Oct 5, 2022; Oakland, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani delivers a pitch against the Oakland Athletics during the first inning at RingCentral Coliseum. Credit: D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports
TOKYO: As Shohei Ohtani gets set to lead a star-studded Japan team in this year’s World Baseball Classic (WBC), 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 top hitters, who has been playing Major League Baseball in the United States for five years. Japan hosts its first round group in Tokyo for the WBC, which runs from March 8 to 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 football tournament had an economic impact on Japan of around US$120mil (RM535mil), according to a report by the Daiwa Institute of Research Ltd.
While 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 the 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.
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 garnered attention for its Hawk-Eye visualisation 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 South Korea, China, Australia and the Czech Republic.
In addition to Ohtani, Japan’s WBC team will include MLB hurler Yu Darvish and star slugger Munetaka Murakami of the Nippon Professional Baseball League.
Team “Samurai Japan” sits atop the world rankings, but is the third-favourite to win the title, behind the Dominican Republic and the US, according to Fox Bet odds. — Bloomberg
