Out of Left Field, Baseball’s ‘Yellow’ Rejuvenation

Undoubtedly, this is Major League Baseball's most exciting part of the season. Simultaneously, it’s a sad reminder that the season is winding down. And in recent years, this national pastime has been criticized for many reasons, including game length, season length, and challenges with the economic model (specifically for small-market teams). In short, baseball needs a rejuvenation. Like any product lifecycle, a refresh is overdue, and one team may have found the solution: the  Savannah Bananas.  

As an independent baseball team that combines the theatrics of baseball (think SNL, WWE, Cirque de Soleil, Harlem Globetrotters, Taylor Swift, etc.) with the game itself, the Savannah Bananas have created a fan experience unlike anything currently (or even recently) seen in the sport. In “Banana Ball,” the fan experience is the primary objective and foundation upon which the game is played, including time limits (games end after two hours), fan participation, dancing umpires and players, and rule changes (like if a fan catches a foul ball, the batter is out!). And this is just to name a few popular antics.  

The result? Sold out games at the Red Sox, Phillies, Cardinals, Royals, and Yankees stadiums, all with a zero-dollar advertising budget, affordable ticket prices, a waitlist nearly 4 million patrons long, and, last but not least, 11 million TikTok followers.  

Like in any industry, change is happening. Once-dominant brands and business models are losing share to startups challenging the status quo. So, why should baseball, or any other professional sports league, be different? This is a valuable lesson, one that can be applied to your industry, brand, or service.   

First, the common belief that baseball is immune to change is not true. Barriers to entry are eroding; thus, opportunities arise.  For the incumbent brands, what will be your “economic moat,” that which protects your profitability and market share from the competition? 

Secondly, when we focus on the competition for the “next great thing,” we are not focused on the consumer, their pain points, and satisfying their unmet needs. The Savannah Bananas model is built on the fan experience; in essence, it is their default when making any decision. Cirque du Soleil understood this and created a new market by merging the circus with a theatrical experience, resulting in new customers and new markets.  

The biggest mistake an incumbent brand can make is focusing on the perceived competition—another comparable name brand, for example—and ignoring smaller startups entering the category. In reality, your competition is those trying to solve your consumers’ pain points and satisfy their unmet needs, and they are often smaller, more agile disruptors. The Savannah Bananas recognized the MLB’s fan experience had been lost, sold out to the “haves vs the have-nots” and other entities, and become out of touch with reality. It was strike three, even for those who have supported baseball all these years. The lessons here serve as a reminder that market boundaries are there to be transcended and that new markets can emerge with new customers who were previously overlooked.  

Are you ready for a disruption? Let’s talk. At BSM Partners, our focus is on understanding the evolving marketplace and the changing behaviors of consumers. We work with brands to develop market strategies that are connected to consumer needs, from business transformation to leadership development. Our comprehensive expertise helps brands, retailers, and services of all sizes make competitive comebacks and captivate consumers. 

Follow us on LinkedIn for the latest updates on all things happening here at BSM Partners.

About the Author

Eric Rittenhouse works at BSM Partners as Business Development Manager. His areas of expertise include business development, sales and trade marketing while helping brand companies uncover and execute on opportunities to strategically dominate their niche in the consumer product space. He has completed the Blue Ocean Practical Introduction certificate by the Blue Ocean Academy and is Action Selling Master Certified by Action Selling and The Sales Board.