How to Create Fans, Not Customers: The Story of the Savannah Bananas
This week’s episode is an almost surreal, escapist journey into the true story about how the Savannah Bananas became exceptional by being the exception. It's the story of the Savannah Bananas, a minor league baseball team with majorly passionate fans -- told through the ever-optimistic, yellow-tux wearing Jesse Cole.
It’s a team that borders on a circus, bucks baseball traditionalists, and is unapologetically authentic. It’s a team that deeply resonates with fans both near and far, whose players go through “Fan First U” to join the team, and then try all kinds of atypical things to entertain fans -- sometimes off the field, and often, on it. What’s the difference between a fan and a customer? Why should baseball's walks be sprints?
From dancing grandmas to babies in banana gear, hiring people using "future resumes" to asking fans for THEIR autographs instead. Even championships. Yes, winning baseball played by this wild and wacky team.
Don't miss this one. There's no other team like the Bananas.
Don’t miss an episode. Subscribe for free:
Apple | Spotify | Overcast | all other apps
SHARE THE SHOW:
Help others find Unthinkable in their favorite podcast player by sharing this link: https://pod.link/jay
SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:
https://jayacunzo.com/newsletter
Every Friday, I send a new idea, story, or framework for crafting more resonant work to thousands of subscribers, ranging from entrepreneurs, freelancers, and independent creators, to marketers and leaders at brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, Salesforce, the BBC, Wistia, HubSpot, Drift, ProfitWell, a16z, and the New York Times.
VOICES IN THIS EPISODE:
Jesse Cole: https://twitter.com/YellowTuxJesse
Founder of Fans First Entertainment and owner of the Savannah Bananas. He is also the author of “Find Your Yellow Tux – How to Be Successful by Standing Out” and host of the Business Done Differently podcast.
SPONSOR: Riverside
Riverside is the easiest way to record podcasts and videos in studio quality, from anywhere. Record separate audio tracks to avoid the cut-outs, optional video to enhance the show’s experience, and even clip content for sharing elsewhere, all without leaving the platform. Riverside is powerful enough to be used by Marvel, the NY Times, TED, Freakonomics, Indie Hackers, GaryVee, and Guy Raz, but simple enough for thousands of indie creators and new podcasters to use it for their shows.
Learn more and try it free at https://riverside.fm/
CONNECT WITH US ELSEWHERE:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/jayacunzo and https://twitter.com/UnthinkableShow
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/jacunzo
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/jayacunzo
- Email: jay@unthinkablemedia.com
PRODUCTION:
- Creator, host, writer, and editor: Jay Acunzo - https://jayacunzo.com
- Producer and researcher: Ilana Nevins - https://www.ilananevins.com