Why This Baseball Team Has a 4.2 Million Person Waitlist With Jesse Cole | A Bit of Optimism Podcast

We talk a lot about building successful things. But what does it actually take to build something people love? Jesse Cole has built an entirely new genre of entertainment: The Savannah Bananas and the Banana Ball League. They’re a viral sensation, selling out stadiums across the country, and have over 4.2 million fans on their ticket waitlist. On the surface, Banana Ball looks like a wild and entertaining version of baseball. But underneath it all is something much more disciplined: an obsession with the fan experience. Jesse calls his approach _Fans First_ and it’s more than a slogan and the title of his book… It’s a standard. Every minute of the two-hour games are crammed with attention grabbing spectacle. It’s a full-blown live experience designed for every seat in the stadium: players dance, fans are part of the show, trick plays defy the laws of physics, there are multiple sing-alongs… all during an actual baseball game. In this conversation, we talk about building something new for others, from embracing years of failure (including selling just two tickets in the first three months), to creating experiences that make people feel included, joyful, and valued. We also discuss how he took inspiration from Disney and PT Barnum, the importance of affordable in-person experiences, and how his team reviews every single detail after every show to get better the next day. Because what Jesse’s building goes beyond just entertainment. It’s a place where people can feel seen for generations to come. And in a world that often moves too fast to build things with care… Those human details might be what matter most. This… is A Bit of Optimism. + + + To learn more about the Banana Ball League or sign up for the ticket waitlist, check out: https://bananaball.com/ Or if you want all things Savannah Bananas, head to: https://thesavannahbananas.com/ + + + Chapters 00:00 Think of Every Customer's Experience 02:38 Why Jesse Started the Bananas: Putting Yourself in Fan Shoes 05:10 Inspiration from Walt Disney and PT Barnum 06:19 Ten Years of Experimentation and Failure Before the Savannah Bananas 08:01 Fans First: Building for People, Not Baseball Traditionalists 08:57 Competing Against Netflix and Video Games, Not Other Baseball 09:56 The Philosophy of Feeling Alive and Creating Joy 10:41 Building a Team: From 200 to 1000 Staff with 14,000 on the Waitlist 11:15 The Modern-Day Walt Disney: Refreshing Entrepreneurship 13:00 Sleeping on an Air Mattress: The Early Struggles 13:51 The First Night Story: Fans First Isn't Just a Slogan 16:54 Learning from the Harlem Globetrotters 18:36 The Players: Rejected Dreams Become Second Chances 39:11 Winning the Upper Deck: Making Every Seat Special 40:59 Hall of Famer Lee Smith's Philosophy: Seeing the Person 24:18 Walt Disney's Obsession with Details: Garbage Cans and Ride Times 25:42 Building for Human Beings, Not Bottom Lines 26:27 One Financial Meeting a Year: The Long Game 27:21 Fear of Irrelevance: Staying Emotionally Connected 27:59 The Yellow Tuxedo: Permission to Have Fun 33:41 Why Now? Disconnection and the Hunger for Human Connection 45:58 Pricing Philosophy: Keep It Accessible, Find Other Ways 50:24 Calling Every Fan to Say Thank You 51:23 Fan Story: The Father with Seven Kids 53:47 Jesse's Childhood: From Shy Kid to Entertainer 54:55 Swing Hard in Case You Hit It: A Life Philosophy 57:41 The Story of Reggie: Everyone Wants to Feel Part of Something 1:01:35 Becoming Lee Smith: Sitting Next to the Lonely Kid + + + Simon is an unshakable optimist. He believes in a bright future and our ability to build it together. Described as “a visionary thinker with a rare intellect,” Simon has devoted his professional life to help advance a vision of the world that does not yet exist; a world in which the vast majority of people wake up every single morning inspired, feel safe wherever they are and end the day fulfilled by the work that they do. Simon is the author of multiple best-selling books including Start With Why, Leaders Eat Last, Together is Better, and The Infinite Game. + + + Website: http://simonsinek.com/ Live Online Classes: https://simonsinek.com/classes/ Podcast: http://apple.co/simonsinek Instagram: https://instagram.com/simonsinek/ Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/simonsinek/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/simonsinek Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simonsinek Simon’s books: The Infinite Game: https://simonsinek.com/books/the-infinite-game/ Start With Why: https://simonsinek.com/books/start-with-why/ Find Your Why: https://simonsinek.com/books/find-your-why/ Leaders Eat Last: https://simonsinek.com/books/leaders-eat-last/ Together is Better: https://simonsinek.com/books/together-is-better/ + + + #SimonSinek

Simon SinekhostJesse Coleguest

Apr 14, 20261h 5mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: April 14, 2026
Duration: 1h 5m
Channel: Simon Sinek
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

