[Fanatics Japan × SUNNY SIDE UP] MLB TOKYO SERIES 2025: What PR strategy drove the excitement behind the scenes?

Held in March 2025 and drawing huge buzz, the MLB TOKYO SERIES saw the Los Angeles Dodgers—featuring Shohei Ohtani—and the Chicago Cubs play the season opener here in Japan, sending the entire country into a frenzy. Many of you reading this article likely watched the games on the edge of your seat.

Official merchandise such as uniforms and T-shirts helped elevate the excitement even further. The company behind it was Fanatics Japan G.K. SUNNY SIDE UP is responsible for PR for the official merchandise of various sports teams handled by Fanatics, including the MLB TOKYO SERIES.

This time, we bring you a cross-talk featuring four participants: Tomoyo Yamana, Web Marketing Manager, E-commerce Division, Fanatics Japan G.K.; Hayato Kurisu, Strategy Division Manager; and from SUNNY SIDE UP’s 5th Division (Sports), Norio Asano and Yusuke Ninomiya.

From left: Tomoyo Yamana, Web Marketing Manager, E-commerce Division, Fanatics Japan G.K.; Hayato Kurisu, Strategy Division Manager; Norio Asano and Yusuke Ninomiya, SUNNY SIDE UP

Fanatics, offering official merchandise for sports teams in Japan and abroad

—Ms. Yamana and Mr. Kurisu, what kind of work are you involved in at Fanatics Japan?

Kurisu: I belong to the Strategy Office and oversee project management both internally and externally. Specifically, I ensure a smooth process from procurement through to delivery to customers. I also handle negotiations and coordination with external parties, as well as developing new partnerships.

Yamana: In the E-commerce division, I am responsible for digital marketing for the online store. My main work is web communications through social media, email newsletters, digital advertising, and more.

Kurisu: Fanatics is a U.S.-based company focused primarily on the manufacturing and sale of sports merchandise. In Japan, we began operations in 2018, and today we handle a wide range of official merchandise—including for three NPB teams and six J.League clubs—expanding our business in the Japanese market as well.

Yamana: At our U.S. headquarters, we handle merchandise for a wide range of sports leagues, including American football (NFL) and ice hockey (NHL). In Japan, our main focus is operating stores for NPB and the J.League, as well as overseas leagues such as baseball (MLB) and basketball (NBA).

I joined four years ago, and the number of employees has been steadily increasing. When I started, we were a small team of just a few people, but now we have more than ten times that number. Through my day-to-day work, I can really feel that the scale of our projects has been growing year by year.

—For the MLB TOKYO SERIES 2025 held recently, what initiatives were you involved in?

Kurisu: I was involved as the project manager. There was a lot of coordination with overseas teams, and it was a very large-scale project.

Yamana: I was responsible for promotion and PR overall.

—It seems SUNNY SIDE UP also participated in the project.

Asano: We have been working continuously with Fanatics under a retainer agreement even before MLB TOKYO SERIES 2025. I oversee sports promotion overall in the 5th Division (Sports), and this time I joined the project as a producer.

Ninomiya: I also work under Asano on sports-related PR activities. In addition, I manage former Major Leaguer Ryota Igarashi. For this project, I mainly handled media coordination for interviews related to merchandise and shops, as well as media outreach.

Designing the fan experience itself—not just “selling merchandise”

—How did you first learn about SUNNY SIDE UP?

Yamana: As we moved forward with MLB official merchandise sales, we explored the possibility of collaborating with Ryota Igarashi, which led us to SUNNY SIDE UP. Our first project was a spot PR request for commemorative merchandise tied to Shohei Ohtani’s “50–50” milestone. Thanks in part to Ohtani’s success, it became a memorable project in which we achieved record-level sales, despite the tight timeline.

Ninomiya: At that time, Ohtani achieved the record around 8 a.m., and we had an extremely packed schedule—simultaneously approaching every TV outlet and web sports publication that same day (laughs).

Kurisu: The phone just kept ringing nonstop.

