Hokuseiho Out- Hakuho Demoted - Miyagino-beya Closing

[Kaninoyama]

1 hour ago, Kishinoyama said:

What else does sumo need when it has Onosato? 

An adversary or rival. Which it has in Hoshoryu. So it seems sumo is in a good place, at least for now. 

[Ripe]

14 minutes ago, Bunbukuchagama said:

Wrexham exists within an established structure; it was more like buying a struggling heya and pumping it full of money (if it were possible).

Show me an example of an alternative football/soccer league being financially successful.

I think the last semi-successful attempt was American Basketball Association (ABA) and even that lasted only 8 seasons with half the teams folding before ABA was essentially bought by NBA in 1976.

The last actually successful... that would probably be American Football League (AFL) which ended up merging with National Football League (NFL) into NFL we had today in 1970.

Edited May 31, 2025 by Ripe

[Bunbukuchagama]

3 hours ago, Asashosakari said:

sumo stripped of its pageantry just isn't a terribly interesting sport, relative to what else is out there in combat sports.

This is probably true, sadly. I never watch any other combat sports (they are terribly boring to me), but when I happened to watch whatever American thing Osunaarashi was winning lately, I kept getting annoyed by its "modern" kitschy presentation - although the quality of actual sumo was not that bad. 

So, to appeal to existing sumo fans, Hakuzumo would have to be pretty close to the original, but that would be both costly and redundant; on the other hand, making it more "modern" would require attracting a significant number of "new" fans - but that would mean competing against a dozen of other well established " modern" combat sports. It's a dead end.

[Bunbukuchagama]

1 minute ago, Ripe said:

I think the last semi-successful attempt was American Basketball Association (ABA) and even that lasted only 8 seasons with half the teams folding before ABA was essentially bought by NBA.

Yes, ABA... We have to thank (or "thank") it for such innovations as the 3-point line (although ABL used it much earlier, I think). And I always think about this movie when it's mentioned:

Anyhow, it was created when NBA was far from its current riches and glory. 

[Kaninoyama]

The obvious source for funding, were he or anyone to attempt it, would be the Saudis. After all, they continue to throw billions at a failed rival golf league. 

But would it succeed? Less likely than a rival golf league would. 

Edited May 31, 2025 by Kaninoyama

[Bunbukuchagama]

7 minutes ago, Kaninoyama said:

An adversary or rival. Which it has in Hoshoryu. 

Too bad it's mostly just a senshuraku rivalry. 

[Bunbukuchagama]

Just now, Kaninoyama said:

The obvious source for funding, were he or anyone to attempt it, would be the Saudis. After all, they continue to throw billions at a failed rival golf league. 

But would it succeed? About as likely as a rival golf league would. 

Why in the name of Allah would Saudis sponsor a sport full of bare-assed men?! 

[Koorifuu]

20 minutes ago, Bunbukuchagama said:

Why in the name of Allah would Saudis sponsor a sport full of bare-assed men?! 

That's an easy one - cover them up. If they're not bound by ozumo's traditions, they don't have to be bare-assed. 

[Bunbukuchagama]

3 minutes ago, Koorifuu said:

That's an easy one - cover them up. If they're not bound by ozumo's traditions, they don't have to be bare-assed. 

A male version of burkini?

 

[Bunny]

4 hours ago, Bunbukuchagama said:

A male version of burkini?

 

Another possibility 

[dingo]

7 hours ago, Bunbukuchagama said:

Show me an example of an alternative football/soccer league being financially successful.

We almost had one -- the European super league. All the participant clubs were very happy to jump on and the financial benefit was plain to see as a league with all European top teams would make loads of money. In the end the backlash from fans, national leagues and even some governments was too much but the idea hasn't died. Granted, it still would've leveraged the existing clubs but the league was supposed to be completely new and outside the existing football structures. 

Anyway I also can't see how a new international sumo league would work without dropping everything that makes sumo what it is. And even then it would be an uphill battle to actually gain any kind of popularity. 

As a side note, yes money makes things work but in my opinion the money invested and outrageous salaries for pro athletes is one thing that's wrong with pro sports these days. 

[Bunbukuchagama]

5 minutes ago, dingo said:

We almost had one -- the European super league. All the participant clubs were very happy to jump on and the financial benefit was plain to see as a league with all European top teams would make loads of money. In the end the backlash from fans, national leagues and even some governments was too much but the idea hasn't died. Granted, it still would've leveraged the existing clubs but the league was supposed to be completely new and outside the existing football structures. 

