No Koshien Climax?

Well, while there are no specific dates listed, the Koshien Renewal Site Schedule shows that Phase II will begin at the start of October. So it's looking a lot like there won't be a climax at Koshien, for either the first or second rounds.

The thought of both teams using Osaka Dome (I mean Kyocera Dome) would certainly be interesting. While it wouldn't hold as many fans, Green Stadium Kobe (aka Skymark Stadium) is much more beautiful (weather permitting).

Wow, pretty outrageous! Although they would still play in Kansai, pretty crazy to take away a team's home stadium during the post-season. Additionally, it's almost impossible to get tickets anyway, now they would be playing in stadiums which hold less than Koshien!

Maybe Hanshin, the company (which runs the stadium, I presume), had no confidence in the Tigers hosting post-season games. Still, strange. Couldn't renovation work have waited until November?

Yeah, it's not like Kansai has harsh winters that makes it so urgent to get to work. I'm trying to imagine if the Yankees made the post-season this year and management said, "We already planned to demolish the stadium, so you'll have to play the World Series at Shea."

Anyway, if Hanshin does make the Japan Series, it will be really strange not to host games at Koshien. I guess Hanshin has no one to blame but themselves though. They were the ones who made this ridiculous decision.

All I can say is I'm now hoping for a Tigers vs. Buffaloes Japan Series! All games at Kyocera Dome? Even when the two play "home games" for the Buffaloes in Kyocera or Skymark, it's 95% Tigers fans. That would be a sad sight for a Japan Series!

Why is everyone assuming the renewal schedule is set in stone? I heard the same wailing last year, yet one Tiger fan told me that they were planning to delay the work if necessary. Most likely it's the same this year.

The reason I first posted this was that it was written in Wayne's (won't try to spell his last name) column in the Japan Times last week. The article made no mention of a flexible schedule and made it sound like any post-season games would be played at Kyocera Dome or Skymark Stadium. I thought that was odd, so that's why I first asked for more information here.

And then I went out and looked for some supporting evidence either way about Hanshin playing at Koshien for the Climax Series. I was unable to find anything saying that they would or wouldn't, but there was the vague construction schedule.

Set in stone? I don't know. I'm just the messenger. I've been unable to find anything to refute what Wayne wrote, but there is evidence that what he wrote is correct. Until something changes (and it may very well), that's all I can say.

Don't shoot the messenger.

Well, wherever they play in Kansai the Tigers will obviously get the fan support. But it would just be a shame if they couldn't play at Koshien. I was assuming such a schedule would be flexible, but Wayne knows his stuff and I wouldn't think he would report that unless it had already been decided that the games would be played elsewhere.

Don't shoot the messenger.

Don't worry, westbaystars, my "wailing" quip was directed at the other posters, not you! I know you were simply passing on the info - it was the overreaction I was responding to. It seems that whenever a Japanese team makes some announcement or another (or even when it doesn't make an announcement) some people are so quick to jump on it (or the absence of it) as an example of how clueless they are. Believe, me, Hanshin isn't clueless in terms of making money, or looking after the fans, or keeping their unique tradition alive.

And in fact, if the only evidence for Hanshin's "outrageous" decision (as one poster put it) is a vague construction schedule listed on a website, then my acquaintance could be right, and they may in fact be planning to play post season games at Koshien. Perhaps the vagueness was intentional?

Frankly, I really don't know either way, but I don't think we should be too quick to condemn the Tigers unless we're armed with something more than a vague reference on a website or a musing from Wayne Graczyk (who has been wrong before about such things).

To add more confusion to this issue, here is what JapanBall.com has reported:

If the Hanshin Tigers were to finish in first place, however, Kyocera Dome would be used in the first stage since Koshien Stadium will be undergoing repair work at the time. Skymark Stadium would be the venue for the second stage.

This news makes it also sound definite that Koshien will not be used. There is a mistake with this, however. If Hanshin finishes first, they would get a bye in the first stage and wouldn't play until the second stage. Right?

I know it means a lot to some people for the games to be played at Koshien, but honestly, who cares? Everyone knows that the fans will show up and not fail to support their team (as it always is with Hanshin fans). And besides, I'd rather see a Climax Series game at the beautiful Skymark Stadium over Koshien any day of the week. The fact that the Tigers are even going to the post season this year is what the focus should be on.

