【Washington, 】Follow Rui Hachimura’s Lead! The NBA’s Business Strategy Targeting the Japanese Market

Rui Hachimura heading to the court.
Photo: Will Newton / Getty Images
Washington Post (USA)
Text by Rick Maese

For the NBA, which is focusing on global expansion, Rui Hachimura, drafted this season by the Washington Wizards, is a significant foothold for opening up the Japanese market. The American newspaper followed the Washington Wizards’ efforts to attract Japanese fans, including launching Japanese-language social media accounts and hiring a bilingual Japanese-English reporter.
The Washington Wizards selected Rui Hachimura in this year’s NBA draft because he possesses an exceptional wingspan and is a versatile player favored by coaches for excelling in both offense and defense. But that’s not the only reason.

Video covering Hachimura’s debut game.
As soon as the news of acquiring Hachimura arrived, the Wizards’ headquarters sales department and business side erupted in joy. Expectations rose that Hachimura’s presence would significantly contribute to boosting the Wizards’ popularity in Japan.

Hachimura, born to a Beninese father and a Japanese mother, was born and raised in Japan and moved to Gonzaga University in Washington state, USA, in 2016. He is the third Japanese player to appear in a regular-season NBA game.

Following Hachimura’s addition, the Wizards have been pushing forward an aggressive “game plan” to develop the Japanese market. First, they launched a Japanese-language team website and Twitter account. Furthermore, to convey everything about Hachimura and the Wizards to fans located about 11,265 km away, the team hired a dedicated bilingual Japanese-English reporter.
While several American professional sports teams have already accepted star players from overseas (for example, Japan’s Ichiro, China’s Yao Ming, Russia’s Alex Ovechkin), the promotional activities targeting their home countries have been unprecedented.