Inside The Savannah Bananas’ Magic with Co-Owner Emily Cole

Before their rowdy “Banana Ball” concept sold out every game, Emily and Jesse Cole risked everything for this wild idea that turned America’s favorite pastime on its head. Emily grew up in an active, sports-filled life, then dove into the sports world with a Marketing/PR degree — always in baseball.

When she met Jesse, they teamed up for a never-been-done phenomenon: The Savannah Bananas — a no-ad ballpark, a team that could break out in dance, all-you-can-eat concessions, and high-stakes baby crawling races. Now, Emily’s seen a string of  200+ consecutive sell-outs and has a new charity, bringing even more joy to the South.

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You and Jesse have shaken up baseball for a decade. How did The Savannah Bananas begin?

While we owned our first wooden bat league team in Gastonia, NC, we went to Savannah and saw this fantastic stadium and market. We told the League Commissioner that if it ever opened up, we’d love to put another team here. Lo and behold, the following year, the Savannah team went to Columbia, SC. So, we bought an expansion franchise and went over a million dollars in debt to do it.

As young professionals, we had no right to do this. We had no family money; we were scraping by and getting loans. But that’s how we did it. We started a brand new team here in Savannah, and the first season was in 2016.

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How does your “fans first” ethos extend throughout The Bananas world?

The “fans first” ideology and the whole entertainment concept started at our Gastonia team first, but we went all in when we came to Savannah. Savannah itself is an eccentric and fun city. Everything is alive here. It felt like a good market to bring this crazy entertainment concept to. But we try to keep things simple. Thousands of people work for the team just in Savannah — full-time players, interns, game-day staff, etc.

On your first night as a staff worker, you might see somebody drop their popcorn and know the right thing to do is get another popcorn and pass it to them. You don’t have to get a manager. There are no steps and processes to do the right thing. That’s the mantra we live by here, and everywhere we perform.

How do you recruit players on board with The Savannah Bananas’ shenanigans?

In the beginning, it was like pulling teeth trying to get somebody to play for us, let alone dance. We had to sell this idea of fun and going back to playing the game as they knew it as kids. We’re taught to be serious in our work, to act like we’ve done it before, and not to make a big deal of things. Like many things, it just takes a few people to believe in it.

We had a dance choreographer come in one day. Most players ran off the field saying, “Absolutely not. This is so crazy.” But a couple of guys embraced it and danced in those first few games. At the end of the night, they had lines a mile long for autographs and pictures. It showed the team it’s possible to do both. We can be great athletes and still entertain and have a great time.

 

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We’ve had to be intentional as it’s grown. People see the success and the players’ millions of followers online, which appeals to many athletes. But at this point, it’s become more of a referral basis. If someone in the organization says, “Hey, I played with this guy back in college; he’s a Banana through and through,” he knows our expectations. That’s easier than going through the thousands of résumés and highlight reels we receive daily.

Your reach now extends beyond baseball to your nonprofit, Bananas Foster. How did that come about?

We create so much joy every night. That’s a big goal. But when you get to this size and have the platform we have, it comes with a responsibility to do more good and lead by example. Jesse and I have been foster parents for years; it’s always been on our hearts. When Jesse came up with the name Bananas Foster in the middle of the night, there was no going back.

Our games are very family-oriented. We’re trying to bring families together, and that’s what the whole foster care system is about. We wanted our nonprofit to align with who we are as a company, so Bananas Foster was born. Our cast and players are so bought in and committed to making these kids and families feel important.

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Do you have a touching story about how the team and organization interact?

We’re intentional about the stories we choose to share. It’s not always a child; it might be a social worker, lifelong foster parents, or a family welcoming their first placement. Every story resonates differently. We don’t always want to hit the young couple who’s having infertility issues. It’s everybody.

Recently, a young kid graduated from high school. He was aging out of care and didn’t have anywhere to go. We helped him get what he needed for college and to live on his own because the statistics show that homelessness is so high after kids age out of care. That’s just an example of the stories our fans hear each night.

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What’s something people are surprised to learn about you?

Most people don’t realize we are licensed foster parents. They think The Bananas are our world because it has gotten so big and we travel all the time. But we just adopted two girls out of foster care, and we still bring kids into our home. It’s a juggling act, and as crazy as it is, we’re still completely, personally committed to that cause.

What’s a common misconception people have about the Savannah Bananas?

That our games are scripted. They compare us to the Globetrotters, which we consider an honor, but the biggest differentiator is that when our guys go out on the field, it is completely competitive. We don’t know what will happen every night, so the fans don’t either. It’s not always the home team that wins. It’s not always the Bananas. There won’t always be a home run or a trick play. I don’t even know how you would script a home run!

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What’s the best advice you’ve received, and from whom?

To Jesse and me, it was always to continue dating each other. And “When children join your family, bring them into your lifestyle instead of molding them into theirs.” That came from a lot of different couples who we look up to.

Besides faith, family, and friends, name three things you can’t live without.

Books, my water bottle, and sunshine.

LIGHTNING ROUND!

Favorite recent book or podcast? I just started The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins, and I love it so far.
Bucket list vacation destination? A road trip across the US that ends up in the Pacific Northwest
Favorite “hidden gem” in Georgia? Tybee Island. It’s so close and often taken for granted.
Go-to birthday present to give? A Saranoni blanket (They have such an incredible story!)

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For more inspiring Southern women and their stories, visit our FACES archives!