What happens when you set out to break every rule in one of America’s most traditional sports, and people flock to watch?
In this Fan Favorite episode, Jared Orton, President of the Savannah Bananas, unpacks how a no-name baseball team triggered a movement by making fun non-negotiable and burning down industry norms. Discover how relentless experiments, cultural friction, player resistance, and pandemic chaos forced Jared Orton and his team to make brutal business choices, all while scaling from selling a few tickets to filling stadiums across America.
Miss this episode, and you risk clinging to safe growth strategies while your competitors reinvent, electrify their culture, and claim your customers. Listen now. Get the raw, strategic truth behind explosive growth and team alignment that most leaders never hear about.
Timestamped Highlights
- 00:00 – Why telling fans “You can’t buy a ticket” made them desperate to get in
- 03:34 – The culture playbook that turned baseball on its head
- 07:59 – The brutal truth: fun was their only real competitive edge
- 12:03 – The $15 all-you-can-eat gamble that shocked their market
- 15:39 – How they engineer relentless fun without losing operational discipline
- 20:44 – Why letting the wrong players walk is a proven culture win
- 25:00 – The pandemic forced a do-or-die vision shift overnight
- 34:00 – Their biggest tactical mistake and how it nearly cost everything
About the Guest
Jared Orton is the President of the Savannah Bananas, an electrifying baseball brand known for redefining the fan experience and selling out stadiums nationwide. With a proven track record in entertainment-driven growth, Jared Orton has transformed the Savannah Bananas from a struggling local team into a national phenomenon.
? LinkedIn | Website
Mentioned Resources
- Vision Driven Leader by Michael Hyatt
- Mastermind Talks (MMT)
- Jim Collins – Good to Great, the “Hedgehog Concept”
- Stephen Covey – 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
- Banana Ball rules
- Walt Disney World
- Pixar (Toy Story creative strategy)
Important Links
- Connect with Cameron: Website | LinkedIn
- Explore the COO Alliance – The World’s Leading Community for Seconds in Command
- Get Cameron’s book: Second in Command: Unleash the Power of Your COO Book
- Take his course: Invest In Your Leaders Online Course (Use promo code PODCAST10 before the end of the month for 10% off)
- Chat or video call with AI Cameron via Delphi
Note: This Fan Favorite episode is a recast of one of our most impactful interviews, still packed with insights for second-in-command leaders. Whether it’s your first listen or a revisit, there’s timeless value inside.
The Second in Command Podcast is an original production hosted by Cameron Herold. Brought to you by COO Alliance. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.
