Jose Sanchez
Research expert covering society, economy, & politics for Latin America
Nippon Professional Baseball - statistics & facts
Introduced at the end of the 19th century, baseball has arguably become the most popular sport in contemporary Japan. The game occupies the center stage in the Japanese world of sports. This is manifested, among others, through a large fanbase, high attendance numbers at stadiums, ample media attention regarding the professional scene, well-developed infrastructure in the shape of playing grounds or baseball stadiums, and plenty of qualified personnel that support new players. Japan’s professional baseball circuit is called Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). NPB consists of two same-tier leagues, the Central League, and the Pacific League, each of which features six teams. A typical season starts at the end of March and ends in October. Teams compete for the national cup in a two-stage process: the initial games determine the three leading teams in each league, after which the final contenders are determined in an add-on to the season, the Climax Series. The winners of the Climax Series proceed to the Nippon Series, a best of seven encounter that determines the year’s champion.
