Banana Ball and the Attendee Experience

Banana Ball is on fire! Last week they inked a deal with ESPN, ABC and Disney+ to stream 25 games in 2026 (more than double 2025). Quite a few of the games will be played at sold-out major league ball parks.

The Savannah Bananas have taken the country by storm because of their incredible focus and innovation on delivering unforgettable, raving-fan experiences. Jesse Cole, the creator of Banana Ball, uses the Five E’s Blueprint for Fandom to guide the creation of an ever-evolging immersive and entertaining experience. His blueprint can inspire conference organizers to brainstorm new ways to stand out in a sea of sameness and convert attendees into long-term fans.

The 5 – E’s

1. Eliminate Friction

Transparent pricing, find and fix hidden fan annoyances. Focus on reducing friction for lines, fees and confusion.

Conference application — If you have a line at registration, get wait staff to distribute refreshing drinks or snacks using usherette trays. Don’t make potential supporters fill out a form to get your exhibitor or sponsorship prospectus.

2. Entertain Always

Eliminate boredom and re-engineer deadtime. The show starts in the parking lot.

Conference application — Open general session doors 30 minutes prior. Have a warm up emcee who interacts with the audience. Do the unexpected…hire local talent like a slam poet. Dancing is a big part of Banana Ball. Take a page from PCMA and get the Gardiner Brothers to perform their innovative Irish Dancing. Reduce boredome by expediting awards, sponsor stage time and monologues.

3. Experiment Constantly

Try new things each year. “Whatever is normal, do the exact opposite”.

Conference application — Hire a surprise celebrity or character cameo. Have them share a story about one or more attendees. Architect a unique and entertaining experience like an escape room, goat yoga or a game show.

4. Engage Deeply

“Do for one what you wish you could do for many.”

Conference application —Send emails from senior leadership that personally thank attendees for registering and offer assistance to make the most out of the conference. Have staff, board members and speakers personally welcome attendees as they enter a session or social gathering. Create an activation like Choose Chicago does at Convening Leaders where they provide CHIprises to random attendees.

5. Empower Action

Empower staff and vendors to “plus up” a fan’s day without asking permission.

Conference application — Take a page from SHRM and develop a random opportunities for conference kindness (ROCK) program. Provide arbitrary attendees a suite upgrade, VIP seating or special access. Purchase Uber and Starbucks gift cards for staff to randomly gift to attendees.

Watch the innovative founder of the Savannah Banana’s and Fans First Entertainment, Jesse Cole, explain the “You Wouldn’t Believe What They Did Marketing Strategy Behind the Savannah Bananas” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpIIXBOtrv4

Customer to Raving Fans

Cole advises using questions like these to prompt brainstorming for improving the fan experience.

1. What does a fan-for-life look like in your business?
2. What kind of experience would make a customer say, “I love you so much, I’d get your logo tattooed on me”?
3. How do you set the tone when someone starts working with you?
4. How can you create something special for a fan that you wouldn’t do for everyone else- a gesture that creates a memorable moment.
5. What’s “one more thing” you can add to the customer experience to surprise and delight them?