Been watching some Youtube streams of some B.league games this season and interested to know how popular the league and basketball more generally is in Japan these days. Is interest in the league generally growing? Do you think it could follow a similar trajectory to the J.League in terms of growth over the next 10 years as it becomes more established?
https://www.reddit.com/r/japan/comments/17hgkq7/popularity_of_bleague/
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It’s the third-biggest team sport in Japan – behind baseball and soccer (which has a higher youth participation rate than baseball these days) but it’s basically been doing a speedrun of the J.League in terms of growth/expansion (no surprise considering that the J.League’s first chairman helped form the B.League after the BJL/NBL schism) and the league’s heading toward a big push to increase its business scale.
More teams are getting their own arenas rather than hopping between 2-3 home courts; Ryukyu and Gunma these last couple years, Nagasaki, Alvark Tokyo and Chiba Jets in next year or so, others I’m probably forgetting.
Having Japanese players in NBA helping, national team qualifying for Paris also a boost, and the Slam Dunk movie reminded everyone that they do like basketball a little. Still not at the level of J, and it might not get there, but it’s on the upswing for sure.
Huh. I didn’t know Shinagawa City was in the top league. They play in gymnasium, not an arena.
Pretty sure basketball is #3 after soccer and baseball. Every game I’ve been to (Shibuya Sun Rockers) has been sold out and then some. That said, they play in small arenas. My (USA) high school gym was bigger than some of the arenas.
You know Basketball World Cup was held in Japan in August and September. Even though Japan did not go to quarterfinals, it finished at the top among Asian nations and they are qualified to go to Paris Olympics.
Many Japanese people were excited with that result. Now basketball is getting popular again in Japan.