Fans First

Attending the “Welcome” conference in New York, I was able to hear Jesse Cole (of Savannah Bananas fame) speak about putting fans first. At one point, he told the story of the first time they played in a large major league stadium and what they were willing to do so the fans in the upper deck seats would have a great experience.

These are often referred to as nosebleed seats. The term “nosebleed,” in reference to a section of a venue, first appeared in print in 1953 to describe the highest row in the end zone at Philadelphia’s Municipal Stadium. These are the cheap tickets—the ones that don’t require much money or influence to acquire because you’re a long way from the action and the amenities.

Cole went on to explain their belief that they are in the experience business, and it is critical that everyone in the stadium have a great experience. People who have a great experience become fans. Fans are loyal, steady, and excellent salespeople.

This made me think about the nosebleed seats in our organizations.

In every workplace, there are people sitting in the organizational equivalent of those upper deck seats. They’re often the newest hires, the entry-level positions, those without titles or corner offices. They’re the ones farthest from executive action, with the least power, and the least capability to control their environment. Yet, like Cole discovered with his baseball fans, these are often the people who determine whether your organization truly succeeds.

Cole’s philosophy centers on a simple question: “Does this create a better experience for our fans?” What if we asked that same question about our team members—especially those in our organizational nosebleed seats? Cole is “totally obsessed with delighting fans, controlling the end-to-end experience, and thinking long term,” even when it means leaving money on the table today.

The Savannah Bananas didn’t become a phenomenon by focusing only on their VIP box holders. They removed pain points, simplified processes, and made the customer journey smooth with all-inclusive ticket pricing, no hidden fees, and easy entry and parking. They understood that “no moment is too small to add joy.” They believed that “entertainment shouldn’t be limited to the product—it should be baked into the entire experience.”

The results speak volumes. The Bananas have a waiting list of 3.2 million fans and have been selling out 80,000-seat stadiums. More importantly, one 18-year-old player, Logan Moody, instinctively understood the philosophy when he spent an entire half-inning sitting with a fan who requested a signed baseball, creating a moment that brought her to tears. When Cole asked him about it, the player simply said, “It’s fans first, right?”

That’s what happens when you treat people like fans instead of just employees or customers. They become evangelists for your mission.

Consider what this means for leadership. The person answering phones, the one stocking shelves, the new hire still learning the ropes—these are your nosebleed seat team members. They may not have the best view of the corporate strategy, but they absolutely have a view of how you treat people. And here’s the thing: they talk. They go home to families; they have friends; they’re on social media. They’re either selling your organization’s story, or they’re not.

Cole asks “What if?” to turn ho-hum, run-of-the-mill experiences into something completely new. What if we approached team member experience the same way? What if we made it ridiculously easy for people to do great work? What if we eliminated the bureaucratic friction that frustrates people daily? What if we stopped treating basic respect and development opportunities as perks reserved for senior positions?

The business case is compelling. When team members have great experiences, they stay longer, reducing turnover costs. They’re more engaged, increasing productivity. They speak positively about the organization, helping with recruitment. They provide better customer service because they feel valued themselves. As Cole puts it: “The more you do for your team, the more they do for your customers, and the more the customers take care of your bottom line.”

But like the Bananas’ approach, this requires thinking long-term and sometimes leaving short-term efficiencies on the table. It means investing in people who may not immediately generate revenue. It means caring about the experience of people who can’t directly impact your career advancement.

Cole started nine years ago sleeping on an air mattress, driven by a singular mission: to create a billion fans, not a billion dollars. His “fans first” philosophy wasn’t just marketing—it was about fundamentally reimagining what success looks like.

The most successful organizations—and their leaders—understand this. They recognize that the person in the nosebleed seats today might be leading the organization tomorrow. More importantly, they understand that how you treat people when they have no power is the truest measure of your character as a leader.

Jesse Cole proved that putting fans first—even the ones in the cheap seats—can transform an entire industry. The question for leaders is simple: Are you willing to do the same for the people sitting in your organization’s nosebleed seats?

When you do, something remarkable happens. People stop being just employees and start becoming fans. And fans, as Cole discovered, are loyal, steady, and outstanding salespeople for your mission. Taking excellent care of everyone, regardless of their seat, is good leadership, good business, and the Bison Way.