Baseball Magazine Sha Co., Ltd.

Baseball Magazine Sha Co., Ltd. (株式会社ベースボール・マガジン社), commonly abbreviated BBM, is a Japanese publisher based in Nihonbashi Hamacho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo. It was founded in 1946 by Tsuneo Ikeda, the former editor-in-chief of the magazine Yakyūkai, who launched the monthly Baseball Magazine from his home in Yaho Village (later Kunitachi City), Tokyo. The editorial operation was established on 3 May 1946 and incorporated as a joint-stock company on 20 March 1951, when it also became the publisher of Baseball Magazine. Although "Baseball" is in its name, BBM publishes magazines, mook books and books across a wide range of sports. Its portfolio covers baseball, soccer, sumo, athletics, pro-wrestling, boxing, swimming, judo, American football, rugby, tennis, soft tennis, badminton, bowling, figure skating and ice hockey, as well as health and fitness titles. Its best-known periodicals include Weekly Baseball (founded 1958) and Weekly Pro-Wrestling (founded 1955), alongside monthly titles such as Sumo and Judo. The company also produces and sells trading cards under the BBM Sports Cards brand, releases sports-related DVDs and video, and runs memorabilia and digital content businesses. BBM is a family-run company, with the founding Ikeda family maintaining control; the current president is Tetsuo Ikeda. It operates a sports portal, SportsClick, and an online store, BBM Authentic Store. In addition to publishing, BBM has diversified into artificial turf under the Bēmaga Turf brand, offering products and installation services for baseball, soccer, tennis, soft tennis, badminton and rugby facilities. The company also acquired naming rights to a baseball stadium in Minamiuonuma, Niigata, naming it "Bēmaga STADIUM" from 1 April 2015. BBM's history includes a major bankruptcy in 1967, when it filed for corporate reorganization under the Corporate Reorganization Act after failed ventures into general-interest magazines such as F6 Seven and Chōryū Journal. It recovered and continued to expand its sports publishing. In 2016 it absorbed its sibling company Kōbunsha, which had been the origin of the Baseball Magazine title and held trademarks for BBM's trading cards. The same year, BBM sold its Misakichō head office building and moved to its current Nihonbashi Hamacho location. Today BBM remains one of Japan's leading sports publishers, with more than 20 regular periodicals and a substantial book list.

Baseball Magazine Sha was founded in April 1946 when Tsuneo Ikeda, former editor-in-chief of the magazine Yakyūkai, established Kōbunsha at his home in Yabo Village (later Kunitachi City), Tokyo, and launched the monthly Baseball Magazine. In May 1946, the editorial division was set up as Baseball Magazine Sha, an editorial production company. On 20 March 1951, it was incorporated as Baseball Magazine Sha Co., Ltd. and became the publisher of Baseball Magazine. In 1956, the head office moved to 3-3 Kanda Nishikichō, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. During the 1950s, BBM launched specialist magazines for sumo, athletics, pro-wrestling and boxing, expanding its sports coverage. In 1955 it founded Weekly Pro-Wrestling, and in 1958 Weekly Baseball. In 1965, through its sibling company Kōbunsha, it launched the men's weekly F6 Seven to compete with Heibon Punch, and the general-interest magazine Chōryū Journal along the lines of Asahi Journal, but both folded within a year. Other translation publishing ventures also struggled, and the company's finances deteriorated, leading to bankruptcy with debts reportedly around one billion yen. In December 1967, it applied to the Tokyo District Court for protection under the Corporate Reorganization Act and began rebuilding. Some employees who left during this bankruptcy later founded Nippon Sports Publishing. In 1984, the head office moved to 3-10-10 Misakichō, Chiyoda-ku, near Korakuen Stadium (later Tokyo Dome City). On 1 April 2015, BBM acquired naming rights to the baseball stadium at Ōhara Sports Park in Minamiuonuma, Niigata, and it became known as "Bēmaga STADIUM." In 2016, the company sold its Misakichō head office building and moved to Nihonbashi Hamacho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo. Also on 1 January 2016, the sibling company Kōbunsha, which had been the origin of Baseball Magazine and held the trademarks for BBM's trading cards, was absorbed into BBM. BBM has long been a family-run business under the Ikeda family. It publishes more than 20 regular periodicals, including two weekly sports magazines, and a wide range of sports books. It also produces and sells trading cards under the BBM Sports Cards brand, releases sports DVDs, and operates memorabilia and digital content businesses. In recent years it has expanded into artificial turf under the Bēmaga Turf brand, offering products and installation for various sports facilities.

• 2016

  Sells Misakichō head office building and moves to Nihonbashi Hamacho; absorbs sibling company Kōbunsha on 1 January.

• 2015

  Acquires naming rights to Ōhara Sports Park baseball stadium in Minamiuonuma, Niigata, naming it Bēmaga STADIUM from 1 April.

• 1984

  Head office moves to Misakichō, Chiyoda-ku, near Korakuen Stadium.

• 1967

  Files for corporate reorganization with Tokyo District Court in December after bankruptcy.

• 1965

  Launches F6 Seven and Chōryū Journal via sibling company Kōbunsha; both cease within a year.

• 1958

  Weekly Baseball founded.

• 1956

  Head office moves to Kanda Nishikichō, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo.

• 1955

  Weekly Pro-Wrestling founded.

• 1951

  Incorporated as Baseball Magazine Sha Co., Ltd. on 20 March and becomes publisher of Baseball Magazine.

• 1946

  Tsuneo Ikeda founds Kōbunsha and launches monthly Baseball Magazine; editorial division Baseball Magazine Sha established in May.

A long-established Japanese sports publisher and content company, combining print magazines, books, trading cards and digital media, with a family-run ownership.

• Weekly Baseball

• Weekly Pro-Wrestling

• Sumo

• Judo

• BBM Sports Cards

• Bēmaga Turf

1. 1BBMスポーツ | ベースボール･マガジン社bbm-japan.com
2. 2会社概要 | BBMスポーツ | ベースボール･マガジン社bbm-japan.com
3. 3Bēsubōru Magajinsha - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4ベースボール・マガジン社 - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org