By Paul Nicholson
December 9 – J-League club Vissel Kobe has been bought by Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten, the club’s shirt sponsor, for an undisclosed amount.
Rakuten is acquiring 100% of the team’s shares from Crimson Football Inc. The deal is expected to close buy the end of the year.
Rakuten has been Vissel Kobe’s main sponsor since 2004. A company statement said the acquisition will bring about a streamlining and “experience” to Vissel Kobe management while the club brand will help with the marketing of its many products.
The company also owns Nippon Professional Baseball league team the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles.
Rakuten had 2013 revenues of US$5.3 billion and consists primarily of about 40 online businesses. It moved into the US in September with the acquisition of retailer eBates for $1 billion. It also spent $900 million acquiring instant messaging platform Viber.
In Japan Rakuten is dominant online and has recently begun offering smartphones via its MVNO telecom service. It also invested in budget airline Air Asia this summer to introduce its service in Japan. Air Asia is majority owned by English Premier League owner Tony Fernandes.
Rakuten is not the only on-line retail-driven business in Asia to buy into club football recently. In China on-line giant Alibaba bought a majority stake in Guangzhou Evergrande in September. See John Yan’s column at http://www.insideworldfootball.com/john-yan/15525-john-yan-alibaba-and-investing-in-football-s-future
Vissel Kobe were a founder member of the J-League’s top division and have only had two seasons outside it in 2006 and 2013. The club were promoted back to the top flight for the 2014 season after finishing second in J2.
They play their home matches at the 30,000-seater Kobe Wing Stadium.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1734889366labto1734889366ofdlr1734889366owedi1734889366sni@n1734889366osloh1734889366cin.l1734889366uap1734889366
