The Savannah Bananas Business Is Booming
Jesse Cole has built the Savannah Bananas into a world-class organization that is printing more and ... More more money. (Photo by Luke Johnson/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
This the third in a series of articles on the Savannah Bananas. The first two can be found here and here.
In 2023, the Savannah Bananas embarked upon their first real 'world tour,' playing 71 games across 21 states. When all was said and done, they played in front of 500,000 fans.
The next year, they actually played in fewer states (20), but they went big time: In March, they played their first game in a major league stadium (Minute Maid Park, now known as Daikin Park, in Houston). In June, a dream came true for Bananas owner and Boston native Jesse Cole, as his team played a game at Fenway Park. Later that summer they played at Progressive Field in Cleveland. In September, they went to Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. And then in October, they took over LoanDepot Park in Miami. In between, they played at all sorts of minor league stadiums, entertaining fans each and every night. The final tally for 2024 was just more than one million happy customers.
This year they set their sights even higher. Forty cities are on the schedule, across 28 states (plus the District of Columbia). They will play in 17 different MLB stadiums, including landmarks like Fenway Park (again), Yankee Stadium, and Camden Yards. But it is at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, where history was made. Over two nights earlier this month, the Savannah Bananas played in front of a total of 150,000 fans (75,000 each night). The Carolina Panthers normally play in that stadium on Sundays, but the city of Charlotte paid to convert into it a baseball field for marquee events over a weekend.
When the 2025 campaign is done, the Bananas will have danced, twerked, back-flipped, breakdanced, and delighted more than two million fans.
Any product specialist would love this level of growth. Jesse and his wife Emily, the co-founders and owners of the Bananas, are no different. But, when you ask Jesse about the ever-growing number of people their teams play in front of every night, he will tell you about the ever-growing level of stress to entertain.
Standing on the infield two hours before the Bananas second game in Anaheim a couple of weeks ago, Jesse said to me: 'You see 45,000 fans. I see 45,000 people with whom we have to make a connection. 45,000 people who need to have the time of the lives. I feel that obligation, and am committed to making it happen.'
That night in Anaheim set a two-day record for the team – playing in front of 90,000 fans. Fortunately for the Coles, that record was short-lived, as, referenced above, they broke it in Charlotte just one week later.
The Bananas will play 48 games this summer, with 39 of them on the road, in states all over the country. They will play only nine games in their home ballpark, Grayson Stadium, which sits right in the heart of Savannah, Georgia.
Fans cheer as the Savannah Bananas play their home opener against the Party Animals at Grayson ... More Stadium. (Photo by)
And while the Bananas don't need any homefield advantage, they do enjoy the control they have at home. Jesse and Emily are quite meticulous about concessions, which are all-you-can-eat and included in the price of admission in Savannah (burgers, hot dogs, chips, cookies, soda, water, popcorn). Unfortunately, when they play on the road (roughly 80% of the time), they must cede control of concessions to the owner of stadium. Thus, they are subject to what the local teams offer and charge. And their efficiency. The Coles are so cognizant of wait times for snacks that Emily has been known to jump behind the counter and help expedite matters to get fans back to their seats as quickly as possible.
In Savannah, tickets runs between $35-$40 – an incredible value considering all that it comes with. And if you want to become a VIB (a 'Very Important Banana,' of course), you can pay $125, which allows you to gain early entry to the park, and have pregame field access to meet and greet the players. Even at this low price, according to Tim Naddy, the Bananas' vice president of finance, the 'entire company can run off ticket revenues.'
Unfortunately, demand for tickets blows away supply. As of this summer, there is a three million person waiting list (that is not a typo), so getting an email stating you have 'won' the lottery and providing you access to tickets to an upcoming game can feel like Christmas in July. Nearly everyone who gets an invitation purchases tickets; but they often resell them on the secondary market. While the Coles frown on this practice, there is not much they can do about it. StubHub is currently listing tickets for upcoming games from as low as $86 to well-over $400. Even the cheapest ticket on one of these sites is multiple times what the team charges, and the owners never want their entertainment offerings to become cost prohibitive.
For the true Banana fan (Fanana?), one who wants to avoid paying exorbitant prices, you can join the K Club. Once a member of this illustrious organization – which will cost you just $59 this year – you can purchase up to six tickets to games before the lottery opens, giving you access to games, tickets, events, meet and greets, and premium experiences that never even reach the general public. There are K Club Ambassadors who serve you and provide members with the perfect experience. And, of course, K Club members get a first look at merchandise drops.
And merchandise is where it is at. Go to a Bananas game and there will be more merchandise tents than you can shake a banana peel at. They have them for the Bananas as well as their opponents. Most fans don't leave the park without something – a hat, t-shirt, jacket, or even a special Banana Wilson glove. There are jerseys, stress balls, stuffed animals, and even underwear. Everywhere you look at a Bananas game you will see people clad head to toe in gear. The team keeps total merchandise sales and best-sellers close to the vest, and because they keep an incredible inventory, it is impossible to know which items go fastest and/or offer the best profit margin. But even without spreadsheets and P&Ls, it is clear that merchandise is a profit center for the club. Naddy, the finance vice president, keeps merchandise sales separate from other revenue streams to ensure that 'merchandising isn't supplementing operations.'
