As Shohei Ohtani gets set to lead a star-studded Japan team in this year’s World Baseball Classic, investors in the nation’s stock market may look for gains in sports-related stocks.
(Bloomberg) — As Shohei Ohtani gets set to lead a star-studded Japan team in this year’s World Baseball Classic, investors in the nation’s stock market may look for gains in sports-related stocks.
It will be a homecoming for Ohtani — the rare two-way phenom ranked among the world’s best pitchers as well as the top hitters — who has been playing Major League Baseball in the US for five years. Japan hosts its first round group in Tokyo for the WBC, which runs March 8-21.
Shares of sporting goods maker Mizuno Corp. and pub operator Hub Co. Ltd., which surged during last year’s FIFA World Cup, may be active again. The popular soccer tournament had an economic impact on Japan of around $120 million, according to a report by Daiwa Institute of Research Ltd.
While noting that the popularity of related stocks around major events is generally temporary, there is a “series of trading opportunities” this year, said Toshihiro Nagahama, chief economist at Dai-Ichi Life Research Institute. Other upcoming tournaments include the FIFA Women’s World Cup this summer and the Rugby World Cup in autumn.
Stocks to focus on in Japan include sports gear makers Asics Corp. and Descente Ltd., as well as retailer Xebio Holdings Co. Listed broadcasters TBS Holdings Inc. and TV Asahi Holdings Corp. will show some WBC games, and sponsors include Nippon Express Holdings Inc. and Konami Group Corp.
Ohtani’s Baseball Genius Helps Sponsors Outperform Market
Recent sports events have also put a focus on Japan’s tech stocks. CyberAgent Inc. drew notice during the World Cup due to a surge in use of its Abema TV streaming service, which showed the games for free in Japan. Sony Inc. has garnered attention for its Hawk-Eye visualization technology used to assist referees.
The World Baseball Classic has been held sporadically since it started in 2006. Japan, which won the inaugural event and again in 2009, will play the first round of this year’s contest against Korea, China, Australia and the Czech Republic.
In addition to Ohtani, Japan’s WBC team will include MLB hurler Yu Darvish and Munetaka Murakami, star slugger of the Nippon Professional Baseball league. While the “Samurai Japan” team sits atop the world rankings, it’s currently third-favorite to win the title, behind the Dominican Republic and US, according to Fox Bet odds.
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