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NHK waves the white flag on airing the Nagoya Sumo tournament
By Zach Arnold | July 6, 2010
Total meltdown.
I’m not sure if this is on the same level as when Fuji TV canceled PRIDE at this time about four years ago, but it’s going to leave a real mark on the Sumo business.
The Nagoya tournament every year at Aichi Prefectural Gym had trouble selling out, but once the gambling/yakuza scandal hit then all the major sponsors pulled out of the event. After that, NHK (Japan’s government-owned channel) backed out of the event.
The big question is just how much money will be lost and how much media coverage with all the empty seats will be displayed throughout the month. Or will the tournament just get canceled at some point to save face.
All I know is that if this was America, the shame factor would not exist like it does in Japan.
NHK not airing Nagoya Sumo tournament is first time network doesn’t air Sumo in over 50 years
What will NHK viewers get to watch instead of the Sumo tournament? Women in spandex stretching.
The decision by NHK to pull the plug on airing the Nagoya tournament live on television was justified, according to the network, due to all the Sumo scandals over the last several years, including what happened with Asashoryu and with other Sumo stars getting in trouble due to marijuana possession. NHK said that over 67% of their viewers told the network to pull the plug on airing the Nagoya series. Even Japan’s Education Minister chided the Sumo association.
Reaction from the Nagoya Sumo tournament participants on the business collapse of the tournament.
Topics: Japan, Media, Zach Arnold | 4 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Sumo is sacred in Japan, and when there are too many scandals, someone must get punished, and in this case, its the sumo association. Too bad too because the Nagoya tournament is one of the major yearly tournaments and an amazing site to behold.
this story has rocked the mma world to its very core.
the major point is that just like Pride/Fuji TV; the yakuza links have come into public
its not the gambling on baseball that everybody’s worried about – its the gambling on sumo run by yakuza; the sponsorship of fighters by yakuza and the involvement of the yakuza in selling tickets (sound familiar?)
NHK wants a cleanout of the top management of the sumo association (read – get rid of the guys working with the yakuza)
easier said than done
I’ll never get the association between the Yakuza and the Japan public. It’s not as if everyone isn’t aware of them, the various gangs are out in the open and make no efforts to conceal who they are, but then the public acts all up in arms when they are exposed to be involved with a company.