What was the purpose of this event?

We founded “Ashizaru FC” itself with the goal of making futsal the number one sport in Japan. “Number one” can have various interpretations, such as people in the streets playing futsal games, it being a part of physical education classes, it becoming a social phenomenon, or becoming as commonplace as soccer or baseball. This event (F GAME) was held as part of our activities towards achieving that goal.

Why did you entrust the event to GP?

There would be over 100 reasons if I were to list them all (laughs), but the main reason is that despite various irregularities, Mr. Kawaguchi, who was in charge, along with partner companies and many others, responded with sincerity, which made me feel confident in entrusting the event to them.

What was the key point you focused on while planning the event?

This time, we focused on making sure that participants experienced an extraordinary atmosphere the moment they stepped into the venue. For example, when you enter a movie theater, you immediately feel as if you’re entering a different world. If the movie was good, after leaving the theater, you are left with lasting memories. With that in mind, we aimed to create an event where fans could have a fun, memorable experience, focusing on a “fan-first” approach.

What was challenging about implementing the event?

There were many stakeholders involved, including GP, video editors, partner companies, and volunteers, and it was challenging to manage all the tasks. Towards the end, I ended up doing a lot on my own, so next time, I would like to ask GP to help coordinate the performers as well.

How were the reactions from the participants?

There were many people who said things like “I’m glad I came,” “It was cool,” and “It was fun,” so it was very well-received.

Also, interacting with the children who look up to us made me realize that we need to behave in a way that they can admire, so that we can become adults who are worthy of their admiration.

When I saw the full audience, I cried. I remember the days when we were unknown, and seeing so many people gathered was overwhelming… Fans pay money to attend events, but I’ve always wanted to have a relationship where we’re not just in a customer-client relationship, and are pursuing our dreams together.

Did you achieve the event’s goal?

We set a goal of “gathering 15,000 people at Yoyogi National Stadium by 2026.” This time, we aimed to fill a venue with 2,000 to 3,000 people, and we managed to achieve that goal. Also, I believe it’s important to see the degree to which fans can resonate with our goals and dreams, and how much we can involve them. I feel we accomplished that as well.

How would you like to develop this event in the future?

I want to incorporate productions that go beyond the standard conventions of futsal, something never seen before. Futsal is a sport, but fans spend money and time for the event. That’s why I want them to experience something extraordinary at F GAME. I also want to keep in mind the perspective of entertainment, which brings joy and excitement and can include content that fans can participate in.

Additionally, I want to focus on both “offense” and “defense.” “Offense” includes attention to production details, as well as the excitement of the matches, while “defense” involves creating a comfortable environment for fans through careful hospitality. The next event is already scheduled, so we want to improve the level of the event and make it more refined, so that people will say, “F GAME was amazing, I want to go again!”