PDF (840 KB) - Dentsu

Chapter2 - The Pioneer of a New Business: Footballsoccer and give a boost to both the sport and the regions. Theplan he presented to NTV had just two components: NTVshould be in charge of all aspects of production, while Dentsuwould be responsible for sponsorship sales and the selection ofregional broadcasters. Since everything looked kosher, NTVagreed to the idea and the arrangement was adopted for the50th tournament in 1972.Thanks to Dentsu’s network of contacts, a total of38 regional broadcasters—a number far in excess of NTV’s14 affiliates—signed up to broadcast the 1972 tournament. Inthe very first year Nabeshima had successfully met the challengeof achieving 80% TV coverage nationwide to replaceNHK, the public broadcaster, which had branches throughoutthe country.The public response to Dentsu and NTV’s collaborationon broadcasting the 1972 tournament on a nearly nationwidebasis far surpassed expectations. This extract from anarticle by NTV announcer Katsuhiro Masukata in the March1972 issue of Soccer Magazine gives an idea of just how muchappeal high school soccer turned out to have for the generalpublic.46