What Big Businesses Can Learn From Startups: A Lesson From "Banana Ball"
What Big Businesses Can Learn From Startups: A Lesson From "Banana Ball"  
Podcast: Let Me Speak To A Manager
Published On: Mon Jun 16 2025
Description: Frank and Ian explore the themes of rule-breaking and innovation in business, particularly through the lens of technology and customer engagement. They discuss the importance of staying relevant in a rapidly changing world, using the example of the Savannah Bananas, a baseball team that has successfully reinvented the game to attract a new audience. The conversation also touches on the challenges faced by Major League Baseball in adapting to modern viewer preferences and the lessons that can be learned from smaller, more agile companies. In this conversation, Ian Mathews and Frank Cava explore the evolving landscape of sports viewership, the rise of soccer in America, and the importance of innovation in business. They discuss the challenges faced by traditional sports leagues like MLB, the impact of learned helplessness in organizations, and the necessity of being dynamic in response to market changes. The dialogue emphasizes the balance between maintaining core values and adapting to new trends, using examples from various industries to illustrate their points.Chapters03:05 Staying Relevant in a Changing World05:56 Innovations in Baseball: The Savannah Bananas08:54 Lessons from the Savannah Bananas12:02 Learning from Competitors: The Importance of Humility14:56 The Impact of Tradition on Major League Baseball17:52 Major League Baseball's Adaptation and Innovations28:09 The Evolution of Sports Viewership30:05 Soccer's Rise and the Importance of Game Duration32:28 Innovation vs. Tradition in Sports35:16 The Dangers of 'Not Invented Here' Syndrome39:01 Overcoming Learned Helplessness in Organizations40:11 The Importance of Dynamism in Business44:48 Adapting to Market Changes52:50 Finding Dynamic Solutions in a Static Environment