"Fans First" Philosophy 101

What a thrill to be at Historic Grayson Stadium, home of the world famous Savannah Bananas! It was a Monday afternoon, and business took me to Savannah, GA for a couple of days. I had a few hours to spare, and not expecting my friend Jesse Cole to be there, I thought I'd wander around on my own and take a few photos of the outside of the building.

Little did I know that I was about to receive the "Fans First" Treatment from none other than The Man In the Yellow Tux himself.

Everything you would already know about the Bananas is personified in Jesse Cole. Magnanimous, courteous, deferring the credit to the Bananas' incredible success to his many staffers instead of himself -- this is who he is. You can't help but feel good being in Jesse's orbit, because he makes you feel special.

The Bananas' "Fans First" philosophy seems to defy the very gravity of supply and demand that the sports industry has been built upon. If you can charge more, the 'experts' say, then the laws of business say you should.

Not the Savannah Bananas. It's all about putting the fan in the center of your decision-making, from pricing to pre-game to the game itself.

"Our ticket prices are still at $35, and that's an All You Can Eat ticket," he tells me. "Everyone else thinks we're crazy charging that little, especially with the demand we now have for Season Tickets. But we're committed to doing the right thing for our fans, and if we continue to do that, everything else will take care of itself."

The day I visited, the players were just reporting to Training Camp and seeing their brand new gear for the first time. Many players are known for their stunts and their personas on the field, including a member of the Party Animals infield whose moniker is "The Leprechaun", who had just received his custom 2024 glove, courtesy of Wilson. "It feels like Christmas right now!" he beamed.

The team had just finished a gourmet meal with two carving stations for lunch, courtesy of the front office. "We believe that our players need to feel as though we're taking care of them like royalty, just like we treat our fans," Jesse commented as we walked through the park.

He introduces me to his sizable creative team. "Ideas are everything," he explains. "These guys get together every day to come up with 10 creative ideas on a single theme. When new people come in, we generally have to 'loosen them up' a bit and get them to talk openly about what they're thinking, but once they get to talking, that's when the magic happens.

"The things we're putting together for our tour in 2024 have never been done before, and we're so excited about that."

Things like the "Golden Bat Rule": in the 9th inning of a game, a team can bring their star hitter up to the plate, no matter where he is in the batting order for that inning. ("BananaBall" is a thing unto itself; look it up if you're not familiar with it.)

They're introducing a new opponent this season: the Firefighters, complete with their own brand of player theatrics, stunts, and -- of course -- Firefighters merchandise.

They'll bring two semi trailers full of merchandise to each stop; the appetite for Bananas gear at each of their tour locations is unprecedented. Jesse estimates that 35-40% of those who will attend a game on the tour will buy at least one Bananas item. (Do THAT math, Merchandise Managers.)

The tour includes 6 major league ballparks in 2024, including Philadelphia, Boston and Houston, as well as several larger Minor League ballparks like Durham, Sacramento and Nashville.

Does he mind the analogy of being the "Harlem Globetrotters of baseball"? "Not at all; we're honored and humbled to be referred to that way. They were one of the most revered brands of all time. To be used in the same sentence with those guys is a huge honor."

In many ways, Grayson Stadium looks like many of the dozens of Minor League Baseball stadiums I've had the privilege of visiting. There are storage areas and back rooms in a state of disarray, getting ready for an Opening Day that's less than five weeks away. Other things look less like Minor League ballparks right now -- huge earth-moving trucks installing 1,000 more seats in the outfield, as well as a dozen workers installing new grandstand seating. ("A little expansion at a time here at home," says Jesse.)

The feeling that everyone in the organization is contributing to something special.

There wasn't a single person on the staff that we walked past that Jesse didn't say hello to or stop to make an introduction. From the kitchen staff to the senior creative director, everyone was a "special somebody" to Jesse Cole. He may be the guy doing the TV interviews, but he makes it clear to everyone that whatever your role is, you matter to the Man in the Yellow Tux.

As you lead YOUR team, whatever team you manage, consider these things that Jesse and the Bananas do constantly:

• How often do you stop and affirm the people you lead, ask them what they're up to, what they're excited about, and what they're working on right now?
• How often does it look like they're having a great time doing what they do?
• How many ideas do you work on generating with your team on a regular basis?
• How frequently do your people recommend others to open positions within your workplace as "a place they'd love to work"?
• If YOUR Opening Day is approaching, what is your plan to let your people know that they're royalty to you?

"Fans First" may run counter to the culture you're used to. In Jesse's view, however, you're either Fans First - or the first one forgotten.

-- Bill Guertin is Founder and Chief Executive of the Legacy Leaders Inner Circle, and Chief Learning Officer of ISBI 360 ,?a training, sales and recruitment company that increases revenue and results for the business side of sports & entertainment. Reach out to Bill at www.calendly.com/bill-isbi360 .