Posted On: February 5, 2010
A Sports Lawsuit You Won't See in the United States?
Did you know that it is now illegal for fans of a certain Japanese baseball team to cheer with musical instruments? A court in Nagoya, Japan, denied a request from members of the fan clubs of the Chunichi Dragons baseball team to be allowed to continue to cheer with instruments, drums or whistles.
Prior to the 2008 season, the groups sought permission to perform organized cheers with the use of trumpets and other musical instruments. But Nippon Professional Baseball turned down the request in March 2008 following consultations with team representatives and police authorities.
On the surface, this sounds like a simple – if peculiar – ruling. The noise is too loud, so the fans are barred from making the noise. Further probing of the issue reveals an unusual twist: several fan club members are in the “Yakuza” which is the Japanese catch-all term for organized crime. Somehow, I find it hard to imagine the Mafia getting involved in baseball cheering here in the United States.
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