Established in March 2018, “Hokkaido Ballpark” is a joint venture company funded by three entities: the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters (hereafter Fighters), Nippon Ham (hereafter Nippon Ham), and Dentsu Inc.
The background to this establishment is the Fighters’ Ballpark concept, steadily progressing toward its 2023 opening. We asked Mr. Ryo Wakabayashi, General Manager of the Sports Bureau and the internal project leader at Dentsu Inc., about the company’s objectives in participating in this project.
【Table of Contents】
▼How does a “ballpark” differ from a “baseball stadium”?
▼ Japanese Sports Business is in an Unprecedented Period of Expansion and Development!
▼Co-creating the ballpark space with partners across all genres
Ryo Wakabayashi, Dentsu Inc. Sports Division
What’s the difference between a “ballpark” and a “baseball stadium”?
A ballpark is a general term for a space centered around a baseball stadium, with commercial facilities, hotels, restaurants, and other amenities built around it.
Ballparks are not merely team-owned businesses; they also serve as “community development projects” and “urban planning initiatives” that enrich people’s lives. For example, in Major League Baseball (MLB), each team collaborates with local governments to build ballparks that are complex, multi-faceted developments incorporating stadiums, commercial facilities, attractions, parks, and various other elements.
This approach aims to attract not only baseball fans but also people with little interest in baseball, integrating the ballpark into the local community as an important part of citizens’ daily lives.
There are two main reasons Dentsu Inc. is involved in the Fighters’ ballpark concept.
One is to assist the Fighters by extending Dentsu Inc.’s existing sports business, such as sponsorship rights and the sale of stadium signage advertising.
The other is to contribute to the sustainable growth of Japan’s sports business after the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics by building a new business model jointly with the Fighters.
Concept image of the ballpark planned for construction in Kitahiroshima City. Centered around the baseball stadium, various commercial facilities, lodging facilities, amusement facilities, and community spaces for citizens will form one large ballpark.
Japan’s sports business is entering an unprecedented period of expansion and development!
Since the decision to host the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics at the 2013 IOC Session, Japan’s sports business has entered an unprecedented period of expansion and development, as you may have noticed.
The Japan Sports Agency has set targets to expand Japan’s sports market, which stood at 5.5 trillion yen in 2012, to 10.9 trillion yen by 2020 and 15.2 trillion yen by 2025. The sports business is expected to invigorate Japan, a “pioneering nation facing challenges” entering a period of national maturity and decline due to its super-aging society, both economically and in terms of public mood.
Source: Sports Agency and Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, “Interim Report of the Sports Future Development Council” (June 2016)
Meanwhile, against the backdrop of China’s sports business bubble, significant waves are reshaping the business landscape. These include soaring fees for various rights, particularly broadcasting rights, and the emergence of new mega-players like DAZN and Amazon in new markets, including OTT (Over-The-Top).
In response to this situation, Dentsu Inc. has also found it necessary to build new business models beyond its traditional role as an agency for sponsorships and broadcasting rights.
※Abbreviation for Over The Top, referring to businesses that deliver video, messages, audio, etc., via internet connections. Representative examples include YouTube for video streaming, LINE and Skype for messaging and voice calls. A key feature is the ability to access the same content across multiple devices.
Co-creating the ballpark space with partners across all genres
The blue square represents Hokkaido’s vivid sky, while the gentle curve at its base evokes Hokkaido’s vast horizon and the new ballpark’s roof. The seven-rayed star symbolizes a new light of hope rising from the eastern sky, declaring the dawn of a new future and embodying the pride of Hokkaido’s residents.
The Fighters’ ballpark aims to open in 2023, with the construction site tentatively set at Kitahiroshima City Sports Park. Driving this ballpark construction plan is “Hokkaido Ballpark,” a joint venture between Nippon Ham, the Fighters, and Dentsu Inc.
Prior to construction, Dentsu Inc. is leading efforts to match partner companies who will co-create this ballpark space.
While the exact framework is still being finalized, we aim to realize the ultimate ballpark by collaborating with diverse partner companies, each contributing their unique strengths. The ballpark has three key themes:
Based on these themes, we are considering initiatives such as the following:
Designing new sports viewing experiences utilizing technology
Incorporating Hokkaido-style hot springs and saunas to encourage nearby residents to use the ballpark as part of their daily lives
Creating restaurants and cafes using local ingredients to attract casual fans who might not have considered attending baseball games before
To achieve these goals, we need diverse partners from various industries, transcending the traditional concept of a sports facility.
We envision building a win-win relationship with partner companies by utilizing the ballpark—which is expected to draw approximately 2 million fans annually for Fighters home games alone—as a “cutting-edge testing ground for next-generation business and marketing,” and by contributing to the sustainable growth of both businesses and society.
From clients seeking to break away from existing business and marketing models to Dentsu Group employees exploring new sports-centric initiatives, we want to co-create the ultimate ballpark with everyone!
In this series, key figures involved in the ballpark project—starting with my colleague Noritaka Obuse (3CRP Bureau), who is responsible for developing the ballpark concept—will gradually share their vision for the dreams we aim to realize. Stay tuned.
Members from the Sports Bureau, 3CRP, and BD&A Bureau involved in Ballpark
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