Sports & Entertainment
-
Sports & Entertainment
Season 2 of Stephen Curry’s Underrated Tour Powered by Rakuten tips off in Chicago
Stephen Curry has a long history of turning doubters into believers. Once considered too small to succeed at basketball’s highest levels, today Curry is a two-time NBA MVP, three-time NBA champion and a household name across the world. Despite his extraordinary success however, Curry hasn’t forgotten what it feels like to be underrated, which is why he teamed up with Rakuten last winter to launch…
Read More » -
Blog
Kobe Forever Forward: Vissel vies for top spot in Asia at AFC Champions League
The stage is set for Vissel Kobe to achieve their long-coveted goal of becoming the No.1 soccer club in Asia. After winning the Emperor’s Cup title in historic fashion earlier this year, Vissel Kobe catapulted to the international soccer stage via their first-time entry into the AFC Champions League, the premier club tournament in Asia. Vissel has already snapped up two wins in the opening round o…
Read More » -
Sports & Entertainment
Andrés Iniesta: The Unexpected Hero, a first-ever official documentary, produced by Rakuten TV
FC Barcelona fans know it. Vissel Kobe fans know it. Everyone who watched the 2010 FIFA World Cup final knows it: Andrés Iniesta is a hero. Now, for the first time, the spectacular career of the acclaimed midfielder is being celebrated in a feature-length documentary produced by Rakuten TV: Andrés Iniesta: The unexpected hero. Produced by Rakuten TV, Andrés Iniesta: The unexpected hero is the firs…
Read More » -
Blog
Connecting with Taiwanese customers: Enter the Rakuten Monkeys
Last month, Rakuten made headlines around Asia with the unveiling of the Rakuten Monkeys — the Chinese Professional Baseball League’s (CPBL) three-time defending champs. At a high-profile event in Taipei, Rakuten CEO Mickey Mikitani, alongside Taoyuan City Mayor Cheng Wen-Tsang and CPBL Commissioner Wu Chih-Yang, revealed the Monkeys’ new name, uniforms, colors and logo. For Rakuten, the event mar…
Read More » -
Blog
Vissel Kobe crowned Emperor’s Cup champions
On the first day of the new decade, Vissel Kobe made history when it captured its first-ever trophy — The Emperor’s Cup. The win capped off a memorable year for the Rakuten Group’s J.League club and proved to the soccer world that its investments in international superstars and top domestic talent are yielding results, bringing Vissel one step closer to its stated goal of becoming “the No.1…
Read More » -
Blog
Tech, talk and tradition at the Davis Cup by Rakuten
Fans who visited the Davis Cup by Rakuten Madrid Finals 2019 in November hoping for a unique experience were not let down. In its new format, the 119-year-old “World Cup of Tennis” delivered some of the best matches of the year, and to the joy of the hometown crowd, ended with a breathtaking victory by the Spanish national team, led by the legendary Raphael Nadal. And the experience wa…
Read More » -
Blog
Basketball finds its footing in Japan
A lot has changed since basketball debuted in Japan at a Tokyo YMCA in 1908. But that hasn’t stopped the sport from captivating new fans across the country with each generation. Propelled by the B.League’s successful launch in 2016, the growing popularity of basketball among young people and the rise of homegrown NBA players like rookie Rui Hachimura, the sport is currently enjoying unprecedented…
Read More » -
Sports & Entertainment
The Rakuten Monkeys: A landmark new addition to the group in Taiwan
Backed by the beat of giant drums in a great hall in Taipei today, Rakuten welcomed a new member to the group: Professional baseball team the Rakuten Monkeys. Earlier this year, Rakuten announced its entry into the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) from the 2020 season through the acquisition of the Lamigo Monkeys. The Monkeys are based in Taoyuan, a city of over 2 million just south of…
Read More » -
Sports & Entertainment
A new swing at the Davis Cup
What excitement! What passion! As Rakuten’s director of sports sponsorships, I was privileged to spend last week in Madrid watching the new Davis Cup by Rakuten Finals come to life and witnessing world number one Rafael Nadal lead Spain to victory in remarkable fashion. The Davis Cup, which was first held in 1900, is the oldest and most prestigious team event in tennis, full of memorable moments a…
Read More »