The SV.League took a major step forward for Japanese professional volleyball in the inaugural 2024-25 season, reaching 1,034,667 in fan attendance.
During the 2023-24 season in the V.League, the SV.League's predecessor, a combined total of 528,389 spectators attended matches in the men's and women's circuits, according to a press release issued on Thursday, April 17.
Rebranded as the SV.League, its 24 teams (10 men's, 14 women's) began the season in October 2024 with a renewed spirit and a shared commitment to expand its fanbase.
There was a noteworthy increase in attendance in the men's division, which drew 664,709 fans (a 75% increase). Moreover, in the women's division, the 369,958 spectators represented 195% growth.
Fan support on social media, including a 22% boost for men's title contender Osaka Bluteon (now with nearly 200,000 SNS followers), has also fueled greater interest in the league.
All SV.League squads played 44 matches apiece during the regular season, with the Osaka Bluteon recording the best record (37-7) in the men's circuit. The Osaka Marvelous matched that win-loss mark to lead all women's teams.
The men's and women's playoff quarterfinals began on April 18, and playoff semifinal matches are scheduled for April 25-27.
After that, the women's championship finals are slated for May 2-4 at Ariake Arena, and the men's title series is set for May 3, 5 and 6 at Ariake Arena and LaLa arena TOKYO-BAY.
SV.League Takes a 'Strong First Step'
Looking at the overall picture of the SV.League's growth, chairman Masaaki Okawa provided context and analysis.
"In terms of attendance, our men's league is now comparable to top leagues in Italy and Poland," Okawa said. "While we still lag slightly in the number of athletes with Olympic Games or national team experience, nurturing clubs capable of winning the World Club Championship will be key going forward. On the business side, I believe we've taken a strong first step in this inaugural year."
Okawa said the SV.League can prosper for men's and women's volleyball, embracing the challenge with optimism.
"As for the women's league, we still have a long way to go, but the potential is enormous," Okawa said. "Looking globally, the rise of professional women's volleyball in the US and the growing attention toward women's sports in Europe shows the direction we should aim for. Japan has yet to fully embrace this wave."
He added, "While the men's side is ahead, if we work harder and fully commit to commercial development, I am confident women's volleyball ― already backed by a solid player base and fan foundation ― can dramatically increase its audience."
Bolstering the appeal of the SV.League on a global scale is the reach of its international player pool. Players from more than 25 countries competed in the league this season.
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Baseball
Yamamoto Continues to Shine for the Dodgers
Five games are a good sample size to identify trends for a starting pitcher's performance. In the case of Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the start of the 2025 MLB season has been, well, excellent.
Yamamoto (3-1) has made five starts and has a microscopic 0.86 ERA. He's allowed three earned runs in 29 innings.
For Yamamoto, pinpoint control and command of his vast array of pitches have been keys to success. He's walked seven batters and struck out 38. And he's only given up 18 hits.
In his most recent start, on Friday, April 18, the former Orix Buffaloes star held the Texas Rangers to five hits in seven scoreless innings. His noteworthy outing in a showdown with Jacob deGrom, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, included 10 strikeouts and zero walks in the Dodgers' 3-0 victory in Arlington, Texas.
Although his fastball and split-finger fastball are often on display as his signature pitches, Yamamoto also relied on an effective curveball and a nasty slider against the Rangers.
It was a satisfying performance, the 26-year-old said.
"I put my mind in order before taking the mound," Yamamoto said, according to Kyodo News. "It was great to be able to pitch through the seventh inning. I've been able to display a wider repertoire of pitches. I'm still aiming to improve further."
Ohtani Announces Birth of Baby Daughter
Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani delivered life-changing news on social media on Saturday, April 19, announcing that his wife Mamiko had given birth to the couple’s first child, a daughter.
"Welcome to the Ohtani family," he wrote in an Instagram post. "I am so grateful to my loving wife who gave birth to our healthy beautiful daughter. To my daughter, thank you for making us very nervous yet super anxious parents.
"I would also like to thank the Dodgers organization, my teammates, and the fans for their constant support and kind words of encouragement."
On Friday, the Dodgers placed the 2024 National League MVP on the paternity list.
Ohtani didn't accompany the team to Texas for the three-game weekend series. But he is returning to the team and is scheduled to play in the series finale on Sunday against the Rangers.
According to MLB rules, a player can spend up to three days on the paternity list. After three days, a player's absence can be extended via the restricted list.
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Soccer
Marinos Fire Manager Holland After 11 Games
With only one win in their first 11 games in the J.League season, Yokohama F Marinos parted ways with new manager Steve Holland on Friday, April 18.
The move was made two days after Marinos' 3-2 loss to Shimizu S-Pulse.
Marinos (one win, five draws, five defeats) are in 18th place in the 20-team league.
