We are a very patriotic country. We want everything American to stay right here in America, including our national pastime.
But this morning’s opening day game between the Red Sox and A’s, which was played in Japan, is a very positive event for the game of baseball.
MLB’s decision to hold opening day in Japan is another step in successfully growing the game internationally. Any action that encourages the expansion of the sport internationally in terms of popularity—and the monetary return that popularity brings—should be seen as a good move.
Opening day is always one of the highlights of the Major League Baseball season. Every team starts off with the same record and every fan is hopefully and optimistic about their team’s prospects of success.
So, I do feel for the Red Sox and A’s fans having to wake up at 5:00 AM EST to watch this exciting event from half way across the world. But at the same time, as a baseball fan, you have to appreciate anything that promotes the popularity of the game.
MLB holding opening day in Japan not only supports the growth of the game. It also supports one of the cornerstones of American culture.
Outside of the United States, Japan is probably the country most interested in baseball. They have their own version of a professional baseball league and as we have seen in recent years, this league can produce some very talented ballplayers, perfectly capable of playing here in the major leagues.
Players such as Ichiro Suzuki and Daisuke Matsuzaka have successfully made the transition from Japan to the United States. They have also brought with them the interest of millions of Japanese baseball fans.
This interest has resulted in a massive increase in the sales of MLB licensed merchandise in Japan as well as a huge MLB television contract in Japan. Both are beneficial to MLB.
Between 2000 and 2006, sales of MLB licensed merchandise in Japan increased from $36.6 to $103.7 million. As far as television, the league signed a six-year, $235 million deal with Japanese media giant Dentsu.
4 comments Last one added about 1 year ago — Leave a Comment
Eric Bailey about 1 year ago
I agree completely that globalizing the game is good for the MLB as a whole, but is it worth it if the trip causes the two teams to strugglewhen they return to the US or there is a travel related injury? Perhaps MLB needs to make this a yearly trip and/or have more regular season games over there so that every team (or at least contending team) has to partake in the effects of traveling 18 hours to play a few games.
Edit Comment Cancel
Joe Willett about 1 year ago
2000 Mets and 2004 Yankees opened Japan and had, well, stellar seasons to say the least.
Edit Comment Cancel
Claire Reclosado about 1 year ago
I agree that it is generally good for the game, but how about the hometown markets of the teams?
Oakland is not generating much money anymore, I mean they closed the whole upper deck of the Oakland Coliseum! This season, they traded away their most popular players. How is Oakland supposed to thrive when they open the season at 3 am? It's hard enough to attract fans, this definitely doesn't help.
Edit Comment Cancel
Jimmy Ng about 1 year ago
Good article, however, take a look at this one though. Bobby Valentin says MLB comin over to Japan isn't necessarily a good thing.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3303017
I tend to agree with him.. and to put myself into the shoes of Japanese fans, I wouldn't feel that good to grow up a Ichiro, Matsui, Matsuzaka fan and then see them jump ship over the the bigs. I think that up and coming Japanese players will start to see the transition to the American Leagues as an ultimate career objective. If more and more talented players start to shun their own country's leagues and see the MLB as the only true way of becoming really successful....
If anything, if japanese players making the transition to the majors starts to occur more and more, it's possible that instead of the American becoming more popular because of baseball, I see America becoming more resented because of us coming and plucking all their good players away.
Nonetheless, good article!
notjustgoodatmath.blogspot.com
Edit Comment Cancel
Leave a Comment
You must register to post a comment.