Savannah Bananas Rely on MrBeast for YouTube Success and $50K Giveaway

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jeremy Lockett | Last updated Sep 1, 2025 6:55 PM ET

Jesse Cole, owner of the Savannah Bananas, says the team’s leap into YouTube and viral content was largely inspired by one of the platform’s biggest creators: MrBeast.

“Teaming up with Jimmy and his team this past weekend was a lot of fun,” Cole said. “But what many people don’t know is he is one of the main reasons why we went all in on YouTube.”

Cole explained that MrBeast’s approach to content—starting and ending with the fans—shaped the Bananas strategy.

“When you obsess over fans and dream bigger than anyone else, you can take the ordinary and make something truly remarkable,” Cole said. “It’s that obsession that he puts into every detail of every video.”

BananaBall Collaboration Creates Memorable Fan Moments

The influence was visible during the recent BananaBall collaboration with MrBeast in Pittsburgh, where a lucky fan won $50,000 midgame. Cole says moments like that reflect a shift in strategy: “Not even three years ago, we weren’t trying to grow a new channel. YouTube was just a video archive, not a community.”

FULL VIDEO: Mr Beast is giving away $50,000 at the Savannah Bananas Game tonight!! pic.twitter.com/8eYWEXuI1T
— Banana Breakdown (@BreakdownBanana) August 30, 2025

The pivot came after studying MrBeast’s methods. The Bananas began creating intentional content with storytelling, titles, and production quality that mirrored the YouTuber’s meticulous attention to detail.

They hired a full-time videographer — unheard of for a summer collegiate baseball team — and committed to delivering free content for fans. Cole said the team used to film every game and the stands to study how fans were engaging and when they were leaving.

That research led to the creation of Banana Ball’s two-hour rule. Those small details and constant adjustments have helped the Bananas grow into what they are today, and Cole said they will continue that approach to learn and do things no one else has done before.

Cole noted that even small observations, like when fans were leaving games, inspired major changes, such as implementing a two-hour game limit.

“Every detail matters,” he said. “From MrBeast to our YouTube channel, obsessing over fans has led us to more subscribers than MLB, NBA, NHL, or NFL teams.”

“Jimmy is a showman,” Cole added. “We had an absolute blast creating one of the most memorable experiences for our fans. His commitment to entertaining and improving will continue to inspire us as we grow our audience.”

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: