Mikasa Corporation (株式会社 ミカサ, Kabushiki Kaisha Mikasa) is a Japanese sports equipment and athletic goods company with its international corporate headquarters located in Nishi-ku, Hiroshima, Chūgoku.[2][3] Specializing in equipment for ball games, the balls manufactured by Mikasa for sports football, Korfball, basketball, volleyball, waterpolo and handball are often used for official matches, games and competitions.
 | |
 Mikasa headquarters in Nishi-ku | |
| Company type | Kabushiki Kaisha (share company) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sports Equipment |
| Predecessor | Masuda Rubber Industries, Myojyo Rubber Industrial Co. |
| Founded | May 1, 1917 |
| Founder | Masutaro Masuda |
| Headquarters | Hiroshima, Chūgoku, Japan |
Key people | Yuji Saeki (President) |
| Products | Sports balls, accessories |
| Revenue | ¥6.5 billion (2010) [1] |
| Total assets | ¥120 million (2016) |
Number of employees | 139 (2016) [1] |
| Website | mikasasports.co.jp |
Most notably, Mikasa volleyballs are the official balls for all Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (International Volleyball Federation) worldwide competitions, and numerous domestic leagues outside of North America.[4] Mikasa volleyballs are the official ball for the Olympics. Presently clubs, regions, high schools, colleges, and tournaments throughout the U.S. use Mikasa volleyballs.
History
editMikasa was founded in 1917 as the Hiroshima Gomu Corporation. The company began its life producing many different types of rubber products, such as flip-flops and dodgeballs. It began using the Mikasa brand name on its sports products in 1935, and in the early 1940s was consolidated with a number of rival rubber companies. Following World War II, the company grew rapidly: Mikasa volleyballs made their Olympic debut at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, and in the 1970s the company began to expand globally.[5] Since 1980, Mikasa has also produced the official Olympic water polo ball.[6]
In the 2000s, Mikasa was faced with allegations of labor violations in some factories in Thailand. The ITUC published a report alleging anti-labor campaigns by company management.[7] The report detailed allegations of unethical labor practices such as the penalization of union leaders and labor organizers via discriminatory transfers and unjust disciplinary procedures.[7] The ITUC argued that Mikasa succeeded in either forcing the resignation of most of the factory's union committee in an affront to the right of its employees to organize. The Thai Labor Campaign alleged that new Mikasa factory workers received only 173 baht per day. (equivalent to $4.36 per day in 2006)[8]
Products
editMikasa makes many different types of balls, including goods for basketball, beach and indoor volleyball, football, rugby union, waterpolo, korfball, American football and rugby football. (The last two are available solely in the United States)[9]
Sponsorships
editMikasa has been the official ball provider for the following leagues and associations, in addition to having exclusive agreements with some prominent athletes:
Volleyball
editAthletes
edit
Clubs
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Sunspark SC 2026/27
Federations
editNational teams
edit
Waterpolo
edit- Ligue Européenne de Natation
- Fédération Internationale de Natation (men and women)
Tony Azevedo- National men and women teams
Soccer [Soccer] Independiete Medellin [Independiete Medellin] Glory SC [Glory SC] Sunspark SC [Sunspark SC]
Gallery
edit-
Beach volleyball -
Mikasa VLS300 -
Basketball -
Water polo game ball -
Indoor volleyball -
Volleyballs used in Poland -
Mikasa V200W used at the European Golden League Final Four 2021
See also
edit
Bibliography
edit- Michigan High School Athletic Association Bulletin, Volume 70, Michigan High School Athletic Association, 1993, University of Michigan, p. 464.
- Gay and lesbian tourism: the essential guide for marketing, Jeff Guaracino, p. 146.
- Sports sponsor factbook, Team Marketing Report, Inc., 1999, p. 623.
- Japanese multinationals, facts & figures, Tōyō Keizai Shinpōsha, 2007, p. 268.
- American Commercial Inc. d/b/a Mikasa and Mikasa Licensing, Inc. v. Sports and Leisure International d/b/a Mikasa Sports, Civil Action No. 96–713LHM (U.S.D.C. C.D. Cal.).
References
edit- ^ a b "Company profile". Archived from the original on 2021-10-10. Retrieved 2011-10-18.
- ^ "Company Profile Archived 2013-08-21 at the Wayback Machine." Mikasa Sports. Retrieved on September 9, 2012. "11-2, 3-chome, Kusunoki-cho, Nishi-ku Hiroshima 733-0002, Japan"
- ^ "会社概要 Archived 2013-10-04 at the Wayback Machine." Mikasa Sports. Retrieved on September 9, 2013. "所在地 広島市西区楠木町3丁目11番2号"
- ^ "Mikasa Sports USA". Mikasa Sports USA. Archived from the original on 2022-10-25. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
- ^ "History". Mikasa Sports. Archived from the original on 15 August 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
- ^ "Volleyball (On the Sand and In the Gym)". Popular Science. 2008-08-14. Archived from the original on 2022-10-26. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
- ^ a b 2007 Annual Survey of violations of trade union rights - Thailand: Violations in 2006, International Trade Union Confederation, 2007, survey07.ituc-csi.org Archived 2011-07-26 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ The Life of Football Factory Workers in Thailand, Junya Lek Yimprasert, Thai Labor Campaign, June 30, 2006, PDF from CleanClothes Archived 2010-06-13 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Mikasa Sports USA - Products manufactured". Archived from the original on July 14, 2011.
- ^ "New sponsorship contract between MIKASA Corporation and Marta Menegatti". Mikasa Sports. February 7, 2014. Archived from the original on November 2, 2019. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
- ^ "Mikasa Signs Beach Volleyball Phenom Sara Hughes". Mikasa Sports. June 26, 2017. Archived from the original on November 2, 2019. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
External links
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