Economic Impact of Spring Training
NPB's 12-team spring training camps are held primarily in Miyazaki and Okinawa prefectures each February. According to Miyazaki Prefecture's 2024 announcement, seven teams training within the prefecture generated approximately 14 billion yen in economic impact, equivalent to about 5% of the prefecture's annual tourism spending. Okinawa reported roughly 10 billion yen from five teams' camps. Total visitors reached approximately 450,000 in Miyazaki and 300,000 in Okinawa, with accommodation occupancy rates rising 20 to 30 points above typical February levels. Benefits extend across restaurants, car rentals, and souvenir shops.
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Inter-Municipal Recruitment Competition
Camp site recruitment involves fierce competition between municipalities. Miyazaki City has invested over 5 billion yen in stadium facilities to attract the Giants. Nichinan City has hosted the Carp for over 60 years, positioning it as a tourism strategy pillar. In Okinawa, Nago City hosts the Fighters while Naha City accommodates the Giants' farm team, with each municipality building team relationships. Municipal support includes free stadium use, training facility development, and player accommodation subsidies. In 2023, Ishigaki City built a new stadium to successfully attract the Marines' camp, reporting first-year economic impact of approximately 800 million yen.
Camp Location Changes and Challenges
Kochi and Kagoshima prefectures were once popular camp destinations but saw departures due to aging facilities and access issues. Kochi hosted three teams in the 2000s but had zero by 2024. Meanwhile, Miyazaki established its position through prefecture-wide facility investment and hospitality infrastructure. Challenges include the seasonal concentration of economic effects within the roughly one-month camp period. Teams may also suddenly change locations, as occurred in 2018 when one team's relocation left a municipality's purpose-built facilities idle.
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Year-Round Regional Development Through Camps
Progressive municipalities are leveraging camps for year-round development rather than depending on temporary economic boosts. Miyazaki City maintains over 70% annual facility utilization by hosting community sports and corporate baseball tournaments. Chatan Town in Okinawa has parlayed its reputation as the Dragons' camp site into a sports tourism hub, attracting amateur teams from overseas. Starting in 2025, Miyazaki Prefecture launched a Baseball Holy Land branding strategy to attract visitors beyond camp season.