1 00:00:02,480 --> 00:00:07,080 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Audio Studios, Podcasts, Radio News. 2 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:14,760 Speaker 2: All Right, welcome back to the DL. I'm Jason Kelly 3 00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:18,040 Speaker 2: alongside Alex Rodriguez and man, this is one that we 4 00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:21,880 Speaker 2: have been anticipating for a long time because we have 5 00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:27,600 Speaker 2: watched this business explode. Jesse Cole joins us. He is 6 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:31,319 Speaker 2: the creator of the Savannah Bananas. Jesse, Welcome to the show. 7 00:00:31,440 --> 00:00:32,520 Speaker 2: So great to have you with us. 8 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:34,240 Speaker 1: Excited to be with you guys. Sound some fun. 9 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:37,240 Speaker 2: Let's do some table setting when we start off, because 10 00:00:37,320 --> 00:00:40,320 Speaker 2: even as is our team and we were researching this, 11 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:43,279 Speaker 2: I want to understand and I know Alex is too, 12 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:45,919 Speaker 2: sort of the scope in the structure of this business 13 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:49,720 Speaker 2: because it starts as one team, but now it's it's 14 00:00:49,840 --> 00:00:55,000 Speaker 2: essentially a league. Help us understand what this empire looks 15 00:00:55,040 --> 00:00:55,840 Speaker 2: like at this point. 16 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:58,480 Speaker 1: Well context, eleven years ago, we started as a college 17 00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:01,480 Speaker 1: summer baseball team, so one of the levels of baseball, 18 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:03,520 Speaker 1: and we were in the Coastal Plain League, and we 19 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:06,360 Speaker 1: had a four thousand seat stadium. We only sold two 20 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:09,280 Speaker 1: tickets in our first three months. So my wife and 21 00:01:09,319 --> 00:01:11,360 Speaker 1: I had a seller house empty out of Staated's account, 22 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:15,080 Speaker 1: sleeping on an airbed, and we mortgaged everything, and that's 23 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:17,240 Speaker 1: where it started. And we had to get people excited 24 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:20,119 Speaker 1: about a college summer baseball team. So we went all 25 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:22,360 Speaker 1: in named the team the Bananas, and luckily we started 26 00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:25,039 Speaker 1: selling out games there at four thousand seat stadium. After 27 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:27,520 Speaker 1: about three or four years of selling out every single game, 28 00:01:27,520 --> 00:01:30,880 Speaker 1: winning the championship, I was watching the fans and realizing 29 00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:33,640 Speaker 1: that they would leave early, and we actually started a videotape, 30 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:35,520 Speaker 1: but we had a camera every thirty minutes and watching 31 00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:37,160 Speaker 1: when fans would get up, when we they leave their seat, 32 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:39,280 Speaker 1: when were they're not paying attention? And I realized that 33 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:41,520 Speaker 1: the game was too long for the average fan, and 34 00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:44,040 Speaker 1: so we started crafting without anyone knowing, a new game 35 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:46,800 Speaker 1: called Banana Ball and eliminating all the boring parts of 36 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:50,720 Speaker 1: baseball for the average fan. So we eliminated mountain visits, 37 00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:53,120 Speaker 1: no stepping out of the box, no walks, no bunting. 38 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:54,760 Speaker 1: If you bunch are thrown out of the game. Like, 39 00:01:54,800 --> 00:01:58,240 Speaker 1: we just started creating unique rules. Fan catches a foul ball, 40 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 1: it's an out, and we said, let's just test this. 41 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:02,960 Speaker 1: So back in twenty eighteen, we did it behind closed 42 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:04,920 Speaker 1: doors twenty twenty COVID h we did in front of 43 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:07,040 Speaker 1: a few fans, and then we said we're going all 44 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:09,079 Speaker 1: in on that. So twenty twenty one we went all 45 00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:11,280 Speaker 1: in with a one city world tour, which we called 46 00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:12,880 Speaker 1: it a one City World Tour. You know, we're going 47 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:15,240 Speaker 1: to start small and very big, and we did amobile 48 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:17,400 Speaker 1: front of thirty five hundred fans, went well, went to 49 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:20,120 Speaker 1: seven cities, then went to thirty three cities and then 50 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:22,960 Speaker 1: left the Coastal Playing League, and then the added teams 51 00:02:23,040 --> 00:02:25,520 Speaker 1: each year and so now we have six teams. We'll 52 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:27,679 Speaker 1: play in front of three point four million fans this year. 53 00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:30,280 Speaker 1: There's four point two million people on our wait list. 54 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:33,240 Speaker 1: Every team sells out. We just crossed over five hundred 55 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:36,440 Speaker 1: straight sellouts, all going back from twenty sixteen. And we're fortunate. 56 00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:39,600 Speaker 1: We got ten football stadiums NFL stadiums, and yeah, it's 57 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:41,959 Speaker 1: it's fun. We're building brands, but mostly just building it 58 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:43,639 Speaker 1: the fans first. That's the name of our company and 59 00:02:43,639 --> 00:02:44,440 Speaker 1: that's where we started. 60 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:48,360 Speaker 3: So Jesse, when you say three point four million fans, 61 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:53,239 Speaker 3: my memory serves me right, that's probably one Major League 62 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:55,800 Speaker 3: Baseball team that's joining more and this probably the ly Dodgers, 63 00:02:56,480 --> 00:02:58,440 Speaker 3: maybe it's a class of one maybe two. So the 64 00:02:58,480 --> 00:03:00,560 Speaker 3: Dodgers and your team, that's a pretty your class to 65 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:02,800 Speaker 3: be involved with. I guess my question is, and I 66 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:05,799 Speaker 3: love what you're doing because baseball was in many ways 67 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:08,000 Speaker 3: synonymous with everything that I've done in my life, and 68 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:08,919 Speaker 3: it was my first love. 69 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 4: And I love watching baseball. I love everything about it. 70 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:17,680 Speaker 3: I guess if you were a baseball commissioner for one day, 71 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:22,240 Speaker 3: with keeping the history and the integrity of the game intact, 72 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:26,240 Speaker 3: how would you try to think about competing as the NFL, 73 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:31,440 Speaker 3: the NBA, NHL, Netflix and everything else that's competing for consumers. 