FTC investigates NPB over press pass confiscated from Fuji TV

Japan’s fair trade watchdog is investigating the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization over its confiscation of Fuji Television Network Inc.’s press pass during the Japan Series, a possible antitrust law violation, sources said.

NPB revoked the pass on grounds that Fuji TV aired a digest of Major League Baseball’s World Series at the same time when the first Japan Series championship game was broadcast live on Oct. 26.

The organization, which operates Japan’s two professional baseball leagues and holds the season-ending Japan Series, said Fuji TV “seriously damaged the relations of trust.”

The Fair Trade Commission believes that NPB’s action not only temporarily deprived Fuji TV of its reporting opportunities but also could lead to restrictions on TV networks’ content selection and programming, the sources said.

The FTC suspects the action constitutes an “unfair trade practice” prohibited under the Anti-Monopoly Law, the sources said.

The competition watchdog is expected to decide on whether to issue administrative guidance to NPB after the investigation, the sources said.

The Yokohama DeNA BayStars of the Central League won the Japan Series over the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks of the Pacific League in six games from Oct. 26 to Nov. 3.

Terrestrial TV networks, including Tokyo Broadcasting System Television Inc. (TBS), TV Asahi Corp. and Fuji TV, aired different games.

Last year, Fuji TV also broadcast the World Series, which was held around the same time.

The World Series drew much attention in Japan because Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto were playing for the eventual champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

In the Japan Series, a press pass was issued for each game.

NPB did not issue press passes to Fuji TV for all remaining Japan Series games as well as for postseason games featuring the Japanese national team.

NPB notified the 12 professional baseball teams that Fuji TV’s pass was forfeited. At one time, the organization tried to transfer the network’s broadcasting right for the third Japan Series game to TBS, the sources said.

The 12 teams propose TV networks that cover the Japan Series to NPB, which manages its broadcasting rights. The stations recommended by the two Japan Series teams gain the rights.

The FTC believes that NPB confiscated Fuji TV’s press pass as a sanction for doing business with MLB, its competitor, the sources said.

The commission suspects the action constitutes an Anti-Monopoly Law violation by unjustly interfering with Fuji TV’s transaction with MLB, the sources said.

FTC investigators believe that barring Fuji TV from covering the Japan Series, a key programming event in baseball, could deter TV networks from doing business with MLB and other entities, the sources said.