Fan Appreciation Day is, of course, "an event for the fans," but it's also open to people who have only just begun to take an interest in baseball. That's the feeling we got at "Rakuten Eagles Fan Appreciation Day 2023" on November 23, 2023. The thrill of meeting star players up close, the love for the team overflowing the venue, and the excitement of a festival. Before we knew it, we'd come to love this team even more.

Since 2020, opportunities for fans to interact directly with players had been limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but this year’s “Fan Kan,” as Fan Appreciation Day is affectionately known, finally returned to its proper form and became a day filled with fans’ smiles. Programs for interacting with the players were held all over the stadium. Although the team finished the season in fourth place, the players showed their gratitude for the 2023 season while drawing energy from the fans for a comeback next season.

The first place fans headed upon arriving at the stadium was the “Field Run & Walk.” Out on the field, the players welcomed fans with high-fives.

“Playing Catch with the Players” was a big hit with children. Pictured here is Ryuji Komago, who enjoyed chatting as he played catch.

At the food and drink stands around the stadium’s outer concourse, players could be seen handing out food and drinks and signing autographs. Pictured here is Seiryu Uchi.

“Washi-katsu Talk with the Players at the Kotatsu!” featured the kotatsu, a winter essential in the Tohoku region. Warming up together naturally brought everyone closer, and the players looked relaxed. We wonder what they talked about.

Players also appeared at the “Eco Stations” set up inside the stadium for sorted waste collection. This initiative raised awareness of sorting waste while letting fans have fun interacting with the players.

Many of the team’s core players took part in the home run derby held at “Washi-katsu Sports Day.” Yukiya Ito’s full swings had the stands buzzing.

New manager Toshiaki Imae, who will lead the team from the 2024 season, appeared at an autograph session. Although time was limited, he took the time to talk with each fan.

This is a scene from the “Junior Cheer Performance.” The unit made full use of the field to put on a performance that got the fans in the stands fired up.

The highlight of the day was the retirement ceremony for Ginji, who had announced his retirement the day before, on November 22. His first words were, “I love Tohoku and Sendai!” Seeing him well up while he expressed his gratitude to the fans and his family for supporting him, the fans who filled the stadium were moved to tears as well. He will transition to serve as an ambassador to the team, and work to bring the team closer to the fans.

Looking back on the day, captain Hideto Asamura told us: “I’m always filled with gratitude to our fans on this day. The energy was electric this year, it was great to see the whole place buzzing. I really appreciate how closely we get to interact with the fans, which is a big part of ‘Fan Kan.’”

There were so many programs that we couldn’t possibly introduce them all. There was laughter, and there were tears. We were certain that the bond between the players and the fans had grown even stronger. 2024 marks the club’s 20th anniversary. All that’s left is for everyone to come together as one and head toward the best possible future: a championship!

TEXT: Chiharu Abe
EDIT: Yohsuke Watanabe (IN FOCUS)
PHOTO: Toshiyuki Koizumi