Japanese e-Commerce player Mercari Poised To Own Majority Stake In Kashima Antlers

Mercari will pay 1.6 billion yen (US$14.7 million) for a 61.6 per cent stake in the Antlers from Nippon Steel Corp (NSC) with the deal set to go through in late August, according to Japanese media reports. NSC which will continue to own 11 per cent of the club.

Fumiaki Koizumi, Mercari’s chief operating officer, told reporters that the takeover would help the company expands its customer base, adding, “We’re excited about being able to support the management of a leading soccer club in Japan.”

The Tokyo-based start-up which functions like an online flea market similar to eBay, Carousell and Craigslist, had gone public last year in the midst of much buzz, and sees the US market as crucial to its growth, as it pulled out of Europe at the end of last year following losses there.

Financial media outlet Nikkei also reported Mercari faced a net loss of approximately US$111m in June this year, a second straight annual loss, as it faces stiff competition as well as heavy promotional costs in the US.

Despite the financial forecast, the deal will see Mercari battle e-Commerce rivals Rakuten on the pitch, with the latter having acquired J-League’s Vissel Kobe in 2014.

While Rakuten had unveiled its smart stadium concept in Rakuten Seimei Park Miyagi and Noevir Stadium Kobe early this year, Mercari would instead focus on upgrading the Antlers’ 40,000-seater home ground as well implement augmented reality (AR) technology to enhance the match experience. Prior to its ownership play, Mercari had been a sponsor of Kashima Antlers since 2017, pumping in almost US$950k during the period.