74 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:33,480 Speaker 1: You know, I think Major League Baseball has done a 75 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 1: great show over the last few years. You watch what's happened. 76 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:37,600 Speaker 1: The games are faster, there's a lot more excitement, the 77 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:40,080 Speaker 1: ratings are increasing. But yeah, I mean where we start 78 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:42,200 Speaker 1: as an obsession with the fan experience and breaking down 79 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:44,440 Speaker 1: the barriers between the player and the fan. And I 80 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 1: think our each one of our players are sharing the 81 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:51,040 Speaker 1: behind the scenes, they're sharing the excitement we get our fans. 82 00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:53,120 Speaker 1: Our players are actually in the upper deck every night. 83 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:55,240 Speaker 1: Our players get to the upper deck and they're literally 84 00:03:55,320 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 1: high fighting fans, taking pictures of the fans giving roses 85 00:03:57,440 --> 00:04:00,400 Speaker 1: to little girls. We celebrate more and so we're building 86 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:03,640 Speaker 1: that world. And so again, it's do things every night 87 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:05,360 Speaker 1: people have never seen in front of a live crap 88 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:08,560 Speaker 1: in baseball. That happens with great moments, but you're hoping 89 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:13,720 Speaker 1: something happens. We script unbelievable walk ups, crazy dancing celebrations. 90 00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:15,880 Speaker 1: The players are doing trick plays every night. They're working 91 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:18,720 Speaker 1: on backflip catches and doing aerial catches and doing things 92 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:20,719 Speaker 1: that people have never seen before. I challenge each one 93 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:23,000 Speaker 1: of our players to bring something new so you can 94 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:25,120 Speaker 1: never take your eyes off it. So you know, again, 95 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:27,120 Speaker 1: I'd never want to say I think basually baseball's done 96 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:28,719 Speaker 1: a great job, but I think, how do you break 97 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:30,760 Speaker 1: down the barriers between the player and fans. I think 98 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:34,040 Speaker 1: the way the world is going right now, people are 99 00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:37,240 Speaker 1: hungry for human connection, and so how can a player 100 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:40,000 Speaker 1: connect with fans more. You know, my dad when I played, 101 00:04:40,040 --> 00:04:41,760 Speaker 1: and now it's probably you know, you're probably told this 102 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:43,360 Speaker 1: way when you do a home run, act like you've 103 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:46,640 Speaker 1: done it before. You know, that's what I agree with 104 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:48,599 Speaker 1: that one hundred percent back in the day. But now 105 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:51,040 Speaker 1: you want kids to be excited about playing. You know, 106 00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:52,960 Speaker 1: if you look at you, six hundred thousand less kids 107 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:54,960 Speaker 1: are play little league baseball in five six years ago. 108 00:04:55,240 --> 00:04:57,800 Speaker 1: You look at what's happening. The game is changing and 109 00:04:57,880 --> 00:05:02,120 Speaker 1: because kids are getting entertained every at their fingertips. So 110 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:04,000 Speaker 1: when you hit a whole run, you got a big strikeout, 111 00:05:04,080 --> 00:05:07,000 Speaker 1: celebrate not against the other team, but celebrate for your team, 112 00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:08,160 Speaker 1: Celebrate for the fans. 113 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:09,000 Speaker 2: Go big. 114 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:11,000 Speaker 1: You're seeing major League Baseball do more of this in 115 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:13,560 Speaker 1: the dugouts, which is great, But man, I love what's 116 00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:16,440 Speaker 1: happened with the World Baseball Classic. You're seeing emotion, you're 117 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 1: seeing electricity, and people are watching. We celebrate everything in 118 00:05:20,960 --> 00:05:23,560 Speaker 1: Banana Ball, and the fans want to celebrate with us. 119 00:05:23,960 --> 00:05:27,080 Speaker 2: You know, one of the things that I think is 120 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:30,159 Speaker 2: pretty true and you really nailed it, Jesse, as this whole, 121 00:05:30,520 --> 00:05:34,039 Speaker 2: you know, almost like stoic approach that baseball players have 122 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:36,359 Speaker 2: had to some extent, And how do you find the 123 00:05:36,400 --> 00:05:39,320 Speaker 2: right players? How do you encourage them to sort of 124 00:05:39,360 --> 00:05:43,480 Speaker 2: buy into this vision, especially because if you grow up 125 00:05:43,480 --> 00:05:46,200 Speaker 2: playing baseball at a high level, as you said, that's 126 00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:49,839 Speaker 2: not that's not your natural, that's not your default, I guess, 127 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:51,120 Speaker 2: So how do you find the right players. 128 00:05:51,760 --> 00:05:53,920 Speaker 1: Well, we have two different goals major League Baseball. The 129 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:56,680 Speaker 1: goal is to win. Every team has to win. Our 130 00:05:56,720 --> 00:05:59,080 Speaker 1: goal is to create the greatest show and greatest experience 131 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:02,120 Speaker 1: for fans every single our mission. Fans first entertain always, 132 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:04,080 Speaker 1: and when we're very clear with all our players, our 133 00:06:04,120 --> 00:06:06,839 Speaker 1: players do audition videos and yeah, now we're having I mean, 134 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:09,120 Speaker 1: we just saw Jackie Bradley Junior in All Star World 135 00:06:09,120 --> 00:06:10,920 Speaker 1: Series game. He's playing full time with us. We've had 136 00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:13,960 Speaker 1: numerous MVPs, Sionward winners, even Hall of famers play with us. 137 00:06:14,279 --> 00:06:16,080 Speaker 1: They want to have fun. We learned this when we're 138 00:06:16,080 --> 00:06:18,920 Speaker 1: playing traditional baseball. We had six years in a regular 139 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:21,479 Speaker 1: league and our players just had fun every day. We 140 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:24,080 Speaker 1: won three of the six championships with all the dancing, 141 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:26,960 Speaker 1: with all the celebrations, with all the hijakes. We just 142 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:29,880 Speaker 1: won because we were having fun. And so again we're 143 00:06:30,040 --> 00:06:32,360 Speaker 1: very clear. Now we've had thousands of players reach out 144 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:34,279 Speaker 1: to us, and we were fortunate. You know, we're paying 145 00:06:34,279 --> 00:06:36,839 Speaker 1: guys two three times what minor leaguers are playing their 146 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:39,680 Speaker 1: average sixty six figure pay and only playing one hundred 147 00:06:39,760 --> 00:06:42,239 Speaker 1: less games, literally playing one hundred less games and getting 148 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:44,440 Speaker 1: paid that, but it's not about the money. They're playing 149 00:06:44,440 --> 00:06:46,080 Speaker 1: in front of sold out crowd every single night and 150 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:48,559 Speaker 1: they get to have fun. And that's what's really cool. 151 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:50,720 Speaker 1: Major leaguers that join us for one night, they come 152 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:52,000 Speaker 1: out and they said, I never got to have a 153 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:54,320 Speaker 1: great farewell, and I get to get a sold out 154 00:06:54,360 --> 00:06:56,160 Speaker 1: crowd given me a standing ovation. I get to come 155 00:06:56,200 --> 00:06:58,120 Speaker 1: up and have fun one more time. That's what's one 156 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:00,320 Speaker 1: of the coolest moments. Our guys want to do new 157 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:02,400 Speaker 1: things every night fans have never seen and they keke 158 00:07:02,520 --> 00:07:04,000 Speaker 1: challenge each other, and that's what's fun about it. 159 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:17,200 Speaker 3: I don't even know what to ask you, because I 160 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:19,320 Speaker 3: can ask you a hundred different questions, and my mind 161 00:07:19,360 --> 00:07:21,120 Speaker 3: is racing because this is all I've done. You know, 162 00:07:21,160 --> 00:07:23,320 Speaker 3: since I was born basically my dad played baseball. I 163 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:26,640 Speaker 3: played baseball. My Dominican background, even though I was born 164 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:29,760 Speaker 3: in New York City. It's synonymous with baseball. It's like 165 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:32,800 Speaker 3: a religion. But I agree with you in WBC watching 166 00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:36,680 Speaker 3: tatis A Kunya Judge showing the personalities. These are great 167 00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:40,320 Speaker 3: looking kids, very marketable and is exciting. You talked about 168 00:07:40,320 --> 00:07:43,240 Speaker 3: what doesn't work. What are some of the things over 169 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:45,960 Speaker 3: the last five years that you've seen. Okay, these are 170 00:07:45,960 --> 00:07:48,000 Speaker 3: two or three things that fans that love and it's 171 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:50,200 Speaker 3: worth double down, double clicking on. 172 00:07:51,040 --> 00:07:54,200 Speaker 1: Well, the framework we use is the gold standard, and 173 00:07:54,240 --> 00:07:57,280 Speaker 1: so our gold standard is something that is amazing for 174 00:07:57,320 --> 00:07:59,520 Speaker 1: the live crowd and also amazing for the digital crowd. 175 00:07:59,720 --> 00:08:04,160 Speaker 1: Every thing we're thinking about. We have, geez, numerous people 176 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:07,440 Speaker 1: in our video team is expansive, and we travel again, 177 00:08:07,480 --> 00:08:09,840 Speaker 1: this is crazy. We travel with two hundred plus people 178 00:08:09,880 --> 00:08:11,160 Speaker 1: to every single city we go to. 179 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:11,800 Speaker 4: Wow. 180 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:14,160 Speaker 1: I mean, we're spending twenty million dollars just on traveling 181 00:08:14,200 --> 00:08:17,400 Speaker 1: people because we invest in those high touch again going 182 00:08:17,440 --> 00:08:19,960 Speaker 1: back to the human touch. And so you know, what 183 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:22,120 Speaker 1: we look for and the things that we're looking for 184 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:25,320 Speaker 1: are big moments. You know, every one of our teams 185 00:08:25,400 --> 00:08:27,640 Speaker 1: now have singers and have dancers and have live music. 186 00:08:27,760 --> 00:08:29,720 Speaker 1: So they all have skills. They all have dancing, you know, 187 00:08:29,720 --> 00:08:31,960 Speaker 1: we have choreographers, We have people that can do things 188 00:08:32,520 --> 00:08:35,400 Speaker 1: that are really special, tumbling, acrobatics. So again, it's just 189 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:38,120 Speaker 1: a different thing than baseball in the sense like Ale, 190 00:08:38,160 --> 00:08:40,160 Speaker 1: it's like as a player, you know, I do think 191 00:08:40,160 --> 00:08:42,240 Speaker 1: there's a whirl where at some point a guy's going 192 00:08:42,280 --> 00:08:43,640 Speaker 1: to do a trick play like we do, and the 193 00:08:43,679 --> 00:08:45,520 Speaker 1: people are going to go nuts. I think it's going 194 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:47,360 Speaker 1: to happen. I think, you know, if they miss it, 195 00:08:47,520 --> 00:08:49,400 Speaker 1: they're in trouble because I know what would happen, the 196 00:08:49,440 --> 00:08:51,559 Speaker 1: coaches and everyone else, and they get more criticism than ever. 197 00:08:51,840 --> 00:08:54,120 Speaker 1: But when a guy does a backflip catch or catches, 198 00:08:54,120 --> 00:08:55,040 Speaker 1: I mean, we had a guy to do a bare 199 00:08:55,080 --> 00:08:57,439 Speaker 1: hand backflip catch dr mentos in a game at a 200 00:08:57,480 --> 00:09:00,920 Speaker 1: major league stadium. It's unbelievable. I mean, Jackie Bradley's catching 201 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:04,240 Speaker 1: balls running behind his back like this. It's fun to watch. 202 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:07,240 Speaker 1: And so, you know, the things that don't work, you know, 203 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:09,880 Speaker 1: are every day we have promotions that we just test 204 00:09:09,920 --> 00:09:12,440 Speaker 1: things and it's just a silly promotion, you know, whether 205 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:15,080 Speaker 1: it's the living Pinata or whether it's a you know, 206 00:09:15,160 --> 00:09:18,440 Speaker 1: messy baby, or we did a soulmate promotion with people 207 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:22,319 Speaker 1: singing on their wife's feet in souls it was just weird. 208 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:24,600 Speaker 1: It just didn't work. Like there's things love at First 209 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:26,760 Speaker 1: bite with people eating hot dogs like Lady in the 210 00:09:26,800 --> 00:09:28,559 Speaker 1: Tramp and then they end up making out. It's it's 211 00:09:28,559 --> 00:09:29,320 Speaker 1: weird to watch. 212 00:09:29,600 --> 00:09:31,880 Speaker 3: I think some of the best moments that we have, 213 00:09:32,720 --> 00:09:34,480 Speaker 3: and in my experience almost twenty five years in the 214 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:36,760 Speaker 3: Big League, there's some of the great strikeout caused by 215 00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:39,200 Speaker 3: the umpires because they're great, they have some great personalities, 216 00:09:39,800 --> 00:09:43,120 Speaker 3: and they all have their own particular style. But when 217 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:46,280 Speaker 3: a guy is super emphatic and strike somebody out, those 218 00:09:46,320 --> 00:09:48,280 Speaker 3: are big moments. But I can see a moment where 219 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:51,880 Speaker 3: naked gun type where you get a strike three, you 220 00:09:51,920 --> 00:09:54,840 Speaker 3: play Michael Jackson music and they still doing the moonwalk, and. 221 00:09:54,760 --> 00:09:57,400 Speaker 4: You feel almost those kind of things would be awesome. 