This picture was taken at a Japanese professional baseball game between the Nippon Ham Fighters of Hokkaido and the Orix Buffaloes of Osaka at the Kyocera Dome in Osaka.  As students can tell from the names of the teams and the bacon promoting mascot, advertising and brand recognition is an essential purporse for owning a baseball team in Japan.  This playful character entertained many of the kids in the hallways surrounding the stadium in this photo, which was taken in July 2011.  

Activity:  Have the students find out what other companies own Japanese professional baseball teams.  Question to condider:  Do they think it is effective advertising?  How would they feel if American teams were named after corporations?  Would they feel differently if they could purchase game tickets more cheaply?