Re: [sumo] Takanohana's reforms

[Joe Kuroda <joe_kuroda@yahoo.com>]

--- Greg Lund <jac@powerup.com.au> wrote:
> Whichever, I for one am glad to see proposals like
> those advanced 
> brought into sharper focus and kept there until
> something positive is 
> achieved. Probably not in my lifetime, but perhaps
> for the benefit of 
> younger generations of enthusiasts.

Your lifetime is within Takanohana's lifetime as well.
I believe a couple points he raises do make sense -
the one about so called "Tanimachi" - few influential
big money cronies and local politicians who more or
less hold top ranked positions with these supporters
clubs. Unless you rid of them, your heya is forever
controlled by their whim. Takanohana already got rid
of them from his heya. Instead he has more women
supporters and those who generally watch the bashos on
TV and perhaps get to a basho once or twice a year in
lower priced Masu seats.  He has more broad and wide
spectrum of support and that should help him in
managing his heya in his own way.

Another is Ozumo's Chaya stores (now called Kokugikan
Service). They are owned and operated by families
connected with a major heya like Dewanoumi Beya and
ex-gyojis.  They control Masu Box seat tickets and
generate a bulk of their revenue by selling those
souvenier/lunch box things that could cost as much as
the ticket price. 

As Ozumo's revenue structure is so closely aligned
with their operations so as long as the Masu seats are
sold, the Kyokai hardly seems to care. They focus so
much on those seats that they are oblivious to  the
second tier chair seats which usually go empty in most
weekdays (often go to group sales and those who have
no connection whatever  with a Chaya.

Chaya's business is based primarilly by maintaining
their relationship with their customers (almost
exclusively so) - for instance even a non-major patron
like my mother-in-law who once happened to order a
prime Masu seat box still receives a Banzuke for every
Tokyo Basho as soon as the new Banzuke is released. I
am sure if you are more regular customers you will
probably get far more goodies from them so you will
buy the ticket from them. It may be  a good business
but they really don't care if anyone buys a cheap
chair seat. Ozumo really needs more well defined
fairer ticket distribution system so they just don't
solely focus on Masu box ticket sales.  

They need to generate more interests and support from
wide range of public rather from few selected special
interested groups of men with huge sum of money and
political influence.    

.....Jonosuke 
  <  Heart  Technique  Physique      &#24515;&#12288;&#25216;&#12288;&#20307;&#12288;>

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[EndPost by Joe Kuroda <joe_kuroda@yahoo.com>]