Collaboration with Blast Motion
Motion analysis and player development via data-based scientific approaches have become the standard in baseball in recent years. In April 2021, Mizuno announced a collaboration with the American startup Blast Motion and launched sales in Japan of Blast Baseball, which enables baseball swing study and analysis.
Blast Motion is a company in California in the United States, and specializes in technology that analyzes the motions of athletes using sensors and video. It creates and provides systems that can be used for coaching, training, and improving athletes.
However, when Blast Motion considered launching sales of Blast Baseball in Japan, there were numerous obstacles to the new introduction and popularization of the product, including the cultural and language differences between Japan and the United States. By partnering with Mizuno, a long-time leader in the Japanese baseball and softball market that is well-versed in Japanese culture, Blast Motion was able to develop apps and solutions optimized for the Japanese market and successfully localize the product. The company is steadily building a successful track record by leveraging the brand power and network of Mizuno, which has a deep-rooted presence in the world of baseball.
Blast Baseball app screenshot (3D swing trajectory)
Blast Baseball app screenshot (measured score screenshot)
The collaboration between Mizuno, which has been striving to provide better sporting goods and support for athletes in Japan and abroad, and Blast Motion, which aims to use technology to help athletes improve their performance, has brought a breath of fresh air to the Japanese sports industry.
As an American startup, Blast Motion derives major advantages from Mizuno’s network in the diverse sports industry, brand power built up over more than 100 years, and sales skills of approximately 200 sales representatives in 10 locations in Japan.
Mizuno is also strengthening co-creation with other startups both in Japan and overseas, including signing a contract with Scrum Ventures, which has a fund that invests in startups, in January 2022.
Mizuno believes that the co-creation and collaboration between Mizuno, which has cultivated a track record and trust in the sports industry, and startup companies in Japan and overseas with various resources and innovative technologies, will lead to the creation and delivery of products and services never before seen around the world. Mizuno aims to make a splash not only in the sports industry but also in various other industries.
Blast Baseball
https://jpn.mizuno.com/baseball/products/BLAST
A conversation between Akito Mizuno, President of Mizuno Corporation, and Tak Miyata, General Partner of Scrum Ventures
