Photo/Illutration Sapporo Dome in the city’s Toyohira Ward is operated by a semi-public entity affiliated with Sapporo city. (Osamu Hiura)

SAPPORO--The cash-strapped operator of Sapporo Dome is selling naming rights for the all-weather facility in the hope of recouping sales losses triggered by the relocation of the home stadium of the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters pro baseball team.

Sapporo Dome Co., a semi-public entity affiliated with Sapporo city, said Jan. 9 the winning bidder will be able to use whatever nickname it chooses for a period of two to four years.

The stadium operator is seeking applications for the naming rights from companies not only in Hokkaido but also across Japan through Feb. 29.

Ideally, Sapporo Dome said annual usage fees would come to at least 250 million yen ($1.7 million). However, it said it would also consider bids from enterprises that have more affordable prices in mind.

If all goes according to plan, the winning bidder will be able to rename Sapporo Dome from as early as April.

In 2011, Sapporo city also looked for a sponsor to rename Sapporo Dome. But that endeavor fell through.

The operator expects to chalk up a net loss of 294 million yen in fiscal 2023 as it lost Fighters’ nearly 70 games. 

Last April, the company gave the go-ahead for Sapporo Dome to also serve as a venue for middle-scale concerts by introducing a new mode that separates the arena and the spectators’ seats with big black curtains. So far, however, the new mode has only been used on two days.

For this reason, expectations are growing that the naming rights program will prove to be a new source of revenue.

Related News