J.League inks partnership with strategy consultancy Kearney

J.League has extended and expanded its partnership with strategy consulting firm Kearney, aimed at helping Japan’s professional football league enhance its footprint and appeal to sports fans in Japan and worldwide.

Established in 1993 as Asia’s first professional football league, J.League is one of the most successful leagues in Asia. Originally founded as a single division (J1), in 1999 the second division J2 League was established, followed by the third division J3 League in 2013.

A new strategy – launched in 2022 – is seeing the J.League invest in a number of expansion-focused initiatives. One pillar focuses on ensuring that the top-tier of the league, J1, is attractive to people across the nation and internationally, and that its clubs shine on the APAC and global stage as well.

Another pillar focuses on building the attractiveness of clubs at a regional and local level, building football popularity at a grassroots level and expanding the fan base of the 60 clubs in their respective hometowns. Other initiatives include adopting cutting-edge digital technologies to boost the fan experience, infrastructure development, and growing international popularity for the J.League.

A year after launching its vision, J.League’s management team brought Kearney on board to support the formulation of strategies, and with the implementation of these plans. Following a successful collaboration, the J.League has now taken its partnership with the consulting firm a step further, formalizing the alliance and agreeing on an enlarged scope for the period ahead.

Key initiatives Kearney will support include J.League strategy, management & organization, marketing, partnerships, facility operations, and international business expansion.

“By entering into this agreement, we are strengthening our relationship with the J.League and reaffirming our commitment to contribute to the advancement of both the J.League and the sports industry,” said Shigeru Sekinada, Asia Pacific Chair and Managing Director for Japan at Kearney.

“Celebrating its 30th anniversary last year, the J.League has significantly developed over the past decades. Through this partnership agreement, we aim to further contribute to the development of the J.League and its stakeholders and to the advancement of Japanese society through the field of sports,” he continued.

Last year, J.League attendance returned to pre-pandemic record levels, and the total revenue of the league and clubs hit an all-time high. The Kashima Antlers and the Yokohama Marinos are the leagues two most successful clubs, although Vissel Kobe is the current reigning champion.