Yamana: It was hectic (laughs). After that, we also worked together on the World Series, and based on the results, we moved into our current retainer agreement.

—As your PR partner, what is your impression of SUNNY SIDE UP?

Yamana: We often get proposals that make us think, “This sounds like it will be fun.” They bring ideas that reach fans’ hearts, not just standard media relations. They have been a tremendous help in communicating the appeal of our merchandise.

Kurisu: I was not directly involved in the contract, but I often heard internal comments like, “If SUNNY SIDE UP is on board, we can feel confident!” After working together, I understood why they are trusted.

Asano: We began working together through Mr. Igarashi, but we also handle many projects in the sports domain—teams, clubs, tournaments, and more. In that context, we wanted to energize sports from multiple angles, including the “fan experience”: not only watching games, but also how to connect with fans through merchandise and spread that joy.

What Fanatics is doing aligns perfectly with that vision, and it strongly resonated with our desire to deliver the excitement and passion of sports to more people. That is why we felt we truly wanted to support them.

A promotion strategy that reaches not only core targets but also casual fans

—Please tell us about the initiatives for MLB TOKYO SERIES 2025.

Kurisu: We received rights from MLB related to producing official merchandise, operating physical stores, and running the online store. A similar initiative took place for last year’s Korea Series, with Fanatics taking responsibility for the overall international event. For the Tokyo Series, we had a track record of operating the online store in Japan, and we also handled on-site merchandise sales.

—The tie-up with the magazine “Smart” was also memorable.

Kurisu: We were able to realize a collaboration with a renowned artist like Takashi Murakami because we were working together with MLB. In addition, promotions using the Scramble Crossing and PR leveraging the official pop-up store at Shibuya Miyashita Park were proposals from SUNNY SIDE UP. From a promotional standpoint as well, we achieved significant results.

Yamana: For the Smart tie-up, Asano and the team supported us from the planning stage. The styling feature coordinated by a group of MLB fans—photographers, models, influencers, and others—was truly a work of passion. We shared our request for the “ideal vibe,” and left all the detailed execution to them.

Asano: From casting through styling, shooting, and editing, we formed a team of people who love MLB, and also put thought into how to present uniforms as fashion. With an eye on expanding the target audience, we created content that could appeal not only to core fans but also to casual fans.

—What was the response like?

Yamana: Even months later, we still hear comments like, “Saya Yamamoto wore it in the Smart article, didn’t she?” Some companies even cite that article in their proposal materials, and internally it is often discussed as a representative PR success story.

—What kinds of proposals did SUNNY SIDE UP make?

Asano: When we entered into the retainer agreement, we first made proposals aligned with Fanatics’ overall positioning and strategy as a company. With MLB TOKYO SERIES 2025 approaching, we worked alongside them—from strategic planning and organizing information to maximizing initiatives—based on timing for merchandise launches, collaborations, and PR strategy.

Ninomiya: Despite holding many official licenses, there was a challenge in that the company name “Fanatics” was not widely known. By having media cover the story through the angle of the Tokyo Series, I believe it also contributed to greater corporate awareness.

Asano: Because MLB and team names tend to take the spotlight first, we made clear, deliberate choices in press releases and article structures—such as clarifying the subject—so that it would be understood that “this is also a Fanatics initiative.” As a result, I feel we were able to increase both corporate value and the reach of the information.

Ninomiya: For example, even for the collaboration products with Takashi Murakami—while there was an MLB-driven aspect—we were able to share information with the media with Fanatics as the starting point.

Results exceeding ¥6 billion in sales and expanded corporate awareness

—How do you evaluate the results of MLB TOKYO SERIES 2025?

Kurisu: From a business standpoint, I believe it was a major success. We achieved over ¥6 billion in sales, and as I carry the mission of finding new partners, I have increasingly heard comments like, “The Tokyo Series was incredible.” I feel this is the result of SUNNY SIDE UP’s outreach to many media outlets.

Yamana: The response on social media also changed significantly. In addition to follower growth, the initial engagement on posts rose sharply, and we felt strong momentum.

