From our other sites
The story
On September 16, Rakuten owner Hiroshi Mikitani, attending the 12-team owners’ meeting for the first time in seven years, revealed that he had urged NPB to quickly adopt the “pitch clock,” which limits the time between pitches, and the automated ball-strike system “ABS.” He argued that both systems have helped revive MLB’s popularity in the US, and that shortening game times would also ease the burden on players. In the 5ch thread, some voiced support (“they should adopt it ASAP”), while others pushed back on the premise of the proposal itself — questioning who would cover the implementation costs, whether regional stadiums could support the system, and whether there’s actually data showing MLB’s popularity has recovered.
September 16, 2026, 3:39 PM
Rakuten owner Hiroshi Mikitani attended the 12-team owners’ meeting held in Tokyo on the 16th — his first appearance since 2019, seven years ago. Speaking to reporters afterward, he revealed that he had proposed NPB (Nippon Professional Baseball) quickly adopt the “pitch clock,” which sets time limits for pitchers and batters between pitches, along with ABS (Automated Ball-Strike system).
Mikitani explained: “Adopting this in the US has helped revive MLB’s popularity. Our own team’s games feel a bit long too, and I think players would rather have shorter games with less strain than longer ones. Even if there are various issues, I think it’d be good to allow some exceptions and get it implemented as soon as possible.”
Source: chunichi.co.jp / Original article here
What people said
Of course he's into it — the guy sends faxes to meddle with the lineup card.
But he never actually shows up to games lol
Rakuten's still using fax machines in this day and age? lol
ABS adoption is only planned for the 12 teams' home stadiums. Regional stadiums can't support it.
He's probably angling to build the system himself.
> Owner Mikitani said, "Adopting this in the US has helped revive MLB's popularity."
Looking at the compound annual revenue growth rate (CAGR) of major North American sports leagues since 2015:
NBA: 10.7%
NFL: 7.5%
NHL: 6.8%
MLB: 2.7%
If MLB had matched the NBA's growth rate, league revenue would be roughly double what it is now.
https://www.mlb.com/ja/news/mlb-competitive-balance-issue-explained
The Premier League is at 7.3%.
He's a team owner, dude.
Well, of course he's not going all the way to Sendai — but he does show up for games hosted at Tokyo Dome.
But he's flown all the way to Spain to watch Barcelona matches multiple times.
Come on, don't say that — there's no other owner who'd actually pour money into a team based in Sendai.
ABS, though, should be adopted ASAP.
Background and Key Points of the Debate
ABS is a system in which a machine calls balls and strikes on pitches. Independent leagues and MLB’s minor leagues have tested full automated calling, while MLB itself has been trialing a “challenge system” this season, where players can only request a review on close pitches. NPB has also tested the system in select games, but no timeline for full adoption has been announced. The pitch clock is likewise treated as a foregone conclusion for eventual adoption, but the implementation year remains undecided — one thread commenter even said they’d mistakenly thought it was starting next season. The main point of contention was cost: whether implementation would be limited to the 12 teams’ home stadiums, or would also extend to Rakuten’s regional games outside Sendai. Mikitani’s stated rationale — that “MLB’s popularity has recovered” — also drew skepticism, with users citing revenue growth-rate comparisons against other sports leagues; overall, the discussion focused less on the substance of the proposal than on whether its underlying premises actually held up.
※This article is compiled as an excerpt/summary of the 5ch (Geinou/Sports Express+) thread “[Rakuten] Owner Mikitani Urges NPB to Fast-Track Pitch Clock and ABS Adoption.”
Leave a Reply