プロ野球球団の事業構造と経営実態

─カープ球団と広島市民球場を事例として─

抄録

This paper clarifies the business structure and management system of the professional baseball club “Hiroshima Toyo Carp” using primary documents including financial data for 40 years from 1949. The business structure of the Hiroshima Municipal Stadium will also be clarified. The founders of Carp managed to establish a company through the main investment from local governments, expecting tax revenue. However, its management was on the verge of bankruptcy due to some miscalculations, and the governance system was also flawed because supporters and politicians intervened. Ten influential businessmen saved the club. They paid for the construction of a new stadium and the establishment of the new company. Furthermore, Hiroshima City established advantageous conditions and special accounts/funds for the club. However, the management was unstable because of the collegial system of a crowd of businessmen. Therefore, in 1967, the governance system was changed and was led by Tsuneji Mazda, president of Toyo Kogyo. His leadership and the change in the rules for recruiting new players established the basic policy of “emphasizing the training of players who joined through the draft system”. This resulted in their first victory in the Central League in 1975. Since then, a virtuous cycle has been created. The financial condition improved, investment in training facilities, good team performance maintenance, stadium renewal investment, and profit expansion. This study drew two keys to the success of the professional baseball business: （1）The business scheme that integrates the management of the baseball club and the stadium. （2）The governance system that can maintain a consistent management policy.