An additional revenue source for the team is television broadcasting. They produce their own telecasts, and license various games to Disney+ and ESPN+. They have added TruTV, which is owned by TNT Sports, as an additional licensee. And that does not include their own YouTube channel. The team is looking to expand its television offerings, but they maintain that the in-person viewing is still the best way to experience the show.
The Savannah Bananas are owned and operated by Fans First Entertainment, a privately held company. According to the Huddle Up Substack, it possible that the team is worth as much as $1 billion. But without auditing their books, or until Jesse and Emily take their company public or at least seek investors based on a valuation, it is impossible to know for sure. What is known for sure is that the business is booming and growing each and every season. They have already taken a cruise to The Bahamas and will be heading to Cozumel, Mexico next February. One doesn't need to squint very hard to see their self-named 'World Tour' expanding to Europe and beyond in the coming years.
And yet, despite all of their accomplishments to date, the owners aren't resting on their laurels. They are using their success to continue to build their product, add teams, enhance the experience, and entertain even more fans.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
29 minutes ago
- CBS News
Wisconsin and NIL collective sue Miami, allege tampering and NIL inducements to land football player
The University of Wisconsin and its NIL collective VC Connect filed a joint lawsuit on Friday against the University of Miami, alleging it knowingly induced one of the Badgers' football players to abandon a lucrative name, image and likeness contract to play for the Florida this upcoming season. Allegations of tampering rarely get to this level and the 23-page lawsuit, which was filed in state court in Wisconsin and obtained by The Associated Press, is unusual. Depending on its resolution, it could have a a wider impact on future NIL deals across college athletics. The player in question in the filing is referred to only as "Student-Athlete A." But the case summary describes facts that line up with the situation involving cornerback Xavier Lucas, who last December announced his plans to enter the transfer portal. Shortly afterward, Darren Heitner, who has been representing Lucas, indicated that Wisconsin was refusing to put Lucas' name in the portal and that it was hindering his ability to talk with other schools. In January, Heitner announced that Lucas would be playing for Miami this fall. The situation is fallout from the rapid changes engulfing college athletics, specifically a combination of two things: Athletes went to court and won the ability to transfer with much more freedom and the 2021 NCAA decision clearing the way for them to strike NIL endorsement deals now worth millions of dollars. That has changed the recruiting landscape and forced the issue of contracts and signed commitments to the fore. "Indeed, student-athletes' newfound NIL rights will be rendered meaningless if third parties are allowed to induce student-athletes to abandon their contractual commitments," a portion of the lawsuit reads. Miami and Lucas were in talks before transfer decision, Wisconsin says Wisconsin said in January that it had credible information that Miami and Lucas made impermissible contact with each other before the former Badgers cornerback decided to transfer. Wisconsin and VC Connect allege that the inducement for Lucas to attend Miami happened within days of him entering his NIL agreement to play for the Badgers, and that they incurred substantial monetary and reputational harm. The lawsuit seeks unspecified monetary damages and "a declaration that Miami's conduct directed towards Student-Athlete A constituted tampering." A message left with the University of Miami seeking comment was not immediately returned. In a text message Friday, Heitner declined to comment on the lawsuit but he said that Lucas still plans to attend Miami and play football. Wisconsin said it had the support of its leadership and the Big Ten Conference in filing the lawsuit, noting its commitment to "ensuring integrity and fundamental fairness in the evolving landscape of college athletics." "While we reluctantly bring this case, we stand by our position that respecting and enforcing contractual obligations is essential to maintaining a level playing field," the statement said. "In addition to our legal action, we will continue to be proactive to protect the interests of our student-athletes, our program and the broader collegiate athletics community. Lucas, who is from Pompano Beach, Florida, had 12 tackles, an interception and a sack as a freshman for Wisconsin last season. Heitner said that Lucas hasn't received any money from Wisconsin and therefore owes no money to the school. Heitner also argued that Wisconsin had violated an NCAA bylaw by not entering Lucas into the transfer database within two business days of the player's request. Wisconsin issued a statement at the time saying it hadn't put Lucas' name in the portal because he had entered a two-year binding NIL agreement. In April, the surprise transfers of brothers Nico and Madden Iamaleava from Tennessee to UCLA prompted fresh questions about contracts and buyouts. Nico Iamaleava, who led Tennessee to the College Football Playoff last season, walked away from a reported $2.4 million NIL contract. Arkansas freshman quarterback Madden Iamaleava entered the portal after spring practices wrapped up. Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek released a statement indicating he would support efforts by the Razorbacks' NIL collective to enforce buyout clauses in athlete contracts. Iamaleava reportedly had a contract valued at $500,000 upon signing with Arkansas.
