Japanese Baseball Players’ Union Stands Firm

Members of the Japan Professional Baseball Players Association met with officials of Nippon Professional Baseball’s (NPB) 12 teams this week regarding the union’s participation in the 2013 World Baseball Classic but no progress was made according to reports.

The union maintained that it will not take part under the current system, in which all sponsorship and broadcast revenues are put in the same pot and split by all participating organisations.

The league’s side explained once more in detail about the plan to create a permanent body called the ‘Samurai Japan Project’ that would guarantee revenue.

The union maintains it will not participate as long as WBC Inc. denies the rights of Japan to its own sponsorship revenues. NPB Secretary General, Toru Matsubara said: “We explained that the players’ stance is firm.”{jcomments on}