Yoshi Okamoto is sports entrepreneur who has vast experience in both the United States and Japan. Born and raised in Japan, Yoshi is the first Japanese businessperson to work full-time in the US professional sports, namely the MLB (A, AAA minor teams and Minnesota Twins), NHL (Anaheim Mighty Ducks), and the NBA (Brooklyn Nets, then the New Jersey Nets) after moving to the United States upon graduating Chuo University in 1988. In 1997, after helping guide the Japanese National Men’s Baseball team to a silver medal in the Atlanta Summer Olympics a year earlier, he founded his own sports marketing company OSM International, which hold exclusive marketing rights for various professional sports teams in Japan. In 2007, he realized his life-long dream of owning a baseball team by becoming the co-owner of the Tri-City Dust Devils, a minor league affiliate of the San Diego Padres, along with MLB legend George Brett. He also established Rawlings’ Japanese subsidiary, Rawlings Japan LLC, as its President/GM in 2011; since then, the company has grown to over 30 employees. He recently resigned from this position to pursue new challenges going into his 50’s.
We caught up with Yoshi to talk baseball, and business, in Japanese and American sport from his unique perspective…
What is the biggest cultural difference in sports business between Japan and the United States?
One of the biggest differences is that many professional sports teams in Japan are owned by large corporations, such as Toyota and Mitsubishi, and their operations are influenced by them. Also, amateur sports, such as high-school and collegiate sports, are not perceived as a business opportunity like it is in the United States. Much like Japanese society as a whole, an emphasis on seniority as well as a gender gap in business opportunities exist.
You have had quite a unique run with sport in the United States. Who have been some of the more influential people in your career in the US?
Jon Spoelstra, Bobby Brett, and Joe Buzas. I’ve had the chance to work under them during my career in the United States, and I’m thankful for the fair opportunities they gave me despite the language barrier.
Rawlings is an iconic brand in sports. How have they grown the business outside of the US?
Unfortunately, they have not been able grow their global businesses so well. I think this is one of the reasons I was given the challenge in establishing Rawlings’ local subsidiary in Japan in April of 2011.
What are the best Japanese business tactics that should be applied more to sports business in the US?
The high quality products and services. In Japan, high quality and service is realized despite the lack of a tipping culture; I think it would be meaningful to consider how we can introduce this to the US sports business industry.
With regard to social media, I think it is the same, especially amongst the younger generations. Involving the older generations is an important next step, but this may take time in Japan, as cultural changes are harder to adapt.
You are part owner of a minor league baseball team. How has working with someone like George Brett changed your career?
It was a valuable opportunity to work with someone who has been so successful in US sports business like George Brett. Since I had the opportunity to work with him, I was able to meet people and go places that I would never have imagined when I first began my career in the United States.
One focus for you is giving back to young people. What can young Japanese entrepreneur learn from sports business in the United States?
I would tell them that, regardless of one’s age, education, or gender, if you keep working towards your dreams they can be achieved. I also think the idea of making investments and taking risks needs to be better understood by learning from use cases in the US.
Who do you follow and what do you do to learn more about sports business globally?
I follow and network with executives from the five major US sports (NFL/MLB/NBA/NHL/MLS) in order to learn the latest trends in how they establish various business models and strategies between them and their teams.
What are some of the brands that you think do global sports business right?
Nike, Adidas, Puma, Under Armor. They have pursued aggressive global expansion strategies and have done so successfully. From a Japanese perspective, I think Asics is working hard to catch up with these companies globally.
How can brands best leverage sports business in Japan going forward, with the Olympics coming in 2020?
Looking towards the Olympics, I think brands can leverage their business in Japan through advertisement with potential Japanese gold medalists and promotion through social media. In order to do so, brands need to approach and establish relationships with such potential medalists as soon as possible.
