TED Talks Daily

Sunday Pick: How to make a fan — from F1 to Banana Ball

May 26, 2024

Jesse Cole, the innovative owner of The Savannah Bananas, shares insights on reimagining baseball for modern fans. He discusses the team's 'fans first, entertainment always' philosophy that has led to sold-out games and viral success on TikTok. Cole emphasizes the importance of memorable experiences in a crowded sports landscape and the need for teams to engage creatively with their audiences. He also touches on how the Bananas are revolutionizing baseball norms, attracting a diverse and enthusiastic fanbase.

33:57

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Episode guests

Jesse Cole

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Episode notes

Intro

2min

From Casual Fan to F1 Enthusiast: A Journey of Unexpected Interests

2min

Formula One's U.S. Renaissance

15min

Revitalizing Sports: Innovative Strategies for Team Engagement

2min

The Banana Revolution in Baseball

12min

Understanding the Emotional Toll of Losing in Sports

3min

Each Sunday, TED shares an episode of another podcast we think you'll love, handpicked for you… by us. Today we're sharing an episode from Good Sport, a show that dives into worlds like F1 racing, table tennis, NBA shooting, and beyond to shed a light on the ups and downs of being human.

If a sport isn't thinking about how to entertain its fans, it usually doesn't last long. And with so much competing for our attention, what makes someone follow a specific team, or show up to a game? In this episode we look to two exploding fanbases: Formula One Racing and … Banana Ball? Jody speaks with Jessica Smetana and Spencer Hall, the co-hosts of the Formula One podcast “DNF”, about what Netflix has to do with F1’s success. Then Jody talks to Jesse Cole, the owner of The Savannah Bananas, a baseball team that’s selling out games and gaining millions of followers on TikTok – at the same time Major League Baseball continues to bleed fans. Jessie’s approach to cultivating a “fans first, entertainment always” mentality is literally reinventing how we play and think about sports. Transcripts for Good Sport are available at go.ted.com/GStranscripts

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