Soccer Report: Overseas Players Boost the Commercial Match Market in Japan and South Korea—Tottenham and Bayern Munich Reap Fame and Fortune This Summer

According to Soccer, as the globalization of the football industry progresses, the world’s commercial match market has gradually formed three major markets: North America, the Middle East, and East Asia. This summer, the North American market dominated, attracting many English Premier League and European giants seeking their fortunes. However, the East Asian markets of Japan and South Korea are not to be underestimated. They have leveraged their large numbers of overseas players to bring their respective teams to play commercial matches in Japan and South Korea, with a very positive impact on the development of local football markets.

The report states that Brighton, a smaller Premier League club featuring Kaoru Mitoma, attracted crowds of over 25,000 for both of its matches in Tokyo. Reims, a lesser-known Ligue 1 team with Naoumi Kikuchi and Junya Ito, arranged four commercial matches in Japan and quickly sold out all 2,000 jerseys they brought with them. Tottenham Hotspur, with Son Heung-min on their roster, drew 54,000 spectators for their July 27th match against Vissel Kobe. The July 31st match against the K League All-Stars in Seoul saw an even larger crowd of 63,000. The August 3rd commercial match between Bayern Munich and Tottenham in Seoul is expected to attract an even greater audience.

Furthermore, the media noted that commercial matches featuring “overseas players” returning home have become the main theme of the summer commercial match market in Japan and South Korea. Teams with Japanese or South Korean star players naturally enjoy higher popularity and affinity, giving organizers more room for maneuver. Additionally, both Bayern Munich and Tottenham have engaged in discussions with the K League based on youth development cooperation. With Son Heung-min and Kim Min-jae serving as “ambassadors,” Tottenham and Bayern Munich, along with the K League, have achieved significant success this summer in terms of both reputation and revenue.