Yahoo
31 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton Opens Up on Calf Injury Before NBA Finals Game 7
Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton Opens Up on Calf Injury Before NBA Finals Game 7 originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton entered the team's first elimination game of these NBA Finals at home at Gainbridge Fieldhouse as a great question mark. He had injured his calf in Game 5, and did not look healthy in closing out that game, walking with a notable limp. Advertisement The question going into the win-or-go-home Game 6 for Indiana was two-fold: Would Haliburton play, and if so, would he be effective? We learned early on Thursday that the intention was that Haliburton would be on the floor. And we learned early in the game that he would, indeed, be effective. Haliburton led the Pacers to a laugher in the game, a 108-91 win that will now send the series to a Game 7 finale. Haliburton had 14 points and five assists, but was a plus-25 on the floor, as his presence was what really mattered for Indiana. After the game, he explained what went into him playing in Game 6--and what he'll carry into Game 7, injury-wise. Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) drives to the basket against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) in the first quarter during game six of the 2025 NBA Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images "I just look at it as I want to be out there to compete with my brothers. These are guys that I'm willing to go to war with and we've had such a special year, and we have a special bond as a group, and you know, I think I'd beat myself up if I didn't give it a chance," he said. Advertisement "I just want to be out there and fight and just had to have an honest conversation with coach (Rick Carlisle) that, you know, if I didn't look like myself and was hurting the team, like sit me down. Obviously, I want to be on the floor. But I want to win more than anything. So had an honest conversation with coach. But yeah, I want to be on the floor, and if I have the ability to, if I can -- like I said, if I can walk, I want to be out there." He will get one more chance to be out there for the Pacers. That will come Sunday in Oklahoma City for the finale. He said he knows the key for the Pacers will be putting Game 6 behind them and moving on. "Celebrate this one tonight and move on. It's done with. We did our job to take care of home court, and we have to be ready to compete in Game 7," he said. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 20, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Comtech Rejoins iCERT, Deepening Commitment to Public Safety Innovation
Renewed Membership Reinforces Public Safety Commitment and Expands Advocacy Platform CHANDLER, Ariz., June 20, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun. 20, 2025-- Comtech Telecommunications Corp. (NASDAQ: CMTL) ("Comtech" or the "Company"), a global communications technology leader, today announced that its Terrestrial & Wireless Networks ("T&W") business segment has rejoined the Industry Council for Emergency Response Technologies, Inc. ("iCERT"). Founded in 2005, iCERT is a commercial sector trade association that brings together leading technology companies to drive innovation, shape effective policy, and promote open standards that improve public safety and emergency response. This return to iCERT is part of a series of strategic moves by the T&W business segment, including the launch of Allerium Mira - a cloud-native call handling platform designed to simplify complexity and support evolving 9-1-1 needs. Together, these efforts reflect a renewed commitment to public safety and essential service providers, backed by the same trusted team, proven solutions, and industry-wide support. "We're excited to collaborate with iCERT as it expands its focus on key issues and innovations in emergency communications," said Susan Ornstein, Senior Director of Legal & Regulatory Affairs of Comtech T&W, who joined the association's board of directors earlier this month. "Under its new leadership, iCERT is amplifying the voice of its members on public policy issues and engaging partner associations like NASNA, NENA, and APCO to advance shared priorities across the public safety community. Together with iCERT, Comtech is well positioned to address pressing public safety and regulatory matters, and advocate for federal funding, legislation, and FCC policy updates." "Few organizations have meant as much to me throughout my career as iCERT," said Jeff Robertson, President of Comtech T&W. "Twenty years ago, I worked alongside two industry visionaries to establish this organization with the shared goal of fostering collaboration between the public and private sectors. I was privileged to serve as iCERT's inaugural executive director and have remained a strong advocate of its mission throughout my career. Seeing our company rejoin the iCERT community is especially meaningful. Comtech is committed to delivering results that help communities become safer, more connected, and resilient, and iCERT is a vital partner in advancing that work." "iCERT stands committed to propelling public safety forward, facilitating collaboration among its member base and industry stakeholders, and creating an environment that fosters innovation and progress," said Don Brittingham, Interim Executive Director of iCERT. "Members like Comtech play a vital role in strengthening the organization's depth and breadth of experience across the full public safety call flow. I am excited to welcome Jeff Robertson and his team back to iCERT and look forward to empowering public safety together." About Comtech Comtech Telecommunications Corp. is a leading provider of satellite and space communications technologies; terrestrial and wireless network solutions; Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) and emergency services; and cloud native capabilities to commercial and government customers around the world. Through its culture of innovation and employee empowerment, Comtech leverages its global presence and decades of technology leadership and experience to create some of the world's most innovative solutions for mission-critical communications. For more information, please visit About iCERT iCERT—The Industry Council for Emergency Response Technologies—is the only industry trade association focused exclusively on emergency response technologies and related equipment, systems, and services. iCERT is dedicated to improving public safety through innovation. For more information, please visit Forward-Looking Statements Certain information in this press release contains statements that are forward-looking in nature and involve certain significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results and performance could differ materially from such forward-looking information. The Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings identify many such risks and uncertainties. Any forward-looking information in this press release is qualified in its entirety by the risks and uncertainties described in such Securities and Exchange Commission filings. View source version on Contacts Investor Relations Maria Ceriello631-962-7102investors@ Media Contact Jamie
