Reebok Signs Savannah Bananas' TikTok Star Jackson Olson
Fresh off selling out Fenway Park in Boston, the "greatest show in sports" Savannah Bananas are taking their viral exhibition baseball brand mainstream on their 2024 World Tour.
While the organization overall has been garnering widespread headlines and millions of social media views of their unique in-game experiences, their athletes are now starting to leverage the moment to build their own personal brands.
Former Division I college baseball player - at Hartford and Stetson - Jackson Olson's professional aspirations were derailed during the COVID-19 pandemic, but he has certainly found a now sustainable and profitable home with the Bananas.
The infielder has been building his social media following and content creation skillset for years - with 1.7 million followers on TikTok and 635,000 on Instagram - and now has a major microphone and spotlight, especially while touring ballparks across the country.
The Connecticut-native is now getting into the sneaker game via a new partnership with nearby Boston-based Reebok. While returning to his home area during the team's recent Fenway visit, Olson went live with his new brand partner with a shopping excursion at Reebok headquarters, bringing along some teammates.
Olson joins Reebok's athlete roster that includes the likes of Steelers quarterback Justin Fields, Sky forward Angel Reese and with NBA legends Shaquille O’Neal and Allen Iverson returning to lead the brand's basketball business.
Ahead of the Bananas' weekend visit to Indianapolis for two games, Olson shared insights on his Reebok partnership, his rise with the Bananas and the impact of social media with Sports Illustrated.
What excited you about working with Reebok? Why is it a good fit for you?
“I’m pumped to join the Reebok team as they continue to tap into sports culture in unique and exciting ways. They’re taking a different approach to sport, like me and my journey as an athlete. Reebok is one of the coolest brands I’ve ever gotten to work with, and this partnership is so collaborative which is what I was most excited about it.”
For those unfamiliar, what are the Savannah Bananas? How’d you get started with them?
“The Savannah Bananas are a team that exists to make baseball fun. Every decision we make as an organization starts with the question “does this put the fans first?” And if it does, then we will probably pursue that idea. You’ll see trick plays, a hitter on stilts, backflip catches and of course, TikTok dances mid game. I posted a TikTok 2 years ago about the bananas when I was on a MLB stadium tour, and the owner Jesse Cole saw it and reached out to me. And the rest is history.”
First memory of Reebok?
“Oh this one’s easy… I got a pair of their famous ZigTech shoes when I was in middle school and thought I was the coolest kid ever, until every single kid in my school had them too.”
What’s your go-to Reebok gear to train in?
“The FloatZig is the most comfortable shoe ever. I can run, take ground balls and hit, and workout in them. And they stay clean too which is probably the most important part...ha!”
How has social media / TikTok impacted your life? What do you love most about it?
“Social media has completely changed my life. In high school and college, I was always trying to find a group to fit in with. I played three sports so I thought it would be easy, but I never could. Social media has allowed me to have a positive voice without having to fit in. It’s allowed me to work with some of the top companies in the world, taken me everywhere in the US, and allowed me to continue my dream of playing baseball on one of the biggest stages in sports, but most importantly it’s allowed me to be myself and find people who share my values and passions.”
What’re your goals when performing and when creating content for social?
“Performing on the field and making social media content is surprisingly very comparable. Whenever I’m on the field or making content, I always have the thought in the back of my head that there’s a 13 year old baseball boy, just like I was, emulating what I do and looking for inspiration. I obviously want to be as entertaining as possible with my mid game TikToks, Taylor Swift skits, and crazy antics, but want to keep it family friendly and be an inspiration to the next generation of athletes and influencers.”
Any advice for young athletes?
“My advice to young athletes is to not worry about results, but fall in love with the process. When I was 15 all I did was track my batting average. I was so caught up in stats that did not matter at the time. You will struggle, that’s the nature of sport. If you didn’t struggle you would be a hall of famer at age 17. But if you fall in love with the process, you’re going to have so much more fun. And lucky for you, fun usually correlated to performance… just saying.”
Advice for those looking to break into social media?
“Stop thinking. When I first started social media I was so worried about what people would think and if teammates would judge me. But I’m sitting here now realizing that if I gave into those thoughts, I would probably be doing something that I didn’t love and wasn’t passionate about.”
Where do you see the future of sports/entertainment going?
“People need to be entertained. When fans leave our games, they say 'I never want to go to a regular baseball game again.' And they might just be saying that, but it definitely makes you think.”
Anything else you would like to share?
“One thing I’ve learned in the last 3 years is that you are in control. You are literally in the drivers seat. You have the ability every single day to tell yourself to get up, and go pursue what you dream about. When I saw the Savannah Bananas on my TikTok feed, I promised myself that I would play for them one day. And it happened. Start to realize how much control you actually have over your thoughts and dreams, and then you will do big things…things you never thought possible.”
Further Reading: Reebok and AEW memorialize Brodie Lee with heartfelt sneakers.
MICHAEL EHRLICH
Michael Ehrlich is a seasoned sports marketing executive with experience across the global sports brand, athlete representation, media and education sides of the business. The Founder and CEO of Playbook Marketing, Ehrlich consults with brands on all things NIL and athlete partnerships, advises student-athletes on their personal brand building endeavors and is an adjunct professor at his alma mater, the University of Southern California where he teaches a course on athlete communications and marketing. As a writer, his previous bylines include Boardroom, Business of College Sports, DIME Magazine and UPROXX, among others. You can follow him across social media at @MichaelEhrlich and reach out via michael@playbook-marketing.com