World Baseball Classic Under Threat

[Mulboyne]

Japan Times: NPB, clubs want more cash from WBC
NPB and nine Japanese baseball clubs on Tuesday demanded in a meeting with Major League Baseball a bigger slice of the revenue as a condition for participation in the next World Baseball Classic in 2013. The NPB has apparently requested that it be allowed to secure the sponsorship rights for the Japanese team that organizer MLB profited from in the previous two tournaments. Despite its contribution to the 2009 tournament, NPB claims that 33 percent of profits went to the MLB and the MLB Players Association, while Japan received only 13 percent of profits. According to one source who attended the meeting held in Tokyo, the MLB has said that the distribution of revenue is fair. Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters club representative Toshimasa Shimada, who heads the international affairs committee, failed to touch on any details but said, "We explained our positions to each other and threw questions back and forth." The Japan Professional Baseball Players Association held an extraordinary meeting last month, at which it decided it will not play in the next World Baseball Classic if the NPB is unable to secure a bigger slice of the pie.

[Greji]

Japan Times: NPB, clubs want more cash from WBC
NPB and nine Japanese baseball clubs on Tuesday demanded in a meeting with Major League Baseball a bigger slice of the revenue as a condition for participation in the next World Baseball Classic in 2013. The NPB has apparently requested that it be allowed to secure the sponsorship rights for the Japanese team that organizer MLB profited from in the previous two tournaments. Despite its contribution to the 2009 tournament, NPB claims that 33 percent of profits went to the MLB and the MLB Players Association, while Japan received only 13 percent of profits. According to one source who attended the meeting held in Tokyo, the MLB has said that the distribution of revenue is fair. Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters club representative Toshimasa Shimada, who heads the international affairs committee, failed to touch on any details but said, "We explained our positions to each other and threw questions back and forth." The Japan Professional Baseball Players Association held an extraordinary meeting last month, at which it decided it will not play in the next World Baseball Classic if the NPB is unable to secure a bigger slice of the pie.

This is a new twist. They previously demanded appearance money as the reigning Champions two times running. MLB told them to fuck off according to sources close to the action. It is not inconceivable that Japan might not be invited at all if they continue their drive for profits. The WBC was developed to promote just that, the development of the game. Specifically, in countries just beginning baseball and even as eye candy to countries that don't have the game yet. It was not brought about to foster a profit, or to proclaim the winner as "World Champion" as Japan likes doing. MLB does get the lion's share because of all the money they have to put out for the tourney. I'd like to see MLB tell the NPB to shove it again.