Wasn't it planned as a superstructure of sorts? Would the participants abandon their respective leagues and European competitions?

Anyhow, the sumo analogue of this would likely be "the most powerful heya in ozumo deciding to organize their own exclusive competition" rather than Hakuho building his own league from scratch. 

[Akinomaki]

Now the whole thing looks obvious, Tospo mentioned the Miyagino kabu https://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/articles/-/346666

Hakuho had intended to give it to Enho, but it looks like Isegahama bought him off. Miyagino will continue coaching at Isegahama-beya of Terunofuji, but with the face of Asahifuji 

The special rijikai tomorrow will not only discuss the fate of Miyagino, but also the future of Isegahama-beya 

Edited June 1, 2025 by Akinomaki

[Kaninoyama]

I imagine Hakuho is somewhere right now in Mongolia having an emergency powwow with Harumafuji & Asashoryu.

Receiving crash-course instruction on "how to prosper post sumo life as an exiled Mongolian Yokozuna." 

Edited June 1, 2025 by Kaninoyama

[Akinomaki]

Surprise guest at the danpatsushiki of (too slim now) Kyokutaisei today - guess who

o

Spoiler

Hokuseiho

- no danpatsushiki yet

Edited June 1, 2025 by Akinomaki

[Raishu]

1 hour ago, Akinomaki said:

Now the whole thing looks obvious, Tospo mentioned the Miyagino kabu https://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/articles/-/346666

Hakuho had intended to give it to Enho, but it looks like Isegahama bought him off. Miyagino will continue coaching at Isegahama-beya of Terunofuji, but with the face of Asahifuji 

The special rijikai tomorrow will not only discuss the fate of Miyagino, but also the future of Isegahama-beya 

That was my immediate thought when I heard of the possible Hakuho resignation. So far, there was no obvious kabu available for the Asahifuji-Terunofuji swap. The rumor regarding Asahifuji becoming the new NHK guest commentator á la Kitanofuji always seemed very farfetched to me, since the latter just passed away around the time when the Isegahama succession topic started to accelerate. Asahifuji becoming sanyo is and was always the logical outcome. 

[RabidJohn]

I love a bit of between-basho intrigue, but this is getting so convoluted it could be four or five separate threads.

Was it Baldrick who said: "It twists and turns like a twisty, turny thing"?

[ryafuji]

1 hour ago, RabidJohn said:

I love a bit of between-basho intrigue, but this is getting so convoluted it could be four or five separate threads.

Was it Baldrick who said: "It twists and turns like a twisty, turny thing"?

No, it was Lord Melchett. That is my very important contribution to this megathread. 

[Yamanashi]

First of all I should say that MMA and other contact sports aren't my bag.

I wouldn't watch Sumo without the tradition.  Super Ichi/Bamba New Jersey Sumo doesn't interest me at all (except as a sad sideshow).  Even Amasumo isn't something I invest interest and anxiety in (although I'm glad it exists).  My criterion is: if the tawara is made of plastic and the dohyo can get a rip in it, it's not Ozumo.

Despite the sometimes oafish workings of the NSK, they have protected an "intangible cultural heritage" that cannot be copied.

[code_number3]

4 hours ago, Raishu said:

Asahifuji becoming sanyo is and was always the logical outcome. 

If Isegahama (Asahifuji) switchs with Terunofuji, then how will Asahifuji be called (as Terunofuji will be Isegahama)?

[Ripe]

6 minutes ago, code_number3 said:

If Isegahama (Asahifuji) switchs with Terunofuji, then how will Asahifuji be called (as Terunofuji will be Isegahama)?

Miyagino

[RabidJohn]

4 hours ago, ryafuji said:

No, it was Lord Melchett. 

And you can call me Susan if it wasn't. 

Edited June 1, 2025 by RabidJohn

[Akinomaki]

Hakuho is still in Mongolia, if his resignation is confirmed tomorrow, he will have an NSK-intai press conference on the 9th http://www.sanspo.com/article/20250601-LZERO7MJNZNJPAXM3XSEZMSFEA/

[Kishinoyama]

11 hours ago, Akinomaki said:

Surprise guest at the danpatsushiki of (too slim now) Kyokutaisei today - guess who

 

That  needs to hide his face in shame but instead he is grinning like it is his show.  

[I am the Yokozuna]

So the resignation has been approved various news sites confirm 

one wrote that the reason for the resignation is the distrust towards JSA and the current unhappiness about the situation for Hakuho

a sad outcome