Sports & Entertainment
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Blog
The Fans: New Rakuten original documentary on the passion behind global soccer
In the summer of 2019, two of the world’s top soccer squads — FC Barcelona and Chelsea FC — visited Japan to join Vissel Kobe in the inaugural Rakuten Cup, a historic mini-tournament organized by Rakuten. While the matches served mainly as an exhibition for fans, to avid supporters of the three clubs the opportunity to see their favorite teams face-off against each other in Japan was a dream come…
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A new home base for Lukas Podolski and Rakuten partnership
Five artificial grass soccer pitches, two multifunctional pitches for futsal (a form of indoor soccer), a panna cage (used for the popular street soccer game panna), basketball nets, wheelchair sports and an e-gaming area – there’s something for athletes of all kinds at STRASSENKICKER Base, the latest project from former Vissel Kobe star Lukas Podolski and partner Rakuten. Based in the forme…
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Sports partnerships will never be the same — and that’s a good thing, say industry leaders
What does the future of sports partnerships look like? That was the question posed to industry thought leaders earlier this month, when they met for a special online panel at World Football Summit. The Summit, organized by footballing legend Ronaldo Nazário, brought together executives from clubs, leagues, federations, broadcasters, agencies and sponsorship brands for a series of digital discussio…
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The Big Picture: See you at Camp Nou?
With professional soccer teams around Europe continuing to play to spectatorless stadiums amid the pandemic, FC Barcelona has announced a first-of-its-kind initiative to connect with the club’s global fanbase — and put the fans in the spotlight. As something of a tribute to the passion of the club’s fanbase, Rakuten, together with FC Barcelona, plans to create a larger-than-life mosaic, featuring…
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Cardboard cutouts & remote cheering: Pro sports are back in Japan
Baseball and soccer fans rejoice! Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball league and J.League have finally begun their 2020 seasons. Stadium seats remain empty as of mid-July, but that isn’t stopping fans of Rakuten’s baseball and soccer teams from celebrating in some unique ways. Vissel Kobe: Cardboard cutouts of fans and live loudspeaker cheering For Rakuten’s J.League soccer team, Vissel Kobe, the…
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Taiwanese baseball: Just what the doctor ordered?
With its quick move to close borders and begin contact tracing, Taiwan has been lauded as a clear-cut success case in planet Earth’s fight against COVID-19. The government’s swift response has so far limited cases of the virus to under 500 — with just 6 active cases as of June — a mere fraction of the total population of nearly 24 million. That’s not to say Taiwan’s citizens aren’t taking precauti…
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Marie Kondo Introduces Her New Book, ‘Joy at Work’
Whether you’re working from home or reflecting on what’s next in your career, “Joy at Work” can help. Here’s what the bestselling author has to say about making space for the work that really matters to you. Marie Kondo, bestselling author and founder of KonMari Media, Inc. In “Joy at Work,” my co-author – Rice University business professor, Scott Sonenshein — and I combine the life-changing KonMa…
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Iniesta inspires audiences in new original Rakuten TV documentary, Andrés Iniesta – The unexpected hero
Phenomenon. Special. Legend. Wizard. Magical. These are but a few of the many superlatives bestowed upon FC Barcelona and now Vissel Kobe great Andrés Iniesta by football legends, friends and family members at the start of the new feature-length documentary, Andrés Iniesta – The unexpected hero. The film examines Iniesta’s life, from his humble roots in the small town of Fuentealbilla, Spain to hi…
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Rakuten Monkeys’ robot fans a global sensation
As the professional sports world scrambles to adjust to widespread restrictions on large social gatherings, one Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) club is making global headlines for its unique efforts to generate an exciting game atmosphere amid empty stadiums. With flesh and blood fans taking in the action from home, the Taiwan-based Rakuten Monkeys are filling the stands with lifelike…
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