How a Fans‑First Business Philosophy Offers a Model for a Smarter Approach to Risk Management through Captive Insurance

If you’ve spent any time on social media, chances are you’ve seen the Savannah Bananas, the wildly popular exhibition baseball team known for dancing players, sold‑out stadiums, and a game they reinvented entirely: Banana Ball. What looks like pure entertainment on the surface is actually a master class in business strategy, customer experience, and long‑term thinking.

While the Savannah Bananas don’t operate a captive insurance company, their Fans First philosophy offers surprisingly strong parallels to how captive insurance works—and why it has become an attractive risk‑management strategy for many organizations.

Here’s what the SavannahBananas can teach us about captive insurance.

1. Taking Control of the “Product” (Risk)

The Bananas made a bold decision early on: traditional baseball wasn’t working for a large part of the general public. Games were long, slow, and packed with friction points that fans disliked. Instead of trying to fix the margins, they rebuilt the product itself, creating Banana Ball, a faster, more engaging version of the game designed entirely around the fan experience.

Captive insurance follows a similar mindset. Rather than accepting one‑size‑fits‑all commercial insurance policies with rising premiums and limited flexibility, a captive allows businesses to take control of their own risk strategy. Coverage, limits, and structures are designed around the company’s actual exposures—not a generic underwriting model.

The takeaway: Just as the Bananas redesigned baseball to better serve their fans, captives allow organizations to redesign their insurance programs to better serve their business.

2. Reducing Friction and Investing in Prevention

One of the Bananas’ most talked‑about moves was eliminating common fan pain points: parking is free, food is included with tickets, there are no in‑stadium ads, and there is constant entertainment. In addition, instead of spending money on traditional, boring marketing, the Bananas use social media to create “wow” moments that build loyalty through word‑of‑mouth growth.

Captive insurance creates similar incentives. When a company insures its own risk, it is more motivated to invest in loss prevention, better safety programs, improved training, stronger controls, and proactive risk mitigation. Fewer losses mean lower long‑term costs and stronger financial outcomes.

The takeaway: Captives reward prevention overreaction, prioritizing the reduction of claims.

3. Radical Customization Over Conventional Rules

The Savannah Bananas didn’t just bend the rules of baseball, they rewrote them. No walks. Stealing first base. Time limits. Even the name itself broke every branding “best practice,” yet it became their greatest strength.

Traditional insurance operates by strict rules and underwriting boxes. Captive insurance, by contrast, offers flexibility. Companies can design coverage for unique risks, specialized equipment, niche liabilities, or emerging exposures that commercial insurers may exclude, restrict, or overprice.

The takeaway: Captives allow businesses to customize protection for how they operate, not how an insurance carrier prefers to underwrite.

4. Long‑Term Strategy Over Short‑Term Gains

The Bananas famously turned down a $1 million ticket resale deal because it would have raised prices for fans. Their decision prioritized long‑term loyalty over short‑term profit, and it paid off through sustained demand and brand devotion.

Captive insurance is also a long‑term play. Organizations with strong loss performance will see their captives retain underwriting profits, instead of seeing them lost to an unrelated, commercial carrier. Overtime, these retained profits will enable the captive to assume even greater risk at more affordable premiums act as a financial buffer during hard insurance markets.

The takeaway: Captives are about building resilience and control over time, not chasing immediate savings alone.

5. Creating a Safety Net for Innovation

The Bananas experiment constantly, trying 10 to 20 new ideas every night. Many fail, but their fans trust them because the experience consistently delivers value. That goodwill acts as a safety net, making experimentation possible.

A properly structured captive can play a similar role for businesses. By creating a dedicated, well‑funded risk vehicle, companies gain more confidence to pursue growth initiatives, operational changes, or innovation—knowing they have tailored protection to absorb potential setbacks.

The takeaway: Captives don’t eliminate risk; they make smart risk‑taking more manageable.

Owning the Experience

At its core, the Savannah Bananas’ success comes from ownership of their product, their brand, and their relationship with their fans. Captive insurance reflects that same philosophy. By taking ownership of risk management, businesses can create insurance programs that are more aligned with their company needs, more transparent, and more strategic.

At RMC Group, we help organizations evaluate whether a captive insurance strategy makes sense for their unique risks and long‑term goals. From feasibility analysis to implementation and ongoing management, our team works alongside you to build a risk solution that supports stability, flexibility, and growth.

If you’re ready to move beyond traditional insurance thinking and explore a more customized approach to risk, RMC Group can help guide the way. Contact our office today at 239-298-8210 or click here to schedule a meeting with our Captive team.