A while back I wrote about why I’m not exactly in the Savannah Bananas fan club. Don’t get me wrong, I see the genius. They’ve turned baseball into a TikTok-friendly circus, they’ve made millions, and they’ve brought people who wouldn’t know a double play from a double espresso into stadiums. But as a long-suffering baseball fan, I don’t want baseball to become a never-ending talent show. I want baseball to be baseball.

Imagine this: you’re at a baseball game. The pitcher on the mound is known for one thing, his knuckleball. It’s unpredictable, almost impossible to hit, and when executed correctly, it’s a game-changer. But despite its potential to dominate, very few pitchers actually use it. Why? It’s difficult to master, it requires finesse and practice, and it’s just… not trendy.

Word of Mouth Marketing (WOM) is the knuckleball of the marketing world.