Nomura Securities Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Japanese investment giant Nomura Holdings, Inc., has inked a new agreement to become a Global Sponsor of the 2017 World Baseball Classic, according for a company statement.
The World Baseball Classic is an international baseball tournament sanctioned by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) – its popularity has swelled in recent years as it looks to include the best talent in the world, whilst providing an arena for professional baseball players to compete against one another while representing their home country.
Mounting Interest
2017 will be the fourth consecutive years of the World Baseball Classic, which will be held from March 6 to March 22, 2017. The first round will be held in Tokyo, Seoul, Miami, and finally in Guadalajara in Mexico. Additionally, the second round will be held in Tokyo and San Diego, while the championship round will be held in Los Angeles.
Per the sponsorship deal, Nomura’s logo and name will be displayed on billboards, outfield fences, and pamphlets at all stadiums. The deal is noteworthy as competition has helped drive viewership over the past few years, with Japan being one of the big three markets for baseball, along with the US and Latin America (LATAM).
The deal is the first of its kind into the realm of baseball, at a time when many other brokerages and venues have opted for other sports such as football in Europe, or cricket in Southeast Asia.