We talk a lot about building successful things. But what does it actually take to build something people love? Jesse Cole has built an entirely new genre of entertainment: The Savannah Bananas and the Banana Ball League. They’re a viral sensation, selling out stadiums across the country, and have over 4.2 million fans on their ticket waitlist. On the surface, Banana Ball looks like a wild and entertaining version of baseball. But underneath it all is something much more disciplined: an obsession with the fan experience. Jesse calls his approach _Fans First_ and it’s more than a slogan and the title of his book… It’s a standard. Every minute of the two-hour games are crammed with attention grabbing spectacle. It’s a full-blown live experience designed for every seat in the stadium: players dance, fans are part of the show, trick plays defy the laws of physics, there are multiple sing-alongs… all during an actual baseball game. In this conversation, we talk about building something new for others, from embracing years of failure (including selling just two tickets in the first three months), to creating experiences that make people feel included, joyful, and valued. We also discuss how he took inspiration from Disney and PT Barnum, the importance of affordable in-person experiences, and how his team reviews every single detail after every show to get better the next day. Because what Jesse’s building goes beyond just entertainment. It’s a place where people can feel seen for generations to come. And in a world that often moves too fast to build things with care… Those human details might be what matter most. This… is A Bit of Optimism. + + + To learn more about the Banana Ball League or sign up for the ticket waitlist, check out: https://bananaball.com/ Or if you want all things Savannah Bananas, head to: https://thesavannahbananas.com/ + + + Chapters 00:00 Think of Every Customer's Experience 02:38 Why Jesse Started the Bananas: Putting Yourself in Fan Shoes 05:10 Inspiration from Walt Disney and PT Barnum 06:19 Ten Years of Experimentation and Failure Before the Savannah Bananas 08:01 Fans First: Building for People, Not Baseball Traditionalists 08:57 Competing Against Netflix and Video Games, Not Other Baseball 09:56 The Philosophy of Feeling Alive and Creating Joy 10:41 Building a Team: From 200 to 1000 Staff with 14,000 on the Waitlist 11:15 The Modern-Day Walt Disney: Refreshing Entrepreneurship 13:00 Sleeping on an Air Mattress: The Early Struggles 13:51 The First Night Story: Fans First Isn't Just a Slogan 16:54 Learning from the Harlem Globetrotters 18:36 The Players: Rejected Dreams Become Second Chances 39:11 Winning the Upper Deck: Making Every Seat Special 40:59 Hall of Famer Lee Smith's Philosophy: Seeing the Person 24:18 Walt Disney's Obsession with Details: Garbage Cans and Ride Times 25:42 Building for Human Beings, Not Bottom Lines 26:27 One Financial Meeting a Year: The Long Game 27:21 Fear of Irrelevance: Staying Emotionally Connected 27:59 The Yellow Tuxedo: Permission to Have Fun 33:41 Why Now? Disconnection and the Hunger for Human Connection 45:58 Pricing Philosophy: Keep It Accessible, Find Other Ways 50:24 Calling Every Fan to Say Thank You 51:23 Fan Story: The Father with Seven Kids 53:47 Jesse's Childhood: From Shy Kid to Entertainer 54:55 Swing Hard in Case You Hit It: A Life Philosophy 57:41 The Story of Reggie: Everyone Wants to Feel Part of Something 1:01:35 Becoming Lee Smith: Sitting Next to the Lonely Kid + + + Simon is an unshakable optimist. He believes in a bright future and our ability to build it together. Described as “a visionary thinker with a rare intellect,” Simon has devoted his professional life to help advance a vision of the world that does not yet exist; a world in which the vast majority of people wake up every single morning inspired, feel safe wherever they are and end the day fulfilled by the work that they do. Simon is the author of multiple best-selling books including Start With Why, Leaders Eat Last, Together is Better, and The Infinite Game. + + + Website: http://simonsinek.com/ Live Online Classes: https://simonsinek.com/classes/ Podcast: http://apple.co/simonsinek Instagram: https://instagram.com/simonsinek/ Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/simonsinek/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/simonsinek Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simonsinek Simon’s books: The Infinite Game: https://simonsinek.com/books/the-infinite-game/ Start With Why: https://simonsinek.com/books/start-with-why/ Find Your Why: https://simonsinek.com/books/find-your-why/ Leaders Eat Last: https://simonsinek.com/books/leaders-eat-last/ Together is Better: https://simonsinek.com/books/together-is-better/ + + + #SimonSinek

SPEAKERS

Simon Sinek
host
Author and speaker, host of the A Bit of Optimism podcast.
Jesse Cole
guest
Founder of the Savannah Bananas and creator of the fan-first “Banana Ball” entertainment approach.

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Simon Sinek, featuring Simon Sinek and Jesse Cole, Why This Baseball Team Has a 4.2 Million Person Waitlist With Jesse Cole | A Bit of Optimism Podcast explores how Savannah Bananas engineered joy-first baseball with relentless experimentation Jesse Cole explains that the Bananas were born from putting themselves in non-baseball fans’ shoes and treating baseball as a canvas for a live “show” that removes boredom and maximizes joy.

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