- Everyone knows that the fans will show up and not fail to support their team (as it always is with Hanshin fans).

This is true. Tigers fans would show up whether the games are played at Kyocera, in Yakushima, or in Wakkanai. My problem is it just seems wrong to take away their true home field for post-season play. Additionally, Kyocera and Skymark both hold less than Koshien. Even though I would also rather watch a game at Skymark than Koshien, too!

Anyway, we'll wait more for official word so that I don't upset Pat anymore with my over-reactions.

- Anyway, we'll wait more for official word so that I don't upset Pat anymore with my over-reactions.

Thank you - you're very considerate. You wouldn't believe how much sleep I was losing over this.

It seems that the recently canceled game between Hanshin and Chunichi will now, in fact, be played at Skymark Stadium. Call me crazy, but I take this a hint that there will be no Climax Series at Koshien year.

Yeah, last I read was that no games would be played there after September 30. But that's only based on a "vague reference" published in a national newspaper, so we'll see what happens!

If the rained out Chunichi game does end up being played at Skymark, I'd appreciate it if anyone posts ticket information they find out. It's my favorite stadium, but I didn't manage to make it this year.

On a side note, I just checked out Climax Series ticket information on the Lawsons site. There still might be confusion over where exactly the Tigers will play, as there is ticket information about all other teams that will be hosting Climax Series games (Giants, Lions, and Buffaloes.)

Oh, it's happening. Here's the info from the official site.

I actually kind of want to go to this game while I'm down in Osaka for the weekend Climax Series at the Kyocera Dome. Maybe we can pull off a double header if your schedule permits.

- Maybe we can pull off a double header if your schedule permits.

It would take quite a bit of time to get from Kyocera Dome to Skymark, so my thinking (for my own schedule) now would be maybe to catch the Tigers on Saturday and the Buffaloes on Sunday. Tickets might be complicated, as I believe they both go on sale at convenience stores from the 9th. But we can also order from the Internet, I think, a day or two before that, which I have never done.

If you still have my e-mail from the old Jingu correspondence, mail me directly and we can try to work things out.

Any updates on this yet? Seems pretty certain now that Stage 1 will be Dragons vs. Tigers, with the Tigers being the home team. Kyocera Dome? (The Giants haven't clinched first yet, but it won't be long.)

The Tigers will be playing their home games at the Kyocera Dome for the playoffs. All the info is on their webpage.

What a shame. It's still Kansai, but it's not true home-field advantage. Too bad the renovation schedule couldn't have been more flexible. But I'll trade anything for a Kansai win right now.

For those that are against the playoffs (sorry, I don't use the term "Climax Series" - too silly), a Giants vs Tigers series will surely convert them!

So the thing to watch now is whether these tickets will be sold out before you can even get them at the conbini. And believe me, every last seat in this place will be gone, unlike the recent Orix/Fighters series I just attended at the Kyocera Dome.

Well, I went to the conbini right at 10 on Friday and fortunately was able to get tickets for both games 1 and 2. But of course I also had to pay 1,500 yen more than for the exact same section for the Buffaloes.

Good move. Have the Tigers not play in their true home field and make people pay more.

Well, at least you were able to get them. Remember that you said you weren't even going to try because you thought that they would be gone. Still, I'm surprised that you did actually get them.

Yeah, I can't believe I got them. I'm not sure how that happened. I was at the conbini right at 10:00 on Friday, but I thought they would have all been gone by then. So I'm not sure if the higher prices or the Tigers' awful play down the stretch helped in that regard. But I think Tigers fans would pay almost anything.

I would assume that the higher cost of renting the stadium would mean the higher ticket prices. It couldn't be the higher ticket prices, because just last week Skymark Stadium sold out for the last game of the season before you could even get them at the conbini. The only reason I can think of is that the Kyocera Dome really does suck and many people truly do hate it and refuse to go. I mean seriously, Tigers + Playoffs = Sellouts these days.

Look on the bright side, there was probably not an empty seat in that place unlike the recent Orix playoff games we attended, am I right?

Amazingly on Saturday, the two seats next to me were empty, but they might have been the only empty seats in the place. However, I was sitting in the expensive section. It's most likely to see empty seats there as they are often given away to people by companies. I was hoping for a Hanshin sweep as I couldn't make the Monday game. My Red Sox are gone, so let's hope Hanshin fares better.