Molten Corporation has signed a global partnership agreement with FIBA, the international governing body for basketball. The author interviewed Mr. HASEGAWA Noa, the Head of the Brand Marketing Group, Marketing Division at Molten Corporation, about the initiatives with FIBA. (Written by HAYASHI Tetsuro, Edited by ISHIHARA Ryutaro)

Addressing "Women in Basketball": What can Molten do?

The population of female basketball players in Japan sharply declines after the age of 18, although the number of participants alone is not the sole indicator of progress. Furthermore, FIBA's basketball report has highlighted that players drop out of the sport at the average age of 20.3.

"To continue doing what you love and keep playing sports," Molten has conducted quantitative surveys and interviews both domestically and internationally to grasp the actual situation. We have also shared information through collaborative activities with various sports organizations. As the relationship with sports changes according to life stages, Molten is exploring ways to contribute to realizing an optimal environment where everyone can access sports at any time.

One of the reasons we have been able to align the activities of "Women in Basketball" with Molten's strategy is the anticipated business impact. In areas where our market share is high, we believe that leading the growth of the women's basketball market can achieve sales proportional to our strong market share. In areas with lower penetration, by engaging in activities, we aim to boost brand awareness, enhance our product range, increase in-store product availability, and raise the ball adoption rate among individuals and teams over the long term.

Additionally, we explain the potential for growth in the global market internally. In football, the appeal is increasing not only at the national representative team level but also at the club level, as seen with events like the UEFA Women's European Championship. Similarly, in basketball, the sport has firmly established itself in countries such as Europe and the USA.

Considering that women's sports are attracting new fans and sponsorships, the business is expected to grow further. Addressing such a market, we aim to expand the potential for growth opportunities as the Molten brand.

In my daily communications with FIBA, I am aware of the need for diverse approaches to markets seeking new and innovative strategies. FIBA also wants to engage in various activities targeting these communities. Rather than relying on packaged programs provided as partner rights, we can achieve a greater breadth and depth of collaboration with FIBA through our initiatives.

Why do creative ideas emerge from collaboration with FIBA?

The activities we are currently working on with FIBA involve Molten presenting specific activation content and expected effects, with both parties contributing funds and resources for the activities, and I am responsible for managing the project.

Molten is a brand with a unique position, providing sports equipment like balls that are used as public goods in games and practices, rather than products like shoes that enhance individual performance. Therefore, we aim to be a brand not only for players but also for those who support them. With this in mind, starting in 2022, we launched the "Female Local Champions Program," which is based on the concept of spotlighting individuals who support basketball in various regions. This program targets the host cities of FIBA-sponsored tournaments and serves as an opportunity to showcase the achievements of coaches, referees, and organizers.

In 2022, with the help of Michelle Timms, who has been inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame, we invited former national players to a party for networking support. At the event, participants shared their activities and challenges, took home the advice they received, and continued to be actively involved in their respective fields. We expanded this initiative to other regions, and last year, similar programs were implemented in Israel and Slovenia during the Women's EuroBasket 2023.

Such ideas come from conversation. We have a direct communication line with FIBA and hold meetings every week. While discussing practical matters such as promotions at various tournaments, we consciously exchange opinions on the three strategic priorities mentioned earlier. At the same time, by considering how we can combine Molten's medium to long-term plans, we develop ideas that both FIBA and we find interesting and are eager to try, effectively bouncing these ideas off each other.

◇HASEGAWA Noa

Head of the Brand Marketing Group, Marketing Division, Molten Corporation

Hasegawa oversees the entire communication strategy at Molten, including brand strategy, collaborative activities with sports organizations, and product promotions. He started playing football/ soccer at a young age and had played in Mexico and Germany. After gaining experience in marketing and brand management in Japan, the UK, and the USA, he joined Molten Corporation in 2021. He is a graduate of the Chicago Management Institute at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

◇HAYASHI Tetsuro

Marketing Director, Beside Japan Ltd

A sports business consultant based in London and Tokyo, Hayashi serves as a hub between Europe and Japan, providing support for innovation creation and marketing assistance centered around sports. He holds an MA in Innovation Management at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London. He is a SKYLIGHT Sports Global Advisor and an advisor for JSPIN.

Edited by: ISHIHARA Ryutaro (Editor at BIOTOPE co., ltd. / Representative Director of the Culturepreneur Collective, a general incorporated association)

*Affiliations and titles are as of the time of writing in June 2024

Note: This article was originally published in Japanese on Jul 11, 2024. The original article can be accessed here.