| Sumo Wrestling is a popular competitive contact sport | | | | divisions with the goal of working up their way up the |
| in Japan where a wrestler attempts to force his | | | | ladder. To simply put, Sumo wrestling is a form of |
| opponent either out of a circular ring, called the | | | | hierarchical meritocracy. Professional wrestlers are |
| “dohyo”, or to touch the ground inside the | | | | promoted and demoted exclusively on their |
| “dohyo” with anything other than the soles of | | | | performance. What makes it even more difficult is that |
| the feet. Japan is the only country where the sport is | | | | only wrestlers in the top two divisions receive a salary, |
| practiced professionally because Sumo is essentially a | | | | prize money, and travel incentives. Of the current 700 |
| sport of deep and ancient Japanese traditions, where | | | | wrestlers living in Japan, only 66 are in the payroll. This |
| there are many rituals and rules that need to be strictly | | | | means the other 634 sumo wrestlers have other jobs |
| followed and obeyed. | | | | or do chores in the stables in exchange for a basic |
| Beyond its strict traditions, Sumo Wrestling is still a | | | | living allowance. |
| sport just like American football, where professionals | | | | The basic salary of a Yokozuna is approximately |
| can make a living from. Here, we’ll take a closer | | | | $24,000 per month, while a wrestler belonging in the |
| look at the business of the sport, specifically how it is | | | | second division makes about $9,000 a month. Just like |
| organized, how profits are made through events and | | | | any other sport, the elite wrestlers can enjoy more |
| competitions, and how much money professional sumo | | | | financial benefits. In 1993, for instance, a Yokozuna |
| wrestlers are making. | | | | wrestler named Akebono earned more than $800,000, |
| Organization | | | | which was almost four times more than his base |
| Also known as the Nihon Sumo Kyokai, the Japan | | | | salary. |
| Sumo Association (JSA) serves as the governing | | | | Ticket Sales |
| body of professional sumo wrestling. The members of | | | | The Japanese Grand Sumo has a total of six |
| JSA are former wrestlers, and they are the only | | | | tournaments per year that run exactly 15 days each. |
| people allowed to train new wrestlers. Wrestlers from | | | | Half of these tournaments take place at the Sumo Hall |
| foreign countries are very much welcomed to | | | | in Tokyo, whereas the other three are held in Nagoya, |
| compete, but all professional competitions must take | | | | Osaka and Fukuoka. Typically, ringside seats are sold |
| place only in Japanese soil. | | | | for about $120 each, while a two-person, A-level box |
| Currently, there are approximately 700 wrestlers and | | | | are sold separately with prices more than $200 each. |
| each wrestler must be a part of a training stable, or a | | | | Other than these two elite seats, the arena seats are |
| level based on the wrestling skills. There are 54 stables | | | | sold at $25 a piece. |
| in Sumo; the highest of which is the Yokozuna or | | | | Finally, because Sumo Wrestling is a very popular |
| “grand champions”. | | | | sport in Japan, corporate sponsorship and |
| Salaries | | | | endorsements are also prevalent in the sport. In fact, |
| When entering the sport of Sumo, wrestlers must | | | | many Yokozunas and grand champions earn much |
| begin in the lowest of the sport’s six professional | | | | more from endorsement deals. |