28 I just want to let you know that.

6:29 I am excited to see what you come up with, brother.

6:32 There's a few of them in the history.

6:34 Big-time promoters.

6:35 Obviously, you are a promoter.

6:37 That is That is what you are.

6:38 With baseball being kind of your venue and how

6:41 you do this, you're you're hitting on all cylinders, man.

6:43 We got stilts guy home run.

6:45 Yep.

6:46 Uh Daisy Duke picture with cowboy boots, obviously awesome.

6:49 The ninja umpire.

6:50 The dancing All this[ __] and I don't know

6:54 I don't know what your brainstorming room is like.

6:56 I don't know when or how you come about getting your ideas or whatever,

7:00 but that in of itself is probably its

7:02 own show that I would like to watch, brother.

7:04 I'd like to see your process in coming up

7:06 with all this[ __] and then how you think it's

7:08 going to go over versus how it actually goes

7:10 over and adjusting on the fly and all of it.

7:12 I really respect what you got going on.

7:14 Thank you.

7:15 My question for you is I mean, again,

7:16 we're always trying to do things that have never happened before in sports.

7:18 Where do you think we should play?

7:19 Where would be somewhere crazy or something wild

7:22 or something we should do that would shock people?

7:24 That's a good one.

7:25 It's a good one.

7:26 The moon.

7:27 The moon, yes.

7:27 That's what we've talked about for a few years.

7:29 That's going to take a few years.

7:30 What else?

7:30 Okay, so something Times Square would be cool.

7:33 Times Square would be sick.

7:34 You can rent it out.

7:35 We learned that with care about dimensions, which is cool.

7:37 Like, obviously, these football fields dimensions are

7:39 Lucas Oil Stadium would show up for you.

7:41 Big Oh, that'd be wild.

7:42 If you did Lucas Oil Central Park, New That would be sweet.

7:47 Yeah.

7:48 So we're thinking of large patches of grass.

7:50 saw Shakira did 2 million on a beach.

7:51 So you didn't mention the beach.

7:53 That'd be The beach.

7:54 Yeah.

7:54 Well, it'd be tougher for the banana boys though to run on the sand.

7:57 You know, especially the boot scooter.

7:59 You know, he's going to be in a little bit of trouble out there.

8:02 We'd send the coconuts.

8:03 That's our That's our newest team, the coconuts.

8:04 They'd be all over the beach.

8:06 How many teams you got total?

8:07 Six?

8:07 We got six teams in the league being an animal champions.

8:10 Go clowns.

8:11 Yeah, the Indianapolis clowns obviously coming in a big way.

8:13 How do you feel about the cosmic baseball that's happening as well?

8:16 Hey, anything that can make the game fun, man.

8:18 We're supportive of it.

8:19 I mean, we're just trying to bring more people out and you know,

8:21 they're doing a great job and I think we all win and it's an abundance mindset

8:24 and the more people that are bringing out kids

8:26 and families to have fun, that's a win, man.

8:28 Love it.

8:29 As baseball continues to go and your league continues to produce great baseball,

8:33 it only works if there's good baseball players.

8:36 Go ahead, Tone.

8:36 Yeah, Jesse, you talked about how good the the players actually are.

8:39 One of the cool stories earlier in the season,

8:41 Tristan Peters used to play for the Savannah

8:43 Bananas is now playing on the White Sox.

8:44 I believe he's hitting like 284 for the White Sox.

8:47 So like I think a lot of people

8:48 think that it's like not actually talented baseball players,

8:51 but they they are, right?

8:52 They're some of the best baseball players in the world, correct?

8:55 Well, yeah.

8:56 Look at Jackie Bradley Jr.

8:57 World Series champion, All-Star, full-time player with the clowns.

8:59 He hit for the cycle the other night.

9:01 Uh we got guys, you know, first round pick, second round picks.

9:03 They can play and now they're just learning how to do unbelievable

9:06 trick plays and performances and putting it together and that's why man,

9:10 I it's so great, you know, we created this a bunch of us,

9:12 but I get to sit back and and be

9:14 a fan and watch things every night and just be like,

9:16 I can't believe that just happened and that's what's exciting about it.

9:19 Nothing surprises.

9:19 I mean, we get surprised every single night and that's what's crazy.

9:22 Love events, obviously.

9:24 AJ has the last question for you here, Jesse.

