Professional baseball and J League have begun.
The season has begun that will bring fans joy and sorrow.
The domestic sports-related market is said to be worth 9 trillion yen annually, and one of the keys to market expansion is human resource development.
A vocational school in Kyoto City is attracting attention for its unusual initiative to train "behind-the-scenes professionals."
(Osaka Broadcasting Station reporter Tsukasa Yamauchi)
I want to get a job related to sports!
“I hope I can give people who come into contact with sports and events an opportunity to feel better and smile even just a little bit.”
Kyoto Medical and Health College located in Kyoto City.
We train specialists such as sports trainers and judo therapists who support the health of athletes and their daily lives in more than 10 departments.
A year ago (2022), the Department of Sports Management Technology was newly established.
Ai Taniguchi (20), a first-year student, entered the school from Fukui with the hope of working in sports both domestically and internationally in the future.
Ai Taniguchi
: ``I played badminton for 12 years until high school, but I suffered many injuries and there were many periods when I couldn't get any results.During that time, I watched the players and the people who support the tournament, and I learned a lot. It all started when I wanted to plan an event that would entertain people."
What are the characteristics of the new department?
In this four-year course, students acquire practical skills through numerous on-site training and study abroad programs.
Using the experience I learned here ,
I aim to
manage teams and sports organizations
, plan sports-related events, and train managers in the future.
This is truly the training of “behind the scenes professionals”!
The reason for starting this initiative, which is rare among vocational schools nationwide, was related to the country's strategy to expand the sports business.
Domestic sports situation
The Japan Sports Agency was established in 2015, and the following year (2016), sports were positioned as a growth industry in the Japan Revitalization Strategy.
The goal was to expand the market size, and a policy was also set out to support human resource development and strengthen management capabilities.
Shin Satosaki of the major consulting firm Deloitte Tohmatsu, who is familiar with the domestic sports business, points out that the sports business is an emerging industry in Japan.
Deloitte Tohmatsu Sports Business Group Shin Satozaki Senior Vice President
Shin Satozaki, Senior Vice President, Sports Business Group, Deloitte Tohmatsu:
``Professional baseball and the J League were not professional leagues created primarily for business purposes, but rather were focused on improving the competitive side. Until recently, it was viewed as something close to ``forbidden'' to make money using sports content.
``After that, the environment gradually changed, with the establishment of the Japan Sports Agency, and the sports business was accepted positively by the people.I think Japan is still in its ``early days''.How can we generate revenue using sports content? There are still only a limited number of people who can think about this and put it into practice."
To develop ready-to-work skills
The instructors at this vocational school are instructors who have specialized in soccer business at graduate schools overseas and have practical experience at professional soccer clubs.
During field training, the curriculum has been designed to allow students to independently become involved in sports business, such as planning and managing events and gathering sponsors.
Growth through practical training 1 From planning to negotiation...
This is collaboration with club activities.
One example is a project inviting professional soccer players.
We negotiated the participation of Koji Yamase (Renofa Yamaguchi), who had played for J1 Kyoto Sanga (J2 at the time), and planned ``soccer classes and social gatherings'' in collaboration with the soccer club.
Funds were raised from local businesses who asked for sponsorship.
Students worked on everything from scheduling to event planning and management.
Growth through practical training 2 Experience of difficulty in attracting sponsors
We are also working on training in sponsorship sales.
Over the course of about six months until last month (March), the students took on the challenge of finding companies that would sponsor the event in exchange for having their company names printed on the soccer team's uniforms and T-shirts.
The funds will be used to strengthen the team as well as to produce flyers and posters to advertise the activities.
This February, the students went to work at a company that operates osteopathic clinics mainly in Kyoto City.
It is considered as a place of employment for vocational school students.
We presented the benefits of having the company name exposed on the uniforms worn at games to increase recognition among students and others.
However, the company president asked for ``a little more merit.''
The students were unable to sufficiently demonstrate the merits of the project, and the sponsorship was postponed.
When the students returned to school, they brainstormed what was missing from the presentation.
We considered this based on what the president said at the negotiation table, saying, ``I would be happy if there was an initiative to create closer connections between the company and the school.''
The next day, the students visited again and presented their content with added benefits.
Male student:
``I got the idea from the ``sponsor booth'' of professional sports, and I'm thinking about holding a free trial session for pelvic correction and other things with sponsors at the school's cultural festival. I think the opportunity for people to visit will expand awareness of the company and industry.”
The president's decision...
President Kentaro Kobayashi:
``Actually, there are a lot of people who don't know what the osteopathic clinic industry does, so I thought it would be nice to have an opportunity to appeal to them.This is a very grateful proposal.We can do a lot
of things in a short period of time .''
I was able to convey everyone's enthusiasm. I would be happy if we could partner not only this time, but next year and the year after.”
President Kentaro Kobayashi (left) and Mr. Taniguchi
The president readily agreed to the sponsorship contract.
Last month (March), uniforms with the sponsor's company name on them were completed, and the soccer club members also wore them.
Soccer club member
: ``The number of people who are involved with us off the pitch has increased significantly, so I feel like I have to play with a different sense of responsibility and weight than before.''
Mr. Taniguchi
: ``I'm happy to see the results of my efforts.I'm glad I chose this department because it provided many opportunities for us to be proactive.I was able to experience this while still a student.'' I think this has led to a solid step forward.”
The key is “players off the pitch”!
Takehiko Nakamura, who is the representative of an international business development company based in the United States that connects Japan and the world through sports, and is well versed in sports business, says that the practical activities offered at vocational schools are rare in Japan and are extremely meaningful. Point out.
BLUE UNITED CORPORATION Representative Takehiko Nakamura
Takehiko Nakamura, CEO of BLUE UNITED CORPORATION:
``Professional sports teams, including the employers, are not all large companies, and there are not many places that can afford to educate students. I think it would be a good practice to get involved while thinking about how things will go.”
"It's not just the players who make the team bigger and stronger. The presence of staff who are ``off-the-field players'' is also important, and the team revolves around these two wheels. How can you contribute to the team as ``off-the-field players''? I believe that thinking and acting from an early age will lead to human resources who can immediately work.”
*Broadcast on Hotto Kansai on April 4th