Yokohama DeNA BayStars

What Yokohama DeNA BayStars does

Yokohama DeNA BayStars (株式会社横浜DeNAベイスターズ) is a professional baseball club competing in Nippon Professional Baseball's (NPB) Central League, founded in 1949 and based in Yokohama, Japan. The team is a wholly-owned subsidiary of DeNA Co., Ltd., a Tokyo Stock Exchange-listed internet and entertainment company that acquired the franchise in December 2011. The club operates the Yokohama Stadium venue, which it acquired as a consolidated subsidiary in 2016, and the adjacent multi-level complex THE BAYS, alongside its B Original Foods F&B operations, lifestyle retail brand +B, and craft beer restaurant CRAFT BEER DINING &9.

The company's product portfolio spans digital and physical assets. Its flagship digital product is the BAYSTARS STAR GUIDE mobile app, which combines electronic ticketing, stadium navigation, real-time game information, DeNA Pay cashless payments, and the BASE☆BLUE AI-powered at-bat commentary system. Supporting digital products include the Hoshi no Puzzle Nine' mobile puzzle game and the MY BAYSTARS digital card collection platform. Physical operations center on the Community Ballpark-transformed Yokohama Stadium and its extended facilities, with ~3 million annual visitors. The BlueMates fan club operates a STAR point loyalty program with subscription revenue and tiered benefits.

Revenue is generated through six primary streams: ticket sales, merchandise, food and beverage, broadcasting rights, corporate sponsorships (JERA, Nojima, Daiwa, JCB, Yokohama Bank, M Trust, Asahi), and fan club membership subscriptions. The team won its second Japan Series championship in November 2024, ending a 26-year drought. Yokohama DeNA BayStars primarily serves individual baseball fans, corporate sponsors, and youth baseball development programs in the Yokohama and broader Kanto region of Japan.

Name

Yokohama DeNA BayStars

Legal name

株式会社横浜DeNAベイスターズ

Website

https://baystars.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Yokohama DeNA BayStars is a Central League professional baseball team in NPB, founded 1949 and owned by DeNA Co., Ltd. since 2011. It serves individual fans, corporate sponsors, and youth baseball programs through stadium operations, fan club, and digital products including an AI-powered game-watching app.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Sports Team / Sports Entertainment

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Spectator Sports (71121)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Franchise Ownership Groups & Multi-Club Organizations (Multi-team owners, holding companies) (MPAKABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Professional & Major League Stadiums (MPAKAEAA)

Keywords

• Professional baseball
• Sports entertainment
• Fan club membership
• Stadium food and beverage
• Team merchandise

Headquarters

HQ city

Yokohama

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from regular season game tickets, playoff tickets, and special event game tickets at Yokohama Stadium
2. Merchandise Sales: Sales of official team merchandise including uniforms, accessories, and exclusive fan club items through BAYSTORE and online shop
3. Food & Beverage Operations: Ballpark food services including CRAFT BEER DINING &9, BALLPARK BURGER &9, original craft beer, and stadium concessions
4. Broadcasting Rights: Television and media broadcasting rights revenue from NPB Central League games
5. Corporate Sponsorship: Official sponsorships including field advertising, jersey sponsors, and partnership agreements with companies like JERA, Nojima, Daiwa, Asahi, JCB
6. Fan Club Membership (BlueMates): Annual membership fees with tiered benefits including priority ticket access, exclusive merchandise, and STAR point rewards system

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Yokohama DeNA BayStars operates a professional baseball franchise in Japan's NPB Central League, selling game tickets, official team merchandise, stadium food and beverage, and fan club memberships. The franchise also produces official mobile applications (BAYSTARS STAR GUIDE, puzzle game, MY BAYSTARS digital cards) and operates the multi-use THE BAYS complex adjacent to Yokohama Stadium, delivering live sports entertainment and year-round community ballpark experiences.

Product overview

Yokohama DeNA BayStars operates a portfolio of digital products, fan club services, and physical stadium/food & beverage offerings. The primary digital product is the BAYSTARS STAR GUIDE (official mobile app) which serves as a unified companion for game watching, combining AI-powered at-bat commentary (BASE☆BLUE), electronic ticketing, stadium navigation, event information (STAR GUIDE), and payment (DeNA Pay). Supporting digital offerings include 星のパズルナイン' (an official puzzle game app) and MY BAYSTARS (a digital card collection). The fan club BlueMates provides a loyalty program with a STAR point system redeemable for merchandise and experiences. Physical offerings include B Original Foods (stadium food and beverage), THE BAYS (lifestyle and dining complex), CRAFT BEER DINING &9 (craft beer restaurant), and BALLPARK BURGER &9 (gourmet burger stand). THE LIVE (opened March 2026) adds a live entertainment venue.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• B Original Foods: Original food and beverage brand featuring team-branded craft beer, burgers, and stadium food items
• +B (Plus B)
• CRAFT BEER DINING &9
• THE BAYS
• CLUB BAYSTARS
• BlueMates
• I☆YOKOHAMA
• 横浜DeNAベイスターズジュニアチーム (BayStars Junior Team)

