Players Criticize Rakuten’s Home Stadium Renovation as a Parent Company’s Unilateral Decision

Fence moved six meters forward

Rakuten has struggled, finishing in the Pacific League’s B class for four consecutive years up to last season. Last season’s home game attendance totaled only 1.7 million—the lowest among the 12 teams—prompting a sudden shake-up, which has left the entire organization puzzled.

Since the late manager Senichi Hoshino led the team to the Japan Series championship in 2013, Rakuten has never reached the top of the Pacific League again.

“Often, the parent company’s upper management made inexplicable personnel and player decisions that backfired. In addition, during the 2023 off-season, a harassment incident involving a former pitcher and his teammates came to light, and local companies that supported the team criticized us. I’ve heard that sales of annual reserved seats—which these companies used to buy as part of employee benefits—have been quite sluggish,” said a team official.

To bring fans back to the stadium, the executives began strengthening the team. Plans for roster improvements were steadily progressing, but at the end of November last year, the team announced renovations to its home stadium.

“The renovations include replacing and installing new LED displays, as well as modifying the outfield fences. As a result, at Rakuten Mobile Saikyo Park Miyagi, the left-center fence will protrude up to six meters forward, and the right-center fence up to four meters forward. In other words, the stadium will become easier to hit home runs in than before,” the same official explained.

Recently, SoftBank’s home stadium, Mizuho PayPay Dome, and Lotte’s ZOZO Marine Stadium have installed home run terraces in their outfields, contributing to higher scoring games.

Even in the Central League, Nagoya’s home stadium, Vantelin Dome, which was considered difficult for home runs, is adding “Home Run Wing” seats. From that perspective, the Rakuten Mobile Saikyo Park renovations seem like a natural move.

“The problem is how the renovations were decided. There was almost no prior consultation with the players. In the case of Vantelin Dome, the management responded to requests from the Chunichi hitters, but for us, it was the exact opposite.

The parent company, frustrated with stagnant attendance, decided, ‘If home runs increase, so will attendance. Increase signage and sponsor seats too,’ and moved forward with the renovations. While the management claims they listened to the requests of players and coaches, in reality, it was almost a unilateral decision,” a team insider said.

Naturally, if the field layout changes, the fielders’ positions also need adjustment. But because open games in Sendai won’t be held in early March due to cold and snow, the outfielders will only be able to practice actual defense shortly before the season opener.

“Rakuten’s lineup includes players like Kazuki Murabayashi (28), last season’s leader in hits, and Rui Muneyama (22), Best Nine shortstop—types who rely more on speed and contact than power. With the field shrinking, the advantage might actually go to the opposing hitters. From the pitchers, voices of exasperation are surfacing: ‘Not only player selection and manager appointments, but now even the field is being arbitrarily altered’” the insider added.

Prioritizing stadium management at the expense of players’ motivation would be counterproductive.