The struggling squad, which has won five J.League titles, returns to the pitch on Sunday, traveling to face the Urawa Reds in Saitama.
Holland previously served as an assistant on England national team coach Gareth Southgate's staff from 2016-24.
Yokohama named head coach Patrick Kisnorbo the team's interim manager.
In addition to J.League competition, Kisnorbo will also be tasked with preparing Marinos for their upcoming Asian Champions League quarterfinal clash with Al Nassr (Cristiano Ronaldo's team) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on April 26.
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Boxing
Nakatani-Nishida Title Unification Bout Announced
WBC bantamweight champion Junto Nakatani (30-0, 27 knockouts) will meet Ryosuke Nishida, the IBF titlist in the same weight class, on June 8 at Tokyo's Ariake Coliseum.
In Tokyo, a news conference was held to announce the title unification on Friday, April 18.
Nakatani told reporters he's focused on continuing to improve as a boxer.
"I've been looking for this kind of fight," Nakatani said at the press gathering, according to the Boxing News website. "I'm ready to raise the level of all my skills."
Nishida (10-0, two KOs) will be the big underdog, but he insisted he's eager for the challenge of facing a top-caliber fighter.
"I see no choice but to fight a boxer who people say is stronger than me," Nishida was quoted as saying by Boxing News. He then said, "I'm not going to be a stepping stone for him."
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Tsutsumi to Make Pro Debut in New York on May 2
Up-and-coming fighter Reito Tsutsumi will make his pro debut on the undercard of a May 2 outdoor fight event in New York City's Times Square.
As an amateur, Tsutsumi had a 59-2 record. He also won five national high school titles during his amateur career and a Youth World Boxing Championships gold medal in 2021.
In his first pro fight, the Chiba native will face Levale Whittington in a six-round junior lightweight bout.
Ring Magazine is promoting the blockbuster event dubbed "FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves."
On Saturday, April 19, the venerable publication announced it has finalized a deal with Tsutsumi, a two-year ambassador partnership.
"It is a great honor to be given this opportunity to partner with Ring Magazine," Tsutsumi said in a statement. "I have worked hard all my life to get to this point and I believe the support of Ring Magazine can only help me in my ambitions to become a world champion and achieve my ultimate dream ― the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world."
Basketball
B.League's Alvark Prepare for the Final Stretch of the Season
After collecting their 38th win in their 52nd game of the grueling B.League season, Alvark Tokyo head coach Dainius Adomaitis was asked to pinpoint the team's top objectives before the regular season wraps up.
"I think one of the things is, for sure, turnovers," Adomaitis told a news conference at Yoyogi National Stadium, where his club defeated the visiting SeaHorses Mikawa 73-67 on Wednesday, April 16.
He mentioned the team had 15 turnovers in the six-point win and cited the players' fatigue due to the schedule. But Adomaitis pointed out, "If they can take care of the ball and have many more shots [is the goal]."
Looking at all of the turnovers together, the coach said they represented "an extra eight shots you can have, at least," and 8-12 more points, he added.
More shots, he noted, can easily lead to more points, so it's a top goal for the Alvark to reduce turnovers.
Adomaitis also addressed the team's rotation, citing the desire for every player to maximize their minutes on the court.
"Everybody needs to be ready in the rotation," he said of starters and backups, "to commit to play really good. So a good rotation, I think, is the second most important thing right now until the end of the season."
SeaHorses Coach Richman Commends Alvark Playmaker
Alvark forward Leonardo Meindl brings energy and an aggressive style of play at both ends of the court. Averaging 12.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists through April 16, his all-around skills are a key component of Tokyo's game plan.
After Meindl scored 21 points on 8-for-14 shooting, including 6 of 7 from 2-point range, and pulled down 10 rebounds, SeaHorses coach Ryan Richman spoke about the Brazilian's impact. The former Washington Wizards assistant coach also commented on the challenges of defending Meindl.
"A good player, he plays really hard," Richman said of Meindl. "I've coached some Brazilian [NBA] players, Raul Neto and Nene Hilario, they both play super hard and tough. He's just like them, [and] he's really good going right, gets to the rim. And when he's making his 3, he's really tough. He had a good game today, and I think we can do better on him in the future."
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Golf
Wide-Open Competition at the Start of JLPGA Tour Season
Heading into the sixth tournament of the 2025 JLPGA Tour season, five women had each won one tournament.
In succession, Chisato Iwai, Lala Anai, Yuka Yasuda, Haruka Kudo and Yuri Yoshida were the winners through the completion of play on April 13.
From March 6-April 13, Iwai was the lone golfer with a scoring average under 70 (69.90).
The KKTcup Vantelin Ladies Open, a three-round tourney, runs through Sunday, April 20 in Kumamoto
Author: Ed Odeven
Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.
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