Kurisu: In addition, we have seen a 100% offer acceptance rate since the Tokyo Series, and we feel it has had a positive impact on recruitment as well.

—I imagine there were many challenges during the project.

Kurisu: Coordinating rights was the most difficult part. With so many stakeholders, we had to confirm one by one what was permitted and what was not, and there were many barriers unique to global projects. There were times when approval came late at night, we sent a newsletter immediately afterward, and within minutes the media had published articles.

Yamana: Schedule adjustments were especially frequent before the store opening. The opening was postponed at the last minute, or the progress of collaboration products slipped. It was nonstop. That said, having SUNNY SIDE UP—who we were in contact with every day—was extremely reassuring. During that period, it felt like we were together every day (laughs).

Asano: During the event period, we saw each other on-site almost every day, and we held countless remote meetings as well. No matter how much the situation changed, we were always able to share each other’s tasks and roles, which is why I believe we were able to overcome things together.

Ninomiya:For sudden interview requests for an 8 a.m. program, we sometimes asked for samples early in the morning, and you always responded kindly, which was a great help. There were also days when we had interviews at three locations in one day—Skytree, Miyashita Park, and Tokyo Dome—but I believe we were able to get through it smoothly by working closely together.

Asano: I feel the volume of exposure was among the largest of any project we have handled to date. Achieving this level of exposure was unprecedented in scale for us as well.

Ninomiya: Because MLB TOKYO SERIES was such a large—if not too large—project, I felt strong pressure that “we absolutely must deliver this information to as many people as possible.” I felt we could not end with a half-hearted result. I have always loved baseball, and that feeling also motivated me, allowing me to see it through to the end.

Yamana: We were also surprised at how much attention our e-commerce sales received. We felt PR would be difficult without a physical store, but by creating and shipping a special box with our logo, and having it communicated as a “memorable experience,” we ultimately felt we were able to convey the value of e-commerce to many people.

Asano: While keeping in mind the kind of “visual impact” TV media seeks, we also considered how to make the e-commerce story something people would want to share. With that in mind, it was significant that Ninomiya steadily advanced pre-coordination with the media.

Strengthening the branding that “Fanatics is where you can get official merchandise”

—You communicated very closely and were able to turn this project into a major success. What initiatives will you pursue going forward?

Yamana: I feel the energy generated by MLB TOKYO SERIES is still very much there. Going forward, we hope to continue energizing sports together through merchandise sales. At Fanatics, we offer not only items for core fans, but also a wide range of casual items that can be worn day to day. Some of this information has not yet been fully communicated, so we would like to continue sharing it broadly, with SUNNY SIDE UP supporting us closely.

Kurisu: As a company, we want to sign contracts with even more partners and expand our business further. While this initiative has significantly increased awareness of Fanatics as a company, we are still only partway there. We would like to further strengthen the branding that “If you go to Fanatics, you can properly get official merchandise.”

We use the phrase “Fanatics Experience,” and we value enhancing the quality of the fan experience through merchandise. Going forward, we hope to continue taking on challenges together with SUNNY SIDE UP so we can deliver these experiences to even more people.

Asano: Exactly as you said—if we are to ensure this excitement does not remain temporary and instead continues to build value over time, consistent promotion is essential. We would be pleased to continue supporting you closely so we can expand experience value centered on merchandise and further enhance Fanatics’ brand value.

Ninomiya: Fanatics truly handles an exceptionally wide range of brands and team merchandise. Through MLB TOKYO SERIES, more people have come to know the company’s presence, but I believe there are still aspects we have not fully communicated—such as “what value we actually deliver.” Going forward, we would like to continue working so that people feel, “This was only possible because we partnered with SUNNY SIDE UP.”

Going forward, Fanatics will continue to develop official team merchandise for a wide range of sports, as well as official event merchandise, and will work to create unforgettable fan experiences. SUNNY SIDE UP will also continue to support you as a partner in energizing sports, so when you watch sports, please be sure to check out Fanatics merchandise.

For articles on other projects handled by SUNNY SIDE UP, please seehere.