The Miyagi Prefectural Baseball Organization Council, which is made up of 18 amateur baseball groups, including the Miyagi Takano Ren, is seeking to lower the hurdles for using Rakuten Seimei Park Miyagi (Miyagino Ward, Sendai City). It is said that it is becoming difficult to hold amateur baseball games due to the increase in usage fees. “Playing there is a dream for elementary, junior high and high school students,” said Akio Sugamoto, secretary-general of the council.
Disinfection fee 200,000 to 400,000 yen
The council submitted a written request to Miyagi Prefecture on June 20. He called for a reduction in ballpark usage fees and allowing the stadium to be used for three or more games per day. Gov. Yoshihiro Murai said, “The stadium is a property of the prefecture. We will adjust it.”
According to the association, since 2016, when natural turf has been adopted, the number of matches per day has been limited to two due to turf protection and other reasons, increasing the cost per match. Since the spread of the new coronavirus infection, a separate disinfection fee of 200,000 to 400,000 yen or more per day will be charged.
In 2015, the daily usage fee for the Miyagi High School Baseball Tournament was 227,326 yen.
The Prefectural Takanoren has been using it in summer tournaments in Miyagi since the days of the prefectural Miyagi stadium, but the most recent final was the final in 2020, when it became its own tournament due to the influence of the new corona. Last year, when one match was scheduled for the opening day, it was changed to another venue due to rain, and this year it was used only for the opening ceremony.
“Play as many games as possible”
The stadium was renovated in 2005 with the launch of a professional baseball team. In 2004, the Miyagi Stadium franchise agreement signed between the Miyagi Baseball Club and the prefecture, which manages the stadium, allowed the stadium to be used for non-professional baseball for 60 days a year in 2005, and 50 to 60 days every year thereafter. rice field.
However, after the artificial turf was replaced with natural turf, a curing period was required, reducing the number of days to about 30 days per year. According to the prefectural government, there is no clear rule on the number of days that can be secured, and the Rakuten baseball team decides based on professional baseball schedules and turf maintenance.
Kaji Matsumoto, chairman of the Prefectural Takano Ren, said, “Next year’s summer tournament in Miyagi will be the 105th tournament.
Rakuten Baseball said, “We will refrain from commenting as it is a request to the prefecture.”
