"The daily broadcasting rights are 150 billion won." Amazing! WBC's prize money is 150 million won per person → 'Japanese Money Power' is amazing

*This content was translated by AI.

"If you win, you will be given $100,000 (150 million won) per person in bonus alone."

The prize money of the tournament is a hot topic ahead of the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) final between the U.S. and Venezuela, which will be held at Rondipo Park in Miami, Florida at 9 a.m. on the 18th in Korean time. What attracts as much attention as the fiery confrontation between the U.S. and Venezuela's politically storied countries is the all-time "winner prize."

According to The Athletic, a U.S. sports media outlet, the winning team players are expected to win prizes ranging from at least $100,000 to up to $120,000 (about 180 million won) per person. This is more than doubled compared to the 2023 competition, and the dividend for all 20 countries participating in the WBC also broke the largest ever.

The biggest contributor to the jump in prize money is by far the overwhelming power of the Japanese market, the so-called "Japan Money."

Ahead of the game, global OTT company Netflix reportedly paid about $100 million (about 150 billion won) worth of broadcast rights with the Major League Baseball Secretariat to secure exclusive broadcast rights in Japan. Compared to Japan's broadcasting rights of only about 3 billion yen (about 28.1 billion won) at the time of the competition three years ago, the figure has soared by nearly 500%.

Ahead of this tournament, baseball fever in Japan was simply explosive. During the 2023 tournament, the ratings of the Japanese national team match exceeded 40%, proving it to be a "national event." Netflix confirmed the strong loyalty of these Japanese fans and poured in astronomical funds.

The irony is that Japan, the main character who actually grew the board, has already packed up. Japan lost to Venezuela 5-8 in the quarterfinals on the 15th, suffering early elimination. The U.S. and Venezuela seem to be in the final race over the "winning bonus" created by Japan's huge capital.

As a result, Japan's "money power" has only given the United States and Venezuela good things. In particular, the U.S., the home of Major League Baseball, has the best scenario to take care of both practical and justification. This is because a virtuous cycle structure has been completed in which not only the domestic box office but also the enormous profits generated in the Japanese market fill the coffers of the MLB Secretariat. There are still Japanese Netflix broadcasters on the scene.

Baseball fans around the world are heading to Miami ahead of the 'grand final'. Attention is focusing on who will be the final protagonist of the all-time money feast created by Japan's "Money Power."

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*This content was translated by AI.