The Savannah Bananas made history on Saturday night, selling sold out an NFL stadium. 65,000 strong flocked to Raymond James Stadium in Tampa to watch the minor league baseball version of the Harlem Globetrotters take on the Savannah Party Animals. Banana Ball has swept the nation, and fans can’t get enough of it.
The Bananas won the game 11-10 but the final score never mattered. Neither did the names of the players or the stakes of the contest. People felt they needed to be there or they’d miss something special. That’s what FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) creates. The game had fireworks, live musical performances, in-game contests and interviews, and the most important ingredient, non-stop entertainment.
To put it in perspective, the Tampa Bay Rays would need 3 or 4 games to attract that many people to watch them play at home. The Miami Marlins may need five or six. One could argue that the Bananas come through a city like a traveling circus, so it’s a unique experience. That’s true. Although I’ll remind you that whether they win or lose and regardless of who’s on the field, people want to see the show. That’s what spectacular marketing and creative content can deliver.
As I looked on social media at the buzz surrounding the event, I thought about the reasons why Banana Ball has caught on with fans in all cities. For starters, it’s fast paced, and entertaining. Next, it’s affordable. Then comes the understanding of being social media friendly and interesting. Finally, it feels big, special, and an event you can’t afford to miss.
The Bananas have become the baseball equivalent of a Taylor Swift concert. Except people who attended Taylor’s ‘Era’s Tour’ had to spend thousands to go. They knew something great was happening, and needed to be there. The Bananas deliver that same feeling except you can still pay your mortgage at the end of the month.
What’s wild is that this team just arrived on the scene as a brand in 2016. In less than 10-years, they’ve become a cultural phenomenon, and massive success. Jesse Cole wanted his team to own a different identity, and look and play a certain way. They created their own league and lingo, sped up the game, introduced live performances and stunts, and championed lighter commentary. Most importantly, they’re priced differently.
Claiming to be fans first is easy but backing it up is harder. The Bananas have done that by introducing a cost effective, family friendly, creative, unique, and entertaining experience that people are drawn to. It’s reflected in the team’s broadcasting approach too, where games air on YouTube for free rather than on TV where it costs and inconveniences fans. Jesse Cole has said before, ‘normal gets normal results‘ and ‘attention beats marketing 1000% percent of the time‘. It’s exactly why this team and league is red hot.
Consider now how that relates to the media industry. If I gave you ten years to build a brand that would change the game and your industry and business, could you do it? How would you do it? What would you eliminate that you’re currently doing?
Keep in mind, the Bananas don’t have Major League Baseball budgets. You wouldn’t either. But they have something many inside media circles lack, guts. They’ll try things, and fail because they know that when they connect, it results in an NFL stadium selling out. You’re not going to enjoy the biggest wins of your career and take a brand to record levels by playing it safe. If your strategy is built on chasing meters rather than creating fan connections, and understanding how those connections relate to revenue, you’ll lose every time.
FS1, CNN, MSNBC and others have had a decade to try and beat ESPN and Fox News but they haven’t. Radio brands like Z100, WTOP, and WFAN keep winning regardless of who they feature and compete against, which is a testament to the connection they’ve formed with their audience, and advertisers. It also suggests though that competitors haven’t done enough to force a change in behavior. If all you have are different talent, a different name, and a different channel or dial position, you’ll continue to get beat.
When people are emotionally connected to the talent, content, and brand, it makes them more interested. The more interested they are, the more loyal they become. Why do you think Apple leans in each year to branding the NEW iPhone? It’s to create urgency, and make you feel that you can’t keep up in the world without their latest model. Because they’ve earned trust, value their customers, and never stop innovating, they’re still one of the world’s most dominant businesses.
A decade or two seems like a long time to change the world, but it really isn’t. The Bananas are living proof. I’m not going to suggest that Banana Ball is going to replace MLB anytime soon. That’s highly unlikely. But if the best don’t evolve, and others meet the moment, people will pivot and find other forms of entertainment. Once they do, it’s hard as hell to get them back.
As it relates to media brands, if you’re in the driver’s seat, don’t take your foot off the gas and assume that you’ve figured it out. Improvements can always be made regardless of your ratings or revenue success. If you’re the new kid on the block, examine where the opportunities are, what the market lacks, experiment with new ideas, and don’t stop tweaking until you’ve created something special. If you play your cards right, maybe one day you’ll have your own identity and lingo, and a nation full of fans.
A Tribute to to Bob Rivers
I didn’t grow up in Seattle and listen to Bob Rivers yet felt like I knew him and his show 3,000 miles away. During my early radio days, I worked in rock radio for two years. The hosts I produced played Rivers’ bits in Albany and Poughkeepsie NY, and never told me they were from a morning show in Seattle. Instead it’d be something along the lines of ‘JB, this came in from the production house, can you load it in for tomorrow’s show’? I’d take the CD or minidisc audio, load it in, and it’d air the next morning.
At last year’s Radio Hall of Fame, I had the pleasure of meeting Bob for a few minutes. It was a cool moment because I was a fan of Bob’s radio brilliance. I shared how I learned of his work, and he informed me that many morning shows across the country helped themselves by using his material. We posed for a quick photo, I congratulated him on his HOF honor, and then chatted with Spike O’Neill for a few minutes.
Few were as creative, funny, and unique as Bob Rivers. His passing saddened me when I heard the news last Tuesday. The stories shared on KISW last week showed how important he was to Seattle radio. If there’s one thing we can do to remember Bob, take a minute today and log on to YouTube to listen to one of his Twisted Tunes. You’ll laugh a lot and be glad you listened.
Quick Hits:
- The 2025 BSM Summit is shaping up very nicely. I’ll have a few more speakers to announce tomorrow morning. Those interested in attending the show can purchase tickets here. We’ve also just sent out details to a number of Midwest Universities on how students can win free tickets to the event. I’ll be giving industry members a chance to win tickets as well this week. Stay tuned!
- A major blunder was committed recently at MSNBC. Details of the network’s planned layoffs were printed out, and then discovered by a staffer, who then alerted co-workers of what was coming. Deciding who to keep, cut, and how to grow a business is hard. But leaders are trusted with proprietary information, and tasked with handling sensitive situations. Sloppiness like this should never happen, and when it does, it raises questions about whether or not a manager can be counted on to execute the next situation.
- One of the best things I saw last week was this post by Audacy Houston Market Manager Sarah Frazier. I attended CRS and listened to Sarah talk about big ideas, and her goal of selling a sponsorship for the ‘Glitter Shitter‘. Well, she did it, selling the opportunity at CRS to Monument Records. I get frustrated when I see brands create bland opportunities that do little to excite audiences and advertisers, so when I see great ideas discussed, brought to life, and executed well, I think it’s important to pass it along. Creativity is far from dead in the radio industry. We just need more Sarah Frazier’s.
- Congrats to Pat McAfee and his team on selling out PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh for the upcoming ‘Big Night Aht‘. Time spent with McAfee and friends is usually filled with laughs, high volume conversations, and appearances from popular sports figures. Pittsburgh folks will be in for a treat.
- Did anyone notice that the text size on YouTube is now smaller on mobile? Does this mean longer titles will become more popular? I’m not sure, but the latest update has to mean something. Keep an eye on this.
- Anytime I see my guys doing well, it brings a smile to my face. ESPN has been giving Joe Fortenbaugh a little more run on First Take and each time he’s been featured, he’s delivered. I hope to see more of it.
- The team at ESPN New York deserves props for creating a masterpiece. This video below was created to unveil the station’s new studios. The Full House vibe and buy in from the talent made it fun to watch. I did so multiple times. Well done by all involved. Whoever came up with the idea for this, give them a raise Vinny 🙂
- I’m a huge fan of Inside The NBA on TNT. Shaq, Kenny, Charles and Ernie are as good of a team as there is on television. But as much as I enjoy the crew, it’s indefensible for Shaq to not know who the head coach of the Detroit Pistons is on a basketball show. Personality may be the key to the show’s success, but is it too much to ask for an analyst to be prepared?
- The conversation between B-Dub and Craig Morgan about exposing legendary artists to younger musicians, and the role social media platforms play in launching and growing music careers was very interesting. Worth your time to watch this.
- If I gave out a Star of the Week award it’d go this week to Texas Men’s Basketball Coach Vic Schaefer. The Longhorns coach last week recognized a few young reporters who made a 16-hour drive to cover his team. Schaefer showed his gratitude by offering to list himself as a reference on their resume. It was an example of all that’s right between media and athletics. Kudos to Paul Finebaum for giving it attention, and sharing his own story of how LSU Men’s Basketball Coach Dale Brown befriended him, and allowed him to list him as a reference on his resume when Paul was trying to break into the business.
- iHeartmedia Dallas, San Antonio and Austin Director of Operations Jason McCollim is a sharp guy, who is bullish on the radio business. If you haven’t read his thoughts on Facebook or LinkedIn, make it a point to do so. He always gives you something to think about. This post in particular was excellent.
- Jeff Lynn came up with a 10-question survey to see how music radio professionals are feeling following another round of industry layoffs. If you work in a music format and haven’t participated yet, please do so. The results will be shared in a future column. All who participate in the survey will remain anonymous.
- I watched Terrie Carr‘s interview with former Quiet Riot and Black Sabbath bass player Rudy Sarzo. The interview was easy to follow, and I loved Carr’s line ‘music is time travel‘. More importantly, Terrie’s energy and passion for conversation and the music she plays is infectious. Great job, Terrie.
- Looking for new music? Put Volbeat‘s ‘By a Monster’s Hand‘, Sick Puppies‘ ‘Find a Way‘, and Walk Off The Earth‘s cover of ‘On The Road Again‘ on your list of tunes to check out.
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Jason Barrett is the Founder and CEO of Barrett Media. The company launched in September 2015 and has provided consulting services to America’s top audio and video brands, while simultaneously covering the media industry at BarrettMedia.com, becoming a daily destination for media professionals. Prior to Barrett Media, Jason built and programmed 95.7 The Game in San Francisco, and 101 ESPN in St. Louis. He was also the first sports programmer for SportsTalk 950 in Philadelphia, which later became 97.5 The Fanatic. Barrett also led 590 The Fan KFNS in St. Louis, and ESPN 1340/1390 in Poughkeepsie, NY, and worked on-air and behind the scenes at 101.5 WPDH, WTBQ 1110AM, and WPYX 106.5. He also spent two years at ESPN Radio in Bristol, CT producing ‘The Dan Patrick Show’ and ‘GameNight’. JB can be reached on Twitter @SportsRadioPD or by email at Jason@BarrettMedia.com.
