Overview of How Jesse Cole Turned Baseball Into a Billion Dollar Show
In this episode of The School of Greatness with Lewis Howes, Jesse Cole расскаtes how he transformed the Savannah Bananas from a struggling college summer baseball team into the wildly popular Banana Ball phenomenon. The conversation centers on creativity, obsession with fan experience, and building a brand that prioritizes joy over tradition. Cole shares the long road from sleeping on an air mattress and running out of money to creating a fast-paced, entertainment-first sports empire that now fills stadiums, attracts massive social followings, and continues to expand.
Jesse Cole’s Origin Story
From athlete to entrepreneur
- Jesse grew up playing baseball and dreamed of becoming a professional pitcher.
- A shoulder injury in college ended that path, pushing him into coaching and eventually team management.
- He realized he was bored by traditional baseball from the dugout and started asking:
Why not make the game more entertaining?
The early grind
- He became GM of a struggling college summer team in Gastonia, North Carolina, with almost no money and very low attendance.
- Over about 10 years, he used that “laboratory” to test ideas, experiment with promotions, and learn what fans actually responded to.
- He and his wife Emily went through severe financial stress, including:
- sleeping on an air mattress
- selling their house
- going into major debt
- facing constant doubt from others
How Banana Ball Was Created
The idea
- Jesse wanted a version of baseball that was:
- faster
- more exciting
- more interactive
- built around nonstop entertainment
- He studied creators and showmen like:
- Walt Disney
- P.T. Barnum
- WWE
- Saturday Night Live
- Cirque du Soleil
From idea to real games
- He began testing rule changes and show elements in scrimmages and exhibition settings.
- The first intentional Banana Ball experiments happened around 2018–2020, with a major live launch during COVID when traditional baseball was shut down.
- The early games were chaotic, but they proved one thing: fans stayed engaged longer and wanted more.
What makes Banana Ball different
- The sport is designed around constant action and spectacle.
- Jesse explained that if fans are leaving early, the game itself is too slow.
- The experience includes:
- dancing players
- performances
- surprise moments
- music and crowd interaction
- entertainment before, during, and after the game
Fan-First Business Philosophy
“Start small, dream big”
- Jesse repeatedly emphasized that the brand began with small experiments and grew through iteration.
- His guiding principle: whatever is normal, do the opposite.
- He believes great brands are built by constantly “plussing the show” — a concept inspired by Walt Disney.
Why he refuses to sell out
- Jesse said he would never sell the company or take it public if it meant compromising the fan experience.
- He sees outside investors as a potential threat to the mission.
- His priority is not maximizing short-term profit, but:
- protecting the fan experience
- keeping prices accessible
- taking care of staff and players
- preserving the brand’s purpose
Scaling without losing identity
- Jesse acknowledges that growth creates tension:
- bigger venues
- more teams
- more logistics
- more pressure to monetize
- But he insists growth only matters if it improves the experience.
- He wants to build a long-lasting legacy, not a fast fad.
Family, Purpose, and Personal Motivation
Love and belonging as a driver
- Jesse shared that as a kid, he struggled with feeling seen and loved.
- His father did not say “I love you” growing up, and his birth mother was not consistently present.
- That absence shaped his desire to create environments where people feel:
- loved
- included
- important
- seen
His wife Emily’s role
- Emily has been a foundational partner in both business and family life.
- She supported the dream when they had nothing and later helped expand the mission into foster care and adoption.
- Together they became foster parents and eventually adopted two children.
Bananas Foster
- Inspired by their foster care journey, they launched “Bananas Foster” to honor families who support foster children and adoption.
- The organization’s mission now combines:
- entertainment
- family
- service
- community impact
Leadership and Culture
Obsession with detail
- Jesse’s leadership style is intensely hands-on.
- He and his team obsess over:
- every seat in the stadium
- the pre-show
- the post-show
- the emotional arc of the event
- He believes the pre-show is part of the show and the final impression matters just as much as the first.
Building a team that raises the bar
- He highlighted how players and performers are encouraged to innovate.
- Examples included:
- players dancing
- unique trick plays
- entertainers from Broadway and Cirque du Soleil joining the brand
- His goal is to keep raising the standard so the entire organization improves together.
Notable Insights
Core beliefs Jesse repeated
- Fans first
- Start small, dream big
- Whatever’s normal, do the opposite
- Last impression leaves a lasting impression
- Do what gives you energy
- Focus on creating joy
Key lessons from the conversation
- Great businesses are built through obsession, not convenience.
- You can scale a brand without losing its soul if values stay non-negotiable.
- Being misunderstood is often part of building something new.
- Emotional connection matters more than traditional industry norms.
- Family and mission can be deeply integrated, not separate.
Final Takeaways
This episode is less about baseball and more about vision, discipline, and daring to create something different. Jesse Cole’s story shows how a founder can turn a niche idea into a cultural movement by obsessing over joy, refusing to compromise on values, and building every decision around the customer experience. His journey also reveals the emotional roots behind the brand: a desire to help people feel seen, valued, and loved.
Memorable Quote Themes
- “Start small, dream big.”
- “Whatever’s normal, do the exact opposite.”
- “The pre-show is the show.”
- “Fans never leave.”
- “Do what gives you energy.”