The B. League officially revealed on Thursday that Softbank Group Corp. has become the circuit's top partner, starting with the inaugural 2016-17 season.
Japan Basketball Association president Saburo Kawabuchi emphasized that the sport has enormous potential both globally and domestically and the participation of Softbank, a major telecom and technology company, in the new basketball enterprise will only amplify that.
"Basketball has the biggest power now (in Japan) and we would like to make every effort to make it more fun," Kawabuchi said at a news conference at a luxury hotel in Tokyo on Thursday. "(Softbank) understood what our league's trying to do and raised their hand."