Best Rikishi 2017 - none

[Akinomaki]

For the 1st time in 60, no rikishi gets the best of the year award by Hochi shimbun - https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/年間最優秀力士賞

Last year for the first time Harumafuji got this excellence award - though Kisenosato had most wins of the year.

Hakuho has already received the most wins of the year award and most of the time got the Hochi award as well, but his speech and conduct disqualified him this year. Mitakeumi hasn't yet reached the level of excellence and Kisenosato was kyujo 4 basho - thus nobody was good enough this year.

the selection committee:

o

 

- the Japan pro sports awards will arrive shortly.

[Dapeng]

With three yusho and most annual wins, Hakuho is the best by default, whatever they said.

[Naganoyama]

3 hours ago, Dapeng said:

With three yusho and most annual wins, Hakuho is the best by default, whatever they said.

But they are not obliged to award the prize.

[Akinomaki]

The 54th Chuspo makuuchi best newcomer of the year award goes to Onosho - the votes for him were 15-0

during the Okinawa jungyo

o

Edited December 30, 2017 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki]

Top earner in 2017 was of course Hakuho, top for the 11th year in a row - the figures include yusho and sansho money and kensho:

Hakuho 144 502 000 yen

Kisenosato 121 404 000 yen

Harumafuji 94 898 000 yen

Takayasu 65 828 000 yen

Goeido 61 582 000 yen

Mitakeumi 57 354 000 yen

Kotoshogiku 52 414 000 yen

compared to other Japanese pro-sports, only women's golf has that low figures, but already the no.2 there has more than the no.2 in sumo

o

Edited December 31, 2017 by Akinomaki

[kawika]

1 hour ago, Akinomaki said:

Top earner in 2017 was of course Hakuho, top for the 11th year in a row - the figures include yusho and sansho money and kensho:

Hakuho 144 502 000 yen

Kisenosato 121 404 000 yen

Harumafuji 94 898 000 yen

Takayasu 65 828 000 yen

Goeido 61 582 000 yen

Mitakeumi 57 354 000 yen

Kotoshogiku 52 414 000 yen

i wonder what they make on the side?  everytime show up at an event or get taken out for dinner, there seems to be a fat white envelope at the end, and a "thank you".  could that add up to another USD 1 million for say Hakuho?

[Akinomaki]

I was waiting all the time for some news of the Japan pro sports awards - but by judging from what's on this list, this time they as well have no-one from sumo http://www.jpsa.jp/topics.html

Only a JapanTimes article mentions an award for Kisenosato https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2017/12/20/baseball/japanese-baseball/champion-hawks-honored-japans-top-pro-sports-award/

Quote

Meanwhile, 15 individual athletes were given awards to honor their achievements.

They included sumo’s Kisenosato, who became the first Japanese-born yokozuna in 19 years in January

But no trace of this elsewhere

Edited December 31, 2017 by Akinomaki

[sekitori]

4 hours ago, kawika said:

i wonder what they make on the side?  everytime show up at an event or get taken out for dinner, there seems to be a fat white envelope at the end, and a "thank you".  could that add up to another USD 1 million for say Hakuho?

According to Golf Digest, Tiger Woods' gross income in 2007 was around 120 million USD, but only about 10% of that came from tournament winnings. The rest was made up of other sources, much of it from commercial endorsements. Of course, his net income was decreased greatly because of taxes, agents' fees, and other numerous expenses.

I would imagine that Hakuho, while on not nearly as huge a scale as Tiger Woods, makes much more than just salary, yusho winnings, kensho money, and what's included in those "fat white envelopes". I have no idea what his total income is, but I'm sure it's quite substantial--certainly far more than two million USD per year. 

If anyone in this group knows anything about this, it could be John Gunning. Maybe he has an idea. 

[Ack!]

Doesn't a piece of the kensho money go to the heya and elsewhere?

[Benihana]

38 minutes ago, Ack! said:

Doesn't a piece of the kensho money go to the heya and elsewhere?

Afaik: 30000 yen to the rikishi, 5000 for making the banner and taxes, 25000 to the rikishi's retirement fund.

[Yatagarasu]

On 1/2/2018 at 10:37, Ack! said:

Doesn't a piece of the kensho money go to the heya and elsewhere?

 

On 1/2/2018 at 11:18, Benihana said:

Afaik: 30000 yen to the rikishi, 5000 for making the banner and taxes, 25000 to the rikishi's retirement fund.

 

On the other hand, I believe the heya takes a cut of any money from commercial endorsements, appearances, etc., just like a sports agent, I guess.