Products and services

• Game Tickets (Regular Season and Special Events) General admission, reserved seats, and season seats for BayStars home games at Yokohama Stadium. Targeted at individual baseball fans and corporate hospitality buyers.
• Season Seats 2026 Annual subscription ticket package providing reserved seating for all home games during the season, with priority access and exclusive benefits.
• NISSAN STAR SUITES (Private Viewing Seats) 2026 Luxury private suite seating product for premium viewing at Yokohama Stadium, sold on an annual basis.
• BlueMates Official Fan Club Membership Annual paid fan club program with tiered benefits including STAR points, priority ticket purchasing, exclusive merchandise exchange, and fan club discount pricing.
• Official Team Merchandise (BAYSTORE) Official team merchandise including uniforms, apparel, accessories, towels, and exclusive fan club items, sold through BAYSTORE online shop and physical stores (BAYSTORE PARK, BAYSTORE HOME).
• B Original Foods (Stadium Food and Beverage) Official food and beverage operations across Yokohama Stadium, including stadium-original curry, BayKara sauce, original craft beer, and lemon sour drinks, operated through multiple stadium outlets.
• CRAFT BEER DINING &9 Craft beer restaurant at THE BAYS complex featuring 20 beer taps made from broken bats and game-used balls, with baseball-themed food and original craft beer.
• THE BAYS Multi-Floor Complex Multi-floor commercial complex adjacent to Yokohama Stadium containing the +B lifestyle shop, CRAFT BEER DINING &9 restaurant, CREATIVE SPORTS LAB, and ACTIVE STYLE CLUB fitness facility.
• THE LIVE (Live Entertainment Venue) Live entertainment venue located in Kannai, Yokohama, marketed as a year-round gathering place hosting live performances and events.
• BAYSTARS STAR GUIDE Mobile App Official mobile app providing electronic tickets (QR display), stadium navigation, real-time game information, BASE☆BLUE AI-powered at-bat commentary, event schedules, DeNA Pay touch payment, and BlueMates membership card functionality for fans attending games.
• Star Puzzle Nine (Hoshi no Puzzle Nine) Official BayStars mobile puzzle game app available on iOS and Android featuring team mascots DB.Starman, DB.Kirara, BART, and CHAPY, with player cards as support units that players can level up through gameplay.
• MY BAYSTARS Digital Card Collection Digital card collection application featuring collectible digital cards of BayStars players and team mascots, with gacha-style draws for special editions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3 million annual visitors to Yokohama Stadium events
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• M Trust Co., Ltd.coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 March 2026Continuing official sponsorship agreement with Yokohama DeNA BayStars through 2026 season, including new field advertising at Yokohama Stadium starting 2024
• Arizona Diamondbacks (MLB)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2019Strategic partnership with MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks for international baseball exchange and development initiatives
• Canberra Cavalry (Australia)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2018Strategic partnership with Canberra Cavalry for Australian baseball development and international player exchange
• Yokohama StadiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubsidiary ownership of Yokohama Stadium (since 2016) enabling integrated community ballpark operations and stadium development
• DeNA CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company DeNA provides technology infrastructure, DeNA Pay payment system, and shared services including DeNA account authentication
• JERAcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial sponsor and JERA Central League naming rights partner for Japanese baseball
• Yokohama City / I☆YOKOHAMAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInclusive partnership agreement with Yokohama City for sports promotion, regional economic activation, and community development initiatives signed in 2017
• Yokohama Bay Sheraton Hotel & TowersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHotel services and food & beverage partnership providing hospitality at NISSAN STAR SUITES area

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Yomiuri Giants: Tokyo-based NPB Central League baseball team and historically the most successful and valuable franchise in Japanese baseball. Directly comparable as a professional baseball team competing in the same Central League for fans, broadcast rights, and corporate sponsorships.
• Hanshin Tigers: Osaka-based NPB Central League baseball team, owned by Hanshin Electric Railway. Direct competitor sharing the same league schedule, broadcasting windows, and Kansai/Kanto fan base; won the 2023 Japan Series.
• Hiroshima Toyo Carp: Hiroshima-based NPB Central League baseball team. Same league competitor with comparable single-venue ballpark operations (Mazda Stadium) and similar sponsorship-led revenue model.
• Chunichi Dragons: Nagoya-based NPB Central League baseball team. Direct peer competing in the same league for regional Japanese corporate sponsorships and TV broadcast rights.
• Tokyo Yakult Swallows: Tokyo-based NPB Central League baseball team. Direct league rival operating a single home venue (Jingu Stadium) and competing for the same Kanto fan base and broadcast revenue pool.
• Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks: Fukuoka-based NPB Pacific League baseball team owned by SoftBank Group. Direct comparable as a corporate-owned franchise; lost the 2024 Japan Series to BayStars and provides a benchmark for tech-corporate parent-owned team economics.
• Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles: Sendai-based NPB Pacific League team owned by Rakuten Group. Direct peer as another technology/internet corporate-owned franchise pursuing digital fan engagement and e-commerce-driven merchandise sales.
• Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters: Sapporo-based NPB Pacific League team. Comparable as a single-franchise professional baseball team with integrated ballpark (ES CON Field) retail, dining, and hotel operations analogous to BayStars' Community Ballpark strategy.
• Saitama Seibu Lions: Tokorozawa-based NPB Pacific League baseball team. Direct peer in professional baseball operations, fan club membership (Lions Pride), and stadium-based sponsorship and merchandise economics.
• Orix Buffaloes: Osaka-based NPB Pacific League baseball team. Comparable as a professional baseball franchise with overlapping broadcast rights pool, similar ticketing and sponsorship structures, and shared Kansai corporate sponsor base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ydb_yokohama
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/BAYSTARSch
• Facebookfacebook.com/baystars.official
• Instagraminstagram.com/baystars_official
• TikToktiktok.com/@baystars_official
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/yokohama-dena-baystars-baseball-club-inc-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Yokohama DeNA BayStars