Japanese commercial broadcasters Tokyo Broadcasting System and TV Asahi have been awarded the broadcasting rights to the inaugural edition of the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s Premier12 national team baseball competition.
The first edition of the event will take place in Japan and Taiwan from November 8-21 this year, bringing together the top 12 countries in the WBSC world rankings.
WBSC president Riccardo Fraccari welcomed the agreement to give the tournament free-to-air exposure in Japan on the country’s most wide-reaching broadcasting networks – something he identified as a boost with baseball and softball currently listed among the eight sports under consideration for a place at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
The first meeting between top-ranked Japan and world number eight South Korea will get the WBSC Premier12 under way, while the Tokyo Dome will host the competition’s semi-finals and final.
Elsewhere, TV Asahi has also won the rights to the 2015 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup, which will be staged in Osaka from August 28 to September 6.