222 00:09:57,679 --> 00:09:59,640 Speaker 1: So actually I haven't seen it. We have a dancing 223 00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:02,520 Speaker 1: umpi that's got hundreds of thousands of followers. He can 224 00:10:02,559 --> 00:10:04,600 Speaker 1: twerk like no one should ever toork. I mean, he'll 225 00:10:04,600 --> 00:10:06,480 Speaker 1: be cleaning the plate and then it'll start just like 226 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:09,240 Speaker 1: full on the ground, like doing some weird gyrations while 227 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:12,280 Speaker 1: he's cleaning the plate. And he's built hundreds of thousands 228 00:10:12,280 --> 00:10:14,560 Speaker 1: of followers. And then we have a ninja umpire who 229 00:10:14,800 --> 00:10:16,960 Speaker 1: does every call at first base by doing a full 230 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:20,440 Speaker 1: like tuck somersault jump flip. I can't even name the 231 00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:22,480 Speaker 1: things he's doing, and then he calls the outs. And 232 00:10:22,559 --> 00:10:25,959 Speaker 1: so the framework again we look at every potential boring 233 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:27,440 Speaker 1: part of the game. Why do the umpires have to 234 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:29,400 Speaker 1: be boring? You know, we were in Texas this past 235 00:10:29,440 --> 00:10:31,679 Speaker 1: week and we dress them up as Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders 236 00:10:31,720 --> 00:10:33,720 Speaker 1: and they did the Thunderstruck kick when they came out. 237 00:10:34,040 --> 00:10:36,240 Speaker 1: You have to not take yourself too seriously. Literally, the 238 00:10:36,240 --> 00:10:38,840 Speaker 1: owner of all this, where's a yellow tuxedo? All right, 239 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:42,600 Speaker 1: it's about fun. Then everyone's open to experimenting, and yes, 240 00:10:42,720 --> 00:10:44,880 Speaker 1: the umpire's agreement. We look at that boys, how do 241 00:10:44,880 --> 00:10:47,439 Speaker 1: you make that boys more exciting? Water boys? We look 242 00:10:47,440 --> 00:10:50,000 Speaker 1: at every moment in the ground the ballpark to make 243 00:10:50,040 --> 00:10:51,520 Speaker 1: it more fun. And that's where we have a lot 244 00:10:51,520 --> 00:10:53,240 Speaker 1: of opportunity to come up with creative ideas. 245 00:10:53,440 --> 00:10:55,360 Speaker 2: You know, a lot of business people listening to this, 246 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:58,280 Speaker 2: they're like, well, I want to experiment more. I want 247 00:10:58,280 --> 00:11:01,240 Speaker 2: to do this. Like what are the processes that you 248 00:11:01,360 --> 00:11:05,000 Speaker 2: essentially set up in order to sort of ensure that 249 00:11:05,640 --> 00:11:09,360 Speaker 2: the best ideas, you know, get tried out that everybody 250 00:11:10,120 --> 00:11:13,600 Speaker 2: feels like they can they can bring this to the table. 251 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:18,120 Speaker 2: How do you build an organization that really does this 252 00:11:18,280 --> 00:11:20,520 Speaker 2: and like get nitty gritty with us on this. 253 00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:22,959 Speaker 1: So to give you an example, we did not have processes. 254 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:24,719 Speaker 1: At first, we said, well, what if the pitcher does 255 00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:25,640 Speaker 1: a dance before and throw it. 256 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:26,120 Speaker 2: Let's try. 257 00:11:26,160 --> 00:11:28,199 Speaker 1: Oh, this works, all right, Let's develop a three two 258 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:31,040 Speaker 1: two third inning, second bat or second pitch, a brand 259 00:11:31,080 --> 00:11:33,200 Speaker 1: new dance, brand new core. All right, now we're doing 260 00:11:33,200 --> 00:11:36,240 Speaker 1: that every game. So we followed Saturday Night Live. To 261 00:11:36,240 --> 00:11:39,079 Speaker 1: give you an example, I said, if you look at 262 00:11:39,240 --> 00:11:43,400 Speaker 1: the companies out there that have sustained creativity for many, 263 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:46,600 Speaker 1: many years, it's less than a handful. And so, all right, 264 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:49,439 Speaker 1: what's the most comparable to us? Saturday Night Live? Every 265 00:11:49,440 --> 00:11:52,160 Speaker 1: Saturday night they're doing a brand new show. So how 266 00:11:52,160 --> 00:11:53,840 Speaker 1: do they do it? Great talk and menoray. Our whole 267 00:11:53,840 --> 00:11:56,280 Speaker 1: creative team watched it. Monday, they do a whole pitch session, 268 00:11:56,440 --> 00:11:59,160 Speaker 1: they share all the ideas. Tuesday they start writing. Wednesday 269 00:11:59,160 --> 00:12:01,559 Speaker 1: they have a table read. Thursday. Friday they start doing rehearsals. 270 00:12:01,600 --> 00:12:02,920 Speaker 1: Then they do a rehearsal in front of a live 271 00:12:02,920 --> 00:12:05,240 Speaker 1: cred at eight o'clock. They see how goes there? Eleven thirty. 272 00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:07,960 Speaker 1: They do the best of the best. So we do. 273 00:12:08,160 --> 00:12:10,199 Speaker 1: Tuesday's our creative day. All day today, we've be doing 274 00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:14,520 Speaker 1: OTT sessions. Every group, every team broadcasts our entertainment team, 275 00:12:14,559 --> 00:12:16,640 Speaker 1: our promo team, our creative team, our players. We do 276 00:12:16,720 --> 00:12:18,360 Speaker 1: all the ideas. Now we get it ready. We go 277 00:12:18,400 --> 00:12:19,720 Speaker 1: through the best of the best. We set up a 278 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:21,920 Speaker 1: table read, we get our props, we do rehearsals, We 279 00:12:21,960 --> 00:12:24,080 Speaker 1: go to the stadium. We do rehearsals for hours beforehand. 280 00:12:24,200 --> 00:12:26,560 Speaker 1: Then we practice in front of our backstage group that 281 00:12:26,600 --> 00:12:28,080 Speaker 1: comes in before everyone else so we can see how 282 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:29,439 Speaker 1: they respond to it, and then we put it in 283 00:12:29,520 --> 00:12:31,200 Speaker 1: the show, and then we do an LCP on how 284 00:12:31,240 --> 00:12:33,520 Speaker 1: to get better. That's just what has worked for us. 285 00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:35,679 Speaker 1: You know. I think there's just a better framework. It's 286 00:12:35,840 --> 00:12:37,840 Speaker 1: if you want to be creative, look at the friction parts, 287 00:12:38,040 --> 00:12:40,280 Speaker 1: look at the friction points and the customer point of view, 288 00:12:40,679 --> 00:12:43,120 Speaker 1: and just start doing the exact opposite. Yeah, and so 289 00:12:43,160 --> 00:12:45,600 Speaker 1: we look at all the boring parts, the challenging parts, 290 00:12:45,640 --> 00:12:47,400 Speaker 1: all the things that fans hate, and we do the 291 00:12:47,400 --> 00:12:49,000 Speaker 1: opposite and then we start creating from there. 292 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:52,040 Speaker 3: Jess, as I'm hearing you talk, I guess my question 293 00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:57,400 Speaker 3: is Savannah is in Georgia. Let's talk about Jason's home team, 294 00:12:57,440 --> 00:12:59,040 Speaker 3: that Lanta Braves, who are one of the best RUE 295 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:06,280 Speaker 3: franchises sports iconic fan base historic franchise on the field 296 00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:09,520 Speaker 3: A plus, and they have a great history, and they 297 00:13:09,559 --> 00:13:11,880 Speaker 3: also have a great business that generate a tremendous amount 298 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:14,560 Speaker 3: of revenue through the team co and through the real 299 00:13:14,679 --> 00:13:17,640 Speaker 3: estate code, which what they've built is really incredible. If 300 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:20,320 Speaker 3: you own that team today with your wife, how do 301 00:13:20,360 --> 00:13:21,800 Speaker 3: you make that usually go from good to great? 302 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:23,640 Speaker 4: How do you make it from great to elite? 303 00:13:24,880 --> 00:13:26,360 Speaker 1: It's hard for me to answer that question because I 304 00:13:26,400 --> 00:13:29,360 Speaker 1: would never own it. And here's I will never Emily, 305 00:13:29,400 --> 00:13:31,160 Speaker 1: and I own one hundred percent of this team we've got. 306 00:13:31,280 --> 00:13:33,760 Speaker 1: We had shareholders, investors that reach out to us regularly 307 00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:36,640 Speaker 1: and the answer is always no, because what they want 308 00:13:36,679 --> 00:13:38,160 Speaker 1: is they would like to have control and they want 309 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:40,600 Speaker 1: a return of investment. What Walt Disney learned better than 310 00:13:40,640 --> 00:13:42,640 Speaker 1: anyone else, you got to control. You got to control 311 00:13:42,679 --> 00:13:45,000 Speaker 1: everything if you want to have a great experience. Shareholders 312 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:47,960 Speaker 1: investors would come to us and say, you need to 313 00:13:48,320 --> 00:13:50,679 Speaker 1: charge the ticket price that you could get, which is 314 00:13:50,679 --> 00:13:52,960 Speaker 1: two three hundred dollars. You shouldn't just keep everything at 315 00:13:52,960 --> 00:13:55,240 Speaker 1: forty fifty and sixty dollars. You should have ticket fees. 316 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:57,679 Speaker 1: You should not pay your fans taxes. Would you pay 317 00:13:57,720 --> 00:13:59,839 Speaker 1: all your fans taxes a thirty dollars shirt is the 318 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:03,000 Speaker 1: three dollars? You should have tons of sponsorship. No, we 319 00:14:03,040 --> 00:14:05,720 Speaker 1: eliminated all of our ads at our stadium. No, you 320 00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:08,640 Speaker 1: should go for the maximum TV rights. No, we keep 321 00:14:08,640 --> 00:14:11,200 Speaker 1: all of our games free on YouTube. They would say 322 00:14:11,240 --> 00:14:13,720 Speaker 1: all of this. And so when you look at a 323 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:16,080 Speaker 1: major league team like the Braves, they do a tremendous job. 324 00:14:16,640 --> 00:14:18,560 Speaker 1: But you know they've been with Liberty Media where they 325 00:14:18,559 --> 00:14:20,960 Speaker 1: have to release all their numbers they spin off. Now 326 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:23,280 Speaker 1: they got to release everything, and they got to respond 327 00:14:23,440 --> 00:14:26,760 Speaker 1: to shareholders on why are they doing everything. The only 328 00:14:26,840 --> 00:14:28,920 Speaker 1: person that I worked for, and Emily works for, and 329 00:14:28,920 --> 00:14:31,360 Speaker 1: our entire staff works for is the fan. And every 330 00:14:31,440 --> 00:14:32,920 Speaker 1: day we got to fight for the fan to create 331 00:14:32,960 --> 00:14:35,920 Speaker 1: a better experience for them, and that includes doing things 332 00:14:35,920 --> 00:14:38,360 Speaker 1: that don't make sense financially. So I can't even go 333 00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:40,360 Speaker 1: to a conversation of owning a major league team. I 334 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:43,720 Speaker 1: have no interest, zero, because everyone that's involved with that 335 00:14:43,880 --> 00:14:45,680 Speaker 1: is talking about how do you drive more revenue, how 336 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:48,000 Speaker 1: do you drive more sales, how do you drive more wins? 337 00:14:48,280 --> 00:14:50,120 Speaker 1: For me, it's how do you create a better experience 338 00:14:50,120 --> 00:14:52,680 Speaker 1: to drive more fans? That is everything that drives it 339 00:14:52,680 --> 00:14:54,280 Speaker 1: all for us. So I would ever own a team 340 00:14:54,320 --> 00:14:56,040 Speaker 1: because of responding to shareholders. 341 00:14:55,560 --> 00:14:57,120 Speaker 4: And unless hundred percent of the Brave is. 342 00:14:58,240 --> 00:15:01,680 Speaker 1: But you also have that players union, the aucaser vacation. 343 00:15:01,920 --> 00:15:04,400 Speaker 1: We own the league, we own everything, and so it's like, yeah, 344 00:15:04,840 --> 00:15:06,640 Speaker 1: but you still have to work for someone. We just 345 00:15:06,680 --> 00:15:13,480 Speaker 1: worked for the fans. Good point. 346 00:15:22,120 --> 00:15:25,680 Speaker 2: And so is that the plan forever? Then? Jesse like 347 00:15:26,040 --> 00:15:28,160 Speaker 2: asking the natural follow up? I mean it's like, where 348 00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:30,720 Speaker 2: does this go from here? I know people are knocking 349 00:15:30,760 --> 00:15:34,160 Speaker 2: on your door. I know that a big media, whether 350 00:15:34,200 --> 00:15:37,360 Speaker 2: it's media companies, whether it's other sports leagues, whether it's 351 00:15:37,400 --> 00:15:40,360 Speaker 2: just billionaire investors who love what you're doing, Like, what 352 00:15:40,720 --> 00:15:44,280 Speaker 2: what's the what's the five, ten, twenty fifty year plan 353 00:15:44,400 --> 00:15:45,120 Speaker 2: for this company? 354 00:15:45,400 --> 00:15:47,320 Speaker 1: Five years ago we just started ban Animal, so I 355 00:15:47,320 --> 00:15:49,360 Speaker 1: could ever expect we'd run a three point four million 356 00:15:49,360 --> 00:15:51,200 Speaker 1: fans with over four million people on the waitlist. So 357 00:15:51,480 --> 00:15:53,800 Speaker 1: and playing football stadium in front one hundred thousand fans, 358 00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:55,800 Speaker 1: that's crazy. I mean we sold out a cruise ship 359 00:15:55,880 --> 00:15:58,080 Speaker 1: last month. And so the long goal, the long game 360 00:15:58,120 --> 00:15:59,720 Speaker 1: for US is I believe we're going to create one 361 00:15:59,720 --> 00:16:02,840 Speaker 1: billion fans, and it happens one fan at time. We're 362 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:04,720 Speaker 1: getting a lot of interest and excitement about the youth 363 00:16:04,720 --> 00:16:07,480 Speaker 1: Banana bll and bringing the walk ups, the trick plays, 364 00:16:07,760 --> 00:16:10,200 Speaker 1: the fun, the dancing, all that a ton of interest 365 00:16:10,240 --> 00:16:12,240 Speaker 1: I'm hearing from all over the country. We started doing that. 366 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:15,040 Speaker 1: We had a tournament with fans for forty eight states. 367 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:17,600 Speaker 1: Kids from forty eight states come in. That sold out immediately. 368 00:16:17,840 --> 00:16:20,120 Speaker 1: So we'll dabble in that and then we'll do some international. 369 00:16:20,120 --> 00:16:22,280 Speaker 1: We might create a Banana Land experience in the future 370 00:16:22,360 --> 00:16:24,920 Speaker 1: where you know, the first st ever sports and entertainment 371 00:16:25,320 --> 00:16:28,840 Speaker 1: world where people can you know, meet the characters, music, live, everything, 372 00:16:28,920 --> 00:16:30,760 Speaker 1: and so there's a big picture that we're. 373 00:16:30,600 --> 00:16:33,920 Speaker 2: Going to And so tell us about your audience, Jesse. 374 00:16:34,040 --> 00:16:36,880 Speaker 2: I mean, I had an interesting experience with my eight 375 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:39,920 Speaker 2: year old daughter. We're going on vacation in a few 376 00:16:39,960 --> 00:16:43,200 Speaker 2: weeks and we're flying into Savannah and she was asking me. 377 00:16:43,240 --> 00:16:44,520 Speaker 2: She's like, are we find into it? We're going to 378 00:16:44,560 --> 00:16:47,600 Speaker 2: South Carolina and she said where We flying to Atlanta 379 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:49,400 Speaker 2: and I said, no, we're find the Savannah. She goes 380 00:16:49,480 --> 00:16:52,880 Speaker 2: Savannah bananas, I mean, just like that. So that's like her, 381 00:16:53,600 --> 00:16:55,800 Speaker 2: you know, And I said, wait, how did you know 382 00:16:55,880 --> 00:16:58,160 Speaker 2: about did you hear me talking about Savannah Nanna? She's like, no, 383 00:16:58,200 --> 00:17:01,520 Speaker 2: we watched on TV last summer and you know remember 384 00:17:01,520 --> 00:17:04,520 Speaker 2: and they were doing all the crazy stuff. If you're 385 00:17:04,640 --> 00:17:07,840 Speaker 2: if you're reaching Alice Kelly like, who's you know? Much 386 00:17:07,880 --> 00:17:10,280 Speaker 2: more interested in K pop Demon Hunters, although she does 387 00:17:10,320 --> 00:17:13,560 Speaker 2: dabble in baseball as Alex knows. Tell us about the 388 00:17:13,680 --> 00:17:16,560 Speaker 2: demos because I know it's something that Alex thinks about 389 00:17:16,600 --> 00:17:18,919 Speaker 2: when it comes to baseball all the time. Who is 390 00:17:18,960 --> 00:17:19,720 Speaker 2: the audience here? 391 00:17:20,200 --> 00:17:21,680 Speaker 1: Well, one of the thin things. I'm glad you said that. 392 00:17:21,680 --> 00:17:23,880 Speaker 1: I mean, attention beats marketing one thousand percent of the time. 393 00:17:23,960 --> 00:17:25,879 Speaker 1: So we spend all our time thinking on ways to 394 00:17:25,880 --> 00:17:28,119 Speaker 1: create attention and get people. So whether you're two or 395 00:17:28,160 --> 00:17:30,920 Speaker 1: eighty two years old, we're thinking about that. And so yeah, 396 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:32,800 Speaker 1: I mean this past year, you think about how it's growing. 397 00:17:32,800 --> 00:17:34,879 Speaker 1: I mean, we had we sold one point nine million 398 00:17:34,920 --> 00:17:37,239 Speaker 1: merchandise items just this past year and now we have 399 00:17:37,320 --> 00:17:40,040 Speaker 1: two more teams and that's kind of probably close to 400 00:17:40,040 --> 00:17:42,680 Speaker 1: double this year. And so when you look at how 401 00:17:42,760 --> 00:17:46,080 Speaker 1: we're getting out and what our demographic is, it is 402 00:17:46,119 --> 00:17:47,679 Speaker 1: people that want to come and have fun. When we 403 00:17:47,720 --> 00:17:50,479 Speaker 1: look at our YouTube, which again, every game is for free, 404 00:17:50,920 --> 00:17:53,320 Speaker 1: and again we have non exclusive deals with ESPN and 405 00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:56,680 Speaker 1: TNT and CW. Every game is free. So we're having 406 00:17:56,680 --> 00:17:59,560 Speaker 1: a wide range of audience, but young female. We do 407 00:17:59,680 --> 00:18:01,760 Speaker 1: very well on the young female eighteen to thirty four. 408 00:18:01,880 --> 00:18:03,679 Speaker 1: You know, a little bit affluent is what we're seeing. 409 00:18:04,119 --> 00:18:06,600 Speaker 1: But you know, I mean it's it's I don't try 410 00:18:06,600 --> 00:18:08,760 Speaker 1: to target a certain demographic. I'm trying to just create 411 00:18:08,760 --> 00:18:10,680 Speaker 1: something that we would love and we're finding out that 412 00:18:10,720 --> 00:18:12,000 Speaker 1: our fans of all ages are loving it. 413 00:18:12,960 --> 00:18:17,639 Speaker 2: And so when it comes to the media side, you 414 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:21,000 Speaker 2: mentioned non exclusive deals, it's like, how do those negotiations 415 00:18:21,040 --> 00:18:23,160 Speaker 2: go if you want to keep it free on YouTube? 416 00:18:23,160 --> 00:18:25,359 Speaker 1: Sure, I mean we're leaving millions of dollars on the table, 417 00:18:25,400 --> 00:18:27,480 Speaker 1: I mean millions, And there's some of the biggest networks 418 00:18:27,480 --> 00:18:29,160 Speaker 1: in the country that said, now we just can't do it. 419 00:18:29,240 --> 00:18:30,840 Speaker 1: And we also had some in the past that said 420 00:18:30,840 --> 00:18:32,280 Speaker 1: they've never done it, and now they do do it, 421 00:18:32,480 --> 00:18:35,639 Speaker 1: and so it's yeah, again, the goal is how do 422 00:18:35,680 --> 00:18:38,200 Speaker 1: you keep things for free for fans, and then also 423 00:18:38,560 --> 00:18:40,560 Speaker 1: how can you hit a wider demographic. I mean, on 424 00:18:40,760 --> 00:18:42,760 Speaker 1: ESPN last year we averaged over a half million viewers 425 00:18:42,800 --> 00:18:44,480 Speaker 1: and we were an exhibition league. Then we're not even 426 00:18:44,840 --> 00:18:46,600 Speaker 1: we weren't even a league. Last year we have games 427 00:18:46,640 --> 00:18:49,280 Speaker 1: that we're getting over a million people watching, and again 428 00:18:49,640 --> 00:18:52,080 Speaker 1: just an exhibition back here, and now we're seeing even 429 00:18:52,119 --> 00:18:54,400 Speaker 1: our reruns last year, we're getting seven hundred thousand people 430 00:18:54,400 --> 00:18:57,360 Speaker 1: watching on ESPN plus our YouTube audience. So it's hitting 431 00:18:57,400 --> 00:19:01,120 Speaker 1: a different demographic than actual just sports fans. But now 432 00:19:01,119 --> 00:19:03,399 Speaker 1: when you have Jackie Bradley Junior and a lot of 433 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:05,400 Speaker 1: these guys that are double A, triple A, they're throwing 434 00:19:05,440 --> 00:19:07,600 Speaker 1: ninety four ninety five miles an hour, can play. It's 435 00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:09,720 Speaker 1: also people show up and that's the biggest surprise. They're like, 436 00:19:09,840 --> 00:19:12,639 Speaker 1: these guys can actually play. They're shocked. This isn't you know. 437 00:19:12,720 --> 00:19:15,600 Speaker 1: And so again I'm not focused on the baseball audience. 438 00:19:15,640 --> 00:19:17,680 Speaker 1: I'm focusing on the young audience, the people that want 439 00:19:17,680 --> 00:19:19,679 Speaker 1: to have fun. But it just happens to age up 440 00:19:19,720 --> 00:19:21,200 Speaker 1: to grandparents as well. 441 00:19:22,080 --> 00:19:25,600 Speaker 2: And so when you think about the sort of the 442 00:19:25,600 --> 00:19:29,800 Speaker 2: next turn of this, what what's getting in your way? 443 00:19:30,040 --> 00:19:30,240 Speaker 4: You know? 444 00:19:30,280 --> 00:19:32,920 Speaker 2: What? What are what are the things that I mean 445 00:19:32,960 --> 00:19:35,000 Speaker 2: I hate the like, what is it keep what keeps 446 00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:36,680 Speaker 2: you up at night? First of all, I'm pretty sure 447 00:19:36,680 --> 00:19:40,680 Speaker 2: you don't sleep, So I think that's it. That's irrelevant. 448 00:19:40,840 --> 00:19:42,919 Speaker 2: But you know, what are the what are the threats 449 00:19:42,960 --> 00:19:45,199 Speaker 2: to this business? You know? Is it? Do people just 450 00:19:45,240 --> 00:19:46,879 Speaker 2: sort of fall out of love with it? Like? What 451 00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:48,240 Speaker 2: do you what do you worry about? 452 00:19:48,359 --> 00:19:49,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, so that question got will keeps you up to night, 453 00:19:50,040 --> 00:19:51,480 Speaker 1: And I think the better question is what gets you 454 00:19:51,560 --> 00:19:54,120 Speaker 1: up in the morning. And I get up every morning 455 00:19:54,119 --> 00:19:55,960 Speaker 1: at four five o'clock. You see this guy's right here 456 00:19:56,080 --> 00:19:58,359 Speaker 1: every day. This is my idea book. And so I've 457 00:19:58,400 --> 00:19:59,960 Speaker 1: been doing this for eight years. I write down ten 458 00:20:00,040 --> 00:20:02,600 Speaker 1: plus ideas. Our whole teams writing out ideas. And so 459 00:20:02,840 --> 00:20:04,399 Speaker 1: the biggest thing, I oh, it's a fad. It'll be 460 00:20:04,440 --> 00:20:06,640 Speaker 1: gone in fifteen minutes. I use that. That's a little 461 00:20:06,680 --> 00:20:09,840 Speaker 1: chip on my shoulder. You know, every day it's a fad. Okay, well, 462 00:20:09,840 --> 00:20:11,240 Speaker 1: wait till we do this new thing. Wait till we 463 00:20:11,280 --> 00:20:13,040 Speaker 1: do this new thing. And so as soon as we 464 00:20:13,600 --> 00:20:16,280 Speaker 1: become comfortable with doing things that are fine or doing 465 00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:19,480 Speaker 1: things that are just okay, when we're not plusing the experience, 466 00:20:19,560 --> 00:20:21,960 Speaker 1: we're not pushing into unknowns that we've never done before, 467 00:20:22,119 --> 00:20:24,679 Speaker 1: like testing cruise ships or football stadiums or just in 468 00:20:24,680 --> 00:20:26,359 Speaker 1: the next year, people will hear about where we're gonna 469 00:20:26,359 --> 00:20:28,840 Speaker 1: play and the ideas of that. That doing the things 470 00:20:28,880 --> 00:20:31,879 Speaker 1: that no one's ever done before, that's what keeps pushing it. 471 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:33,840 Speaker 1: Dana White's a great example. I mean, think of things 472 00:20:33,840 --> 00:20:36,280 Speaker 1: from the sphere to the White House. He's pushing the 473 00:20:36,359 --> 00:20:38,120 Speaker 1: envelope on what he had done. I have so much 474 00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:41,000 Speaker 1: respect and admiration for someone like that in WWE. That 475 00:20:41,119 --> 00:20:44,040 Speaker 1: changes the storylines and challenges it. I think that's what 476 00:20:44,160 --> 00:20:46,000 Speaker 1: keeps me going, and I'm going to do things that 477 00:20:46,000 --> 00:20:48,920 Speaker 1: we will have big failures. The more things that we try, 478 00:20:48,960 --> 00:20:50,920 Speaker 1: we need to have bigger failures, and so we're gonna 479 00:20:50,920 --> 00:20:53,320 Speaker 1: have multi multimillion failures. We had a six million dollar 480 00:20:53,359 --> 00:20:55,439 Speaker 1: failure last year. We're gonna have bigger ones as we go. 481 00:20:56,040 --> 00:20:57,560 Speaker 1: That excites me in a weird way because that means 482 00:20:57,600 --> 00:20:59,200 Speaker 1: we're pushing the envelope on what can be done. 483 00:20:59,240 --> 00:21:01,120 Speaker 2: What was the six million dollar failure? 484 00:21:02,640 --> 00:21:04,360 Speaker 1: So we have a lottery list. You have to join 485 00:21:04,400 --> 00:21:06,200 Speaker 1: the lottery. We have to win the lottery to get tickets. 486 00:21:06,320 --> 00:21:09,879 Speaker 1: We had a four thousand ticket opportunity in Savannah. You know, 487 00:21:09,960 --> 00:21:11,760 Speaker 1: our team by mistake sent it out to forty four 488 00:21:11,800 --> 00:21:15,120 Speaker 1: thousand people, and so they all got excited to buy tickets. 489 00:21:15,440 --> 00:21:17,480 Speaker 1: And then I'm flying and I'm getting all these messages 490 00:21:17,480 --> 00:21:20,520 Speaker 1: people freaking out. So we immediately sent an apology and 491 00:21:20,560 --> 00:21:23,240 Speaker 1: then we said we will take care of you as 492 00:21:23,280 --> 00:21:25,520 Speaker 1: well for any other game. And so that cost over 493 00:21:25,560 --> 00:21:28,080 Speaker 1: six million dollars. And then what's crazy is that we 494 00:21:28,119 --> 00:21:29,680 Speaker 1: realize some of those people that are coming we get 495 00:21:29,680 --> 00:21:32,280 Speaker 1: like a ninety percent plus redemption on our tickets. They 496 00:21:32,359 --> 00:21:34,600 Speaker 1: weren't showing up some of them because they was free tickets. 497 00:21:34,640 --> 00:21:36,919 Speaker 1: So then we were buying them back even though they 498 00:21:36,920 --> 00:21:39,320 Speaker 1: never paid for them. We were paying people to then 499 00:21:39,400 --> 00:21:41,320 Speaker 1: get their tickets back so then we could get them 500 00:21:41,320 --> 00:21:44,040 Speaker 1: to fans. And that costs us over six million dollars. 501 00:21:44,119 --> 00:21:46,399 Speaker 1: But that's the epitome of fans. First. We're focused on 502 00:21:46,480 --> 00:21:49,000 Speaker 1: long term fans over short term profits, and we will 503 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:49,680 Speaker 1: always do that. 504 00:21:51,520 --> 00:21:54,359 Speaker 3: You are an enormous key man, you and key woman 505 00:21:54,920 --> 00:21:57,359 Speaker 3: on this deal. And when you think about legacy and 506 00:21:57,400 --> 00:22:00,400 Speaker 3: you think about building this business for the great good 507 00:22:00,440 --> 00:22:03,160 Speaker 3: of one billion fans, you still have to have an 508 00:22:03,200 --> 00:22:06,600 Speaker 3: exit plan. What is the exit is it? Do you 509 00:22:06,640 --> 00:22:09,439 Speaker 3: go public like the Braves and the New York Knicks. 510 00:22:09,680 --> 00:22:11,520 Speaker 3: Do you sell to a big private equity group, do 511 00:22:11,560 --> 00:22:14,399 Speaker 3: you sell to your your children? Maybe take talk to 512 00:22:14,520 --> 00:22:15,879 Speaker 3: us a little bit about that. How much time have 513 00:22:15,920 --> 00:22:16,560 Speaker 3: you thought about this? 514 00:22:16,800 --> 00:22:18,679 Speaker 1: I don't think about exit plan. I think about how 515 00:22:18,680 --> 00:22:20,119 Speaker 1: do we get better every single day? How do we 516 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:21,720 Speaker 1: create something people have never seen before? How do we 517 00:22:21,760 --> 00:22:24,040 Speaker 1: create more fans? If it gets to a point, if 518 00:22:24,040 --> 00:22:26,399 Speaker 1: I had to think about it, no interest in going public, 519 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:30,000 Speaker 1: no interest in shareholders or other owners. It would have 520 00:22:30,080 --> 00:22:31,760 Speaker 1: to be a family business. You know, I probably think 521 00:22:31,760 --> 00:22:33,520 Speaker 1: of of what's happened with Chick fil A. You know, 522 00:22:33,560 --> 00:22:35,520 Speaker 1: you look at the business as soon as they go 523 00:22:35,680 --> 00:22:38,000 Speaker 1: public or good A. Now they're a different ownership. They 524 00:22:38,119 --> 00:22:39,879 Speaker 1: change their goals. They got to repay the debt, they 525 00:22:39,920 --> 00:22:41,240 Speaker 1: got to get money, they got to do all that, 526 00:22:41,320 --> 00:22:43,520 Speaker 1: all the things that takes away from the fan experience. 527 00:22:43,560 --> 00:22:45,520 Speaker 1: So I will do this to the day I die. 528 00:22:45,600 --> 00:22:47,600 Speaker 1: My wife knows that, my kids know it. It brings 529 00:22:47,640 --> 00:22:50,440 Speaker 1: me so much joy seeing the fans get emotional, hugging 530 00:22:50,520 --> 00:22:51,879 Speaker 1: after the game and saying, you have no idea how 531 00:22:51,960 --> 00:22:53,719 Speaker 1: much this meant to us. A bucket list trip. We've 532 00:22:53,720 --> 00:22:55,560 Speaker 1: waited three years on the wait list to get tickets. 533 00:22:56,040 --> 00:22:58,239 Speaker 1: That feeling you can't get anywhere else, and that's why 534 00:22:58,280 --> 00:22:59,240 Speaker 1: I can't want to keep building. 535 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:04,520 Speaker 2: All right, we're gonna rap with our rapid fire. You 536 00:23:04,600 --> 00:23:05,280 Speaker 2: talk pretty fast. 537 00:23:05,359 --> 00:23:06,480 Speaker 1: I'm not worried about you on this. 538 00:23:07,000 --> 00:23:10,320 Speaker 2: On this one, Jesse, it's just five or six questions 539 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:12,960 Speaker 2: and we'll bounce them back and forth. Alex, do you 540 00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:13,679 Speaker 2: have it in front of you? 541 00:23:13,800 --> 00:23:14,120 Speaker 4: I do? 542 00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:17,679 Speaker 2: Okay, great, all right, here we go. What's your favorite 543 00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:19,080 Speaker 2: Banana's memory? 544 00:23:22,280 --> 00:23:24,359 Speaker 1: The one that comes at Fenway Park. For me, so 545 00:23:24,960 --> 00:23:26,639 Speaker 1: kid grew up south the Boston was back away for 546 00:23:26,680 --> 00:23:28,680 Speaker 1: the Red Sox on our area. As a five year old, 547 00:23:28,800 --> 00:23:31,120 Speaker 1: had my first fans, first moment, Lee Smith came out 548 00:23:31,160 --> 00:23:33,040 Speaker 1: and sat down next to me for twenty minutes. I 549 00:23:33,080 --> 00:23:36,199 Speaker 1: was a shy, introverted only child, had that memory, and 550 00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:38,520 Speaker 1: that put me on my mindset of hey, create fans. 551 00:23:38,560 --> 00:23:41,520 Speaker 1: And when we sold out Fenway Park, thirty seven thousand fans, 552 00:23:41,680 --> 00:23:44,720 Speaker 1: everyone singing yellow, flashing their lights, me standing on the 553 00:23:44,960 --> 00:23:47,199 Speaker 1: on the field, I got emotional saying, look at what 554 00:23:47,240 --> 00:23:48,920 Speaker 1: we did and my dad I was able to take 555 00:23:48,960 --> 00:23:51,359 Speaker 1: him out there play catch my son. It is a 556 00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:53,160 Speaker 1: moment that you can never replicate. 557 00:23:53,600 --> 00:23:58,679 Speaker 3: Fenway Park proto opposite to me perfect, Well. 558 00:24:00,240 --> 00:24:02,320 Speaker 4: I actually love Fenwick Park. Here's my question. 559 00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:07,840 Speaker 3: Best rivalry in the Bananas. 560 00:24:06,240 --> 00:24:08,680 Speaker 1: It's Bananas Party Animals. So that started. So the Party 561 00:24:08,720 --> 00:24:11,280 Speaker 1: Animals right now have more followers than every major League 562 00:24:11,320 --> 00:24:14,160 Speaker 1: baseball team on TikTok. They're selling out major league stadiums, 563 00:24:14,359 --> 00:24:17,560 Speaker 1: so they have three major League staiums already sold out completely. 564 00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:19,880 Speaker 1: The Bananas aren't even playing now, and so the Party 565 00:24:19,880 --> 00:24:23,560 Speaker 1: Animals have grown a fan base that's unbelievable. And they 566 00:24:23,560 --> 00:24:25,680 Speaker 1: started with the Bananas. They won the championship in twenty 567 00:24:25,720 --> 00:24:28,120 Speaker 1: twenty three, they beat them this past year. They play 568 00:24:28,160 --> 00:24:29,800 Speaker 1: each other. They're playing each other at Super Dome, one 569 00:24:29,840 --> 00:24:32,120 Speaker 1: hundred and forty thousand fans. That's the biggest rivalry. 570 00:24:32,320 --> 00:24:35,320 Speaker 2: All right, what's your favorite Bananas dance so far? 571 00:24:36,119 --> 00:24:39,320 Speaker 1: Shoot, we do new ones every night. But the one 572 00:24:39,320 --> 00:24:41,080 Speaker 1: tradition I think it's very important for people to have 573 00:24:41,160 --> 00:24:43,600 Speaker 1: traditions and ones that really stand in our Banana ball 574 00:24:43,640 --> 00:24:46,840 Speaker 1: tradition is hey Baby. And you'll see videos of fifty 575 00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:51,480 Speaker 1: sixty seventy thousand people going hey, hey bae and just 576 00:24:51,480 --> 00:24:54,240 Speaker 1: seeing the whole stadium, whether two or eighty two, everyone 577 00:24:54,359 --> 00:24:56,720 Speaker 1: doing it. We do it every single night before the game, 578 00:24:56,840 --> 00:24:58,800 Speaker 1: middle of the game, and then when we're signing autographs 579 00:24:58,840 --> 00:25:00,200 Speaker 1: till the end of the night, we do one last 580 00:25:00,240 --> 00:25:02,880 Speaker 1: one with maybe four hundred people still left hours after. 581 00:25:03,080 --> 00:25:04,440 Speaker 1: That's our tradition. Love that dance. 582 00:25:05,320 --> 00:25:07,280 Speaker 4: Favorite baseball player of all time? 583 00:25:07,840 --> 00:25:15,159 Speaker 1: Ooh ooh, good question. So again, go back to when 584 00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:16,399 Speaker 1: you were a kids. So when I was, when I 585 00:25:16,440 --> 00:25:18,600 Speaker 1: was playing, I watched you a lot. But again, growing 586 00:25:18,680 --> 00:25:23,520 Speaker 1: up south of Boston, it was it was it was Pedro. Man, 587 00:25:23,600 --> 00:25:24,679 Speaker 1: I love watching Pedro. 588 00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:25,399 Speaker 2: It was. 589 00:25:25,480 --> 00:25:26,919 Speaker 1: I know it's tough for you, but it was it 590 00:25:26,960 --> 00:25:30,160 Speaker 1: was Pedro because again, the flair, the tenacity, the fun 591 00:25:30,200 --> 00:25:32,159 Speaker 1: when he wasn't playing, you know, that was great. I 592 00:25:32,200 --> 00:25:33,760 Speaker 1: loved all those I mean, you know, you look at 593 00:25:33,760 --> 00:25:35,680 Speaker 1: Ozzie Smith and doing the flips and King Grim gyms 594 00:25:35,680 --> 00:25:37,879 Speaker 1: are fun to the game. But Pedro, Pedro was fun to. 595 00:25:37,880 --> 00:25:41,120 Speaker 3: Watch, not only a good friend, the best competitor, best 596 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:44,840 Speaker 3: pitcher ever faced, and the best inning pitched at Fenway 597 00:25:44,880 --> 00:25:47,120 Speaker 3: Park nineteen ninety nine Allstar Game. 598 00:25:47,600 --> 00:25:50,679 Speaker 1: Wow, unbelieve I was fifteen years old watching that. Unbelievable. 599 00:25:51,560 --> 00:25:54,399 Speaker 2: All right, two more, what is your favorite stadium. 600 00:25:55,320 --> 00:25:57,640 Speaker 1: That's a tough question. It's it's an easy one would 601 00:25:57,640 --> 00:26:00,560 Speaker 1: be Fenway. But these football staius are getting very interesting. 602 00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:02,680 Speaker 1: Clemson last year thousand was a lot of fun. The 603 00:26:03,240 --> 00:26:04,959 Speaker 1: NFL stadiums are a lot of fun. I think it's 604 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:06,680 Speaker 1: one we haven't played it yet. And it might be 605 00:26:06,800 --> 00:26:09,119 Speaker 1: one that's even crazier, like at a beach or at 606 00:26:09,200 --> 00:26:11,760 Speaker 1: Central Park or our favorite stadium. We haven't played there yet. 607 00:26:11,760 --> 00:26:13,400 Speaker 1: It's gonna be something that no one's ever seen before. 608 00:26:13,960 --> 00:26:15,320 Speaker 4: Yeah, maybe Manchester United. 609 00:26:15,359 --> 00:26:18,520 Speaker 3: Anyways, what team do you want to see win a 610 00:26:18,600 --> 00:26:20,040 Speaker 3: championship more than any. 611 00:26:21,480 --> 00:26:24,800 Speaker 1: In baseball and banana ball? You call it an All right, 612 00:26:24,840 --> 00:26:28,600 Speaker 1: I'm gonna go Ennavall And here's why we relaunched the 613 00:26:28,600 --> 00:26:31,359 Speaker 1: Indianapolis Clowns. They were a Negro League team that was 614 00:26:31,400 --> 00:26:33,200 Speaker 1: known for the show. They signed Hank Aaron, the first 615 00:26:33,200 --> 00:26:35,000 Speaker 1: one to sign Hank Aaron, the first one to sign women, 616 00:26:35,080 --> 00:26:37,800 Speaker 1: Tony Stone, Connie Morgan, Mammy Johnson, had Satchel Page played 617 00:26:37,800 --> 00:26:40,159 Speaker 1: for them, Gooset Tatum. They kept playing even after the 618 00:26:40,240 --> 00:26:42,000 Speaker 1: Negro League's difth banded. They played all the way till 619 00:26:42,040 --> 00:26:44,520 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty nine, putting on a show all over the country. 620 00:26:44,720 --> 00:26:46,120 Speaker 1: We worked in the newer League Baseball and me even 621 00:26:46,240 --> 00:26:49,520 Speaker 1: brought them back Jackie Bradley Junior the first pick, Ryan Howard, 622 00:26:49,560 --> 00:26:51,800 Speaker 1: the primetime coach for them to win a championship. We 623 00:26:51,880 --> 00:26:54,080 Speaker 1: just honored a ninety one year old former clown this 624 00:26:54,200 --> 00:26:56,800 Speaker 1: past weekend and see the emotions to do that for 625 00:26:56,920 --> 00:26:59,240 Speaker 1: everyone that wore that uniform. The clowns winning a championship 626 00:26:59,280 --> 00:26:59,919 Speaker 1: was pretty. 627 00:26:59,640 --> 00:27:02,840 Speaker 2: Special, all right, Jesse Cole, this was a huge pleasure. 628 00:27:02,920 --> 00:27:05,119 Speaker 2: Thanks for hanging with us. Really fun. Can't wait to 629 00:27:05,200 --> 00:27:07,920 Speaker 2: get out and see this live in person. I really 630 00:27:07,960 --> 00:27:09,399 Speaker 2: appreciate your time and your energy. 631 00:27:09,560 --> 00:27:10,320 Speaker 1: Thanks so much, guys. 632 00:27:17,080 --> 00:27:19,680 Speaker 2: The Deal is hosted by Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly, 633 00:27:19,840 --> 00:27:23,080 Speaker 2: and this episode was made by Alexis HoTT and Stacy Wong. 634 00:27:23,680 --> 00:27:26,720 Speaker 2: Will Connelly is our video editor. Our theme music is 635 00:27:26,800 --> 00:27:30,600 Speaker 2: made by Blake Maples. Our executive producers are Ashley Zingaro 636 00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:34,639 Speaker 2: and Amy Keene. Additional support from Rachel Carnivale, Nick Silva, 637 00:27:34,760 --> 00:27:37,720 Speaker 2: and Elena sos Angeles. Thanks so much for listening to 638 00:27:37,760 --> 00:27:39,920 Speaker 2: the Deal. If you have a minute, subscribe, rate and 639 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:42,920 Speaker 2: review our show. It'll help other listeners find us. I'm 640 00:27:43,000 --> 00:27:43,560 Speaker 2: Jason Kelly. 641 00:27:43,760 --> 00:27:44,480 Speaker 1: See you next week,