story by Ashley Hohmann
Sport Administration Master's Student
Lawrenceville, Ga.—Students in Georgia State University’s sport administration program were a part of the Savannah Bananas World Tour on March 22-23, when the Bananas played three games at Coolray Field in Lawrenceville, Ga.
“The Greatest Show in Sports” is renowned for its “Fans First, Entertain Always” mission and provided another experiential learning opportunity for sport administration students.
Students worked as “Scanner Nanners” and merchandise attendants for the three games of “Banana Ball,” where the Bananas took on the Party Animals. The Scanner Nanners helped make a great first impression on guests as they entered the stadium, serving as ticket takers and greeting fans while dressed as bananas. Students working with the merchandise team helped set up and run merchandise stands inside the stadium. Both groups were integral to maintaining the Bananas’ “Fans First” philosophy.
“I had an incredible time working the double-header on Saturday,” said sport administration master’s student Kaitlyn Hannigan. “The fans, teams and atmosphere made this a one-of-a-kind experience to see the best sport marketing practices in person.”
Hannigan was joined by master’s students Bethany Fortson, Ashley Hohmann and Rachel Moss, as well as bachelor’s students Grant Birnberg and Erwin Sanchez. Doctoral student instructors Natalie Bunch and Jackson Sears also volunteered with their students.
The Bananas are a social media sensation, amassing over 8 million followers on TikTok and 2 million followers on Instagram. They are known for their unique rules of play, known as “Banana Ball.” Under their format, there is a two-hour time limit, batters cannot bunt and foul balls caught by fans are counted as out. The Bananas played in Gwinnett County as part of their world tour, which includes over 80 games across the U.S. and the Bahamas.
Because of the Bananas’ success, the sport administration academic program classes highlight the fan engagement efforts with sport marketing theories that explain their actions. The marketing class read books by the Bananas’ owner, Jesse Cole, about creating a fan-friendly environment. Bunch and Professor Beth Cianfrone researched the team’s marketing efforts and wrote a book chapter on the Bananas’ brand management for an upcoming book due out later this year.
The sport administration program is housed in the College of Education & Human Development’s Department of Kinesiology and Health. The program offers a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in sport administration, a Master of Science in Sport Administration and a Ph.D. in Kinesiology with a concentration in sport administration. The M.S. program is currently ranked No. 12 in the U.S. by Sport Business International. The sport administration program is home to the Center for Sport and Urban Policy and the Rankin Cooter Bureau for Sport Business Research.
For program information, contact Cianfrone at [email protected]. For the latest information, follow the program on Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter) and Instagram at @GSUSportAdmin.