9:26 Yeah, Jesse, I'm curious like when you're

9:27 acquiring new talent, I guess first off, what's the process like trying to find

9:31 guys that are very talented baseball players, but also like entertainers and big

9:34 personalities and do you set expectations when

9:36 they sign because I'm thinking like hey we have a pop-up show on Thursday.

9:39 I thought I'm just here playing Kyle Field.

9:41 I don't want to I'm tired.

9:42 I don't want to go over here and play a game for a thousand people.

9:44 How do you deal with those kind of things?

9:46 Well, we're fortunate.

9:47 When you join us, you know what it's about.

9:48 It's about fans first.

9:49 You know, the reason we're here, the reason we get to play in front

9:51 of record-breaking crowds is because we put the fans

9:53 first and we're the first ones signing autographs

9:55 and meeting them and we're on all the time.

9:56 But yeah, it was hard at first guys, no one wanted to play for us.

9:59 I mean, it was impossible.

10:00 But now, you know, we have thousands of guys,

10:02 thousands of players and that are reaching out and it's it's

10:05 amazing to see because they know they have to be fans first.

10:08 They know we have to perform.

10:09 But I mean, we're getting like Derek Jeter Broadway,

10:12 one of the best Broadway performers ever.

10:13 He played college ball at UCLA back with Gerrit Cole, Trevor Bauer.

10:17 And so now he's bringing that world together.

10:19 So when you can mix the worlds of entertainment and sports together,

10:22 man, it's fun to watch.

10:23 I'm trying to start I'm trying to start being accurate with throwing.

10:27 I'm trying.

10:28 We're ready for you in Indy, man.

10:30 You put on a show.

10:31 I Well, yeah, I would like the show to be one that doesn't look ass.

10:35 I've seen it.

10:36 You know, we saw Tino.

10:37 Yeah, Tino Martinez.

10:39 That was awesome.

10:40 That's not that.

10:41 cool.

10:41 Saw Russell Wilson get gunned out after the guy goes in between the legs.

10:45 Drew Brees.

10:45 These guys are throwing 93 miles an hour, 94 miles an hour.

10:48 It's not easy.

10:49 THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.

10:49 I NEED TO PRACTICE.

10:51 BREES GOT SCREWED, TOO.

10:52 Back flip, was that the backflip catch?

10:54 Which one was the backflip catch?

10:56 We don't need that.

10:57 Who did that up?

10:58 Yeah, yeah, they'll they'll make you look bad with a trick play.

11:00 That's pretty that's Yeah, YEAH.

11:01 THEY'LL MOSS THE[ __] out of you.

11:03 Everybody you know you cuz you get a little people older than what it

11:07 maybe your demo is cuz I assume your demo is what it is, right?

11:10 We all see what it is.

11:11 And then their parents and they love it.

11:14 I think these people really enjoy their lives whenever

11:15 they're watching Savannah Banana Baseball and everything like that.

11:18 So you got some people that are like, I hate it.

11:20 It's corny or whatever.

11:22 It's like, I'm baseball this is bad for baseball.

11:24 It's like, all right, go out there.

11:25 You got a pitcher out there actually They're actually cooking while also doing

11:30 a full dance routine and then stepping on a mound and 100% 88 or whatever.

11:37 It's like how did these guys unbelievable baseball?

11:40 I didn't know there was this much talent in the baseball world.

11:43 I enjoy what you're doing.

11:44 I appreciate what you're doing and keep trailblazing brother.

11:47 Can't wait to watch what you do next.

11:49 I appreciate you guys.

11:50 Ladies and gentlemen, that's Jesse Cole.

11:52 Yeah, Jesse.

11:54 They're going to do docs and classes about him.

11:56 Oh, yeah.

11:57 Oh, yeah.

11:57 Anybody that does the whole mattress gimmick Mhm.

12:00 1.7 million in debt, belief, two tickets he has that.

12:04 We sold two tickets the first season we were there.

12:06 It's like yeah, that's part of the whole story.

12:09 It's like seven bucks production.

12:10 Yeah, I want to see that doc.

12:12 What's that?

12:12 That that documentary seven bucks as well though.

12:14 That that's crazy.

12:16 Yeah, you know, seven bucks always storyline, two tickets is another one.

12:19 Fans first.

12:20 Seven bucks the rock.

12:21 Yeah.

12:22 Only had $7.

12:23 sold the show.

12:24 Seven bucks in Mana, baby.