Mahjong is a sport! Exploring its passion and business value [1]What is the appeal of "Mahjong" becoming a sport and "watching mahjong"?
Suddenly, but what image do you have of "mahjong"?
In recent years, mahjong has evolved from its position as a "gambling game" into a "mind sport" where players compete intellectually, generating the same level of fervor as "e-sports."
In 2018, the M League, a national professional team competition for mahjong, launched. By 2021, it had attracted 1.54 million viewers (※1), demonstrating how many people are captivated by the depth of mahjong as a sport. Unlike traditional sports leagues, it has fostered a culture of "watching matches while cheering on players via social media." Companies are taking notice of this social media fervor, leading to examples of creating synergies in various ways through mahjong content.
"Why is mahjong gaining popularity?"
"What makes watching mahjong interesting?"
In this series, Teruya Saruwatari, who has followed the M League since its inaugural year, will explore mahjong's potential as a mind sport and its business value. He will be joined by Hiroya Takayanagi, manager of TEAM RAIDEN/Raiden, a team participating in the M League, serving as an advisor.
The first installment explains why mahjong, long perceived as "gambling" among mind sports, has evolved, focusing on the phenomenon of "watching mahjong" (miru jan) to explore its appeal as content.
Clean Brand Strategy and Online Streaming Drive Mahjong Fan Growth
As the term "e-sports" gained widespread recognition, games once considered "children's play" evolved into a "sport" that captivates viewers by competing in skill, strategy, reflexes, and teamwork.
Mind sports (also called brain sports, encompassing games like shogi, go, and chess that compete in mental physical abilities), which existed even before e-sports, are also seeing renewed attention. This is due to the ease of enjoying the competitions themselves online, their role in dementia prevention in an aging society, and perspectives on diversity.
Mind sports are defined as "sports that utilize mental physical abilities such as memory and judgment," a concept contrasted with physical sports like soccer or baseball.
In 2005, four international organizations, including the International Chess Federation and the International Go Federation, joined forces to establish the International Mind Sports Association (IMSA). Subsequently, the Card Game Federation, representing poker and other card games, and the International Mahjong Federation also joined, intensifying efforts to make mind sports an Olympic event.
Within this context, mahjong has undergone a unique evolution among mind sports, spurred by the launch of the M League.
The M League is a national professional team league for mahjong, launched in 2018 by Shun Fujita of CyberAgent, who states he "learned much about business from mahjong," serving as its founder and chairman. Eight major corporations, all household names, became owners, each assembling teams of top professional mahjong players. After a six-month league season, the teams compete for the championship, making it a top-tier league much like professional baseball.
From its inception, the M League has championed "dispelling mahjong's negative image (i.e., gambling)" and "expanding recognition as a mind sport." It enforces a "Zero Gambling Declaration," strictly prohibiting any player involvement in gambling activities. Furthermore, to promote it as a professional sport, all players wear uniforms during matches—an unprecedented initiative. Guided by these principles, the ultimate goal is to secure mahjong's inