“If You Build it, he will come”
The quote was made famous by the 1989 baseball classic movie “Field of Dreams” when Ray Kinsella hears the voice of Shoeless Joe Jackson whisper this iconic phrase. I love the game of baseball and this movie because Ray did something completely irrational by plowing under his farmland to create a baseball field. It created an emotional connection that few movies do, and now, in fact, MLB plays a real game on that same field. In much the same way, Jesse Cole, the owner of the Savannah Bananas did something completely different and some may say irrational to create the “Greatest Show in Sports.”
Attending a Savannah Banana game was one of my wife’s Lori’s bucket list items. So when we had the opportunity to attend a weekend trip with Young Life staff and Young Life fans to Savannah to attend a game we did not hesitate. However, much like Ray Kinsella back in the farmland of Iowa, we received so much more than just attending a game.
The Savannah Bananas have revolutionized baseball by turning it into a non-stop party for both fans and players. Launched in 2016 the team started out as a fledgling summer collegiate league. Jesse came in and knew he had to do things differently and continually innovate to be successful.
Starting with a name that raised eyebrows and a mission to make baseball fun again. Jesse, with his showman’s flair, ditched traditional rules and created “Banana Ball”—a fast-paced, two-hour spectacle where fans can catch foul balls for outs, batters are penalized for stepping out of the box, and no one dares to bunt. What began as a local experiment has exploded into a nationwide phenomenon, with sold-out crowds, viral videos, and a traveling team often dubbed the “Harlem Globetrotters of baseball.” The Bananas blend athletic skill with wild entertainment, proving that America’s pastime can be both full of excitement and hilariously unpredictable. If Young Life Camp was baseball - this would be it!
Lori and I have been the owners of an Everbowl franchise since October of 2023 and we have the opportunity to serve our guests and our staff in a fast-paced and fun environment. Everbowl is an Acai bowl, quick-serve restaurant that specializes in creating amazing bowls and smoothies to give people “Fuel for Movement.” In addition to serving people, we strive to build community and create an amazing experience for our guests. Our store is in Bloomington Indiana on the campus of Indiana University.
In addition to operating the store, we have the opportunity to coach and mentor our staff since they are all high school or college age. The weekend in Savannah gave us an opportunity to take a step back and understand the humble beginnings of the Bananas and how they have grown in popularity by putting “fans first” in everything they do.
Culture is the heartbeat of the Savannah Bananas organization, shaping everything from their crazy on-field antics to their behind-the-scenes operations. The core of their culture is the “Fans First” philosophy, which prioritizes creating unforgettable experiences for fans and empowering employees to innovate and take risks. This approach is embedded in every aspect of the organization, from their unique hiring practices that assess cultural fit to their regular “Idea Paloozas” where team members brainstorm creative ways to delight fans. By embracing a culture that celebrates experimentation and rapid implementation of ideas, the Savannah Bananas have transformed traditional baseball into an engaging and inclusive spectacle, resonating with audiences far beyond the sport’s typical fan base.
The agenda for the weekend was all about making connections with others on the trip, building community, learning best practices from the Banana’s “Fans First” culture, and how to apply them to our own business. We were able to connect with other business owners that are passionate about serving others and of course serving God.
One of the exciting things about this trip was how ministry staff walked away from the Bananas experience with a similar excitement for how they can infuse the “fans first” mentality into their work with kids just as we saw the applications for our business. We were each able to translate the experience and see ways to affect our own corners of the world. We met so many other adults surrounding Young Life who have unique ways God has positioned each of them to make Kingdom impact and each person got creative ideas for how to do that from this trip to Savannah.
So what did we learn? We learned a lot! Here are some specific key lessons we took away from this weekend that we could implement in our business. The idea of reducing friction in the guest experience, empowering staff to leverage their unique gifts, and using a new approach to hiring. In addition, I added a purple top hat and jacket to my wardrobe, following in Jesse’s yellow tuxedo and top hat uniform. It’s fun to stand out and bring attention to your product or service. The Instagram followers and engagement has increased and we’re having tons of fun!
As an enterprise, Everbowl just celebrated “National Acai Bowl Day.” This is our Super Bowl as a franchise. We give away free açaí bowls for two hours on this amazing day. This year our store gave away 363 free bowls!
We wanted to have a party atmosphere and give people something to do while they waited in line, so we brought in a photo booth for our guests to take crazy pictures that would add to the fun. For the first 45 minutes a few people jumped in, but most of the time there was no activity. Then, I realized two of our high school team members who are incredibly outgoing would be amazing as the “Hype Squad.” I immediately moved them from the back of the house to the front of the house and empowered them to use their skills as the Hype Squad. WOW did they deliver! They had the crowd cheering, dancing and taking lots of pictures in the Photo Booth as they waited for their açaí bowls. It resulted in an amazing and remarkable experience for guests and incredible engagement from the “Hype Squad.”
This weekend was an unforgettable experience for Lori and I. We made new friends, built a lasting community, had fun and brought home ideas that we can easily execute to bring fun with meaning into our daily work. Thank you all for including us in this amazing event!
Written by: “Mike from Everbowl” Fowler, Everbowl Bloomington Owner