Sorry for the basic question, but I don't think it's very easy to imagine what a "sports team management company" is. How does the business model increase profits?

The current revenue structure can be roughly divided into ``match ticket sales,'' ``sponsor sponsorships,'' ``merchandise sales,'' and ``fan club sales.''

Mr. Ohno, what kind of work do you do?

I belong to a department called the "Partner Division Sales Group," and of the four pillars I just mentioned, my main job is sponsor sales. Generally speaking, you might think of it as ``putting your logo on a signboard or uniform,'' but at Alvark, we customize the content to suit each company's needs and issues as a ``problem-solving partnership.''
For example, we propose names for the kids area to companies that want to reach children and their parents, and we have the company name printed on T-shirts that children can use to high-five players when they enter the stadium. Recently, we have gained sympathy for the activity philosophy of the social responsibility project "ALVARK Will" that the club is working on, and we are also planning to solve regional and social issues together.

I was impressed by the fact that there was a sign with the Alvark mascot character on it inside the venue with directions to the stroller storage area. Is this an initiative of Alvark Tokyo?

I agree. Our club has the spirit of ``aiming to be a top runner in everything we do.'' In addition to competitive results, we also want to be the best at attracting customers, and the same goes for visitor satisfaction. We operate this event with the idea that even those who bring their children can watch the games comfortably and enjoyably. If there are many games, there may be close to 200 strollers lined up in the stroller storage area. By changing the location and increasing the number of staff for each game, we are creating an environment where you can watch the games as stress-free as possible.
We have also started providing childcare services at match venues to lower the hurdles for bringing children to watch games.

amazing!　The fact that the team is sending out the message that ``children are welcome'' is in itself a great thing for families with small children. I think there are many people who really want to go see the show, but are unable to do so because they're worried that people won't like it if they go.

I myself have a 4-year-old daughter, and since my child was born, I haven't been able to go to sports stadiums anymore, so I would like to create an environment where you can have fun with your little ones without any hesitation.

From your perspective as a partner division, how do you view the increase in the number of families?

As more people come with their children, companies that want to appeal to children and their parents will gather. As a result, high-quality children's content will be created at the venue, and the venue will become even better. This creates a nice cycle. We hope our readers will come and visit us sometime!

I see. We can create a win-win situation for all three parties. How about giving consideration to childcare for working people?

I have experience with other club teams, and I think Alvark Tokyo is one of the top in the sports industry in terms of ease of working. It's not just me, there are many staff members who have small children, and we work in an environment where we are flexible and cover for each other even if we have to take a sudden break due to a child's illness.
This is related to what I said earlier, but our club operates with the spirit of aiming to be a top runner in everything we do, so each member is conscious of being No. 1 in terms of employee comfort and works with mutual respect.

In this kind of industry, you probably have to work on Saturdays and Sundays, but what do you think about your days off?

Of course if there is a game on a Saturday or Sunday, I'll be there, but instead I'll take Monday off... We both work and send our daughter to nursery school, so on game days, it's a lot of work for my wife, but I also have to pick her up and drop her off during the holidays.
Also, on days when I'm at work for a game, the two of us sometimes come to the venue together.

that's nice!

I don't think I get to see my parents working very often, so I think that's a good thing. At first, my daughter would come over to me and say, "Daddy, daddy," even though I was at work, but now, perhaps because she understands what "work" is in her own way, she's even waving at me from a distance, and I feel like she's grown up (lol).

Next is the annual event, but I would like to ask if you would be willing to show me any mementos you have with your children.

My child loves Luke (editor's note: Alvark Tokyo's mascot character) (lol). I buy goods for them when they come to watch games, and I also play with them a lot at home. As a girl, I love stuffed animals.
This bear was given to me by a friend from college when my daughter was born. My friend's name is ``Masashi,'' and when I started calling this stuffed animal ``Masashi,'' my daughter started calling it ``Masashi,'' too (lol). We slept together, played baby, and took care of each other. Now it's worn out and worn out (lol).

Do you want your daughter to play sports eventually?

Well, I don't particularly want them to play sports. I've tried a variety of classes, such as gymnastics classes and Japanese drumming classes, but I just can't seem to decide to do it (lol). I hope you can find something that you like. Personally, I feel that my parents have taught me many things and allowed me to choose my career path freely, so I want my daughter to be able to choose her own path as well.

What kind of work did your parents do?

I was running a so-called small factory, but I was never told to take over, and when I left my hometown of Kyoto to go to university in Hiroshima, when I went to graduate school, and when I got a job, no one bothered me. There was a time when I failed to change jobs, but even then he was watching over me. Now that I think about it, I can only be grateful.

You are such a wonderful parent!
Lastly, please tell us about your future prospects.

A new arena will be built soon, and our company will also be responsible for managing and operating it. So it feels like the two axes are the management of the venue and the management of the professional team. In addition to the venue, we will also set up a basketball court outside and create a plaza where events can be held, so we will also be thinking about how to utilize these areas. I'm really looking forward to it now.

Up to that point! It's a pretty epic story. What kind of things does Ohno-san want to do?

Personally, I would like to create a place where children and parents can gather together. Before the game, the children can play with each other, during which time the parents can exchange information about their child-rearing concerns, and at the end, we hope to hold a social gathering where everyone can watch sports together.
I think the strength of sports is that everyone can watch and enjoy the same thing, and sports have the power to become a hub.
I also hope that the arena can become a ``place of dreams'' for children. We'll be hosting music events other than sports, so not only will we want to make arenas a place where athletes and singers want to be there, but we also want to make arenas a dream job for those who work at arenas and those involved in facility management. I would like to spread the word about this kind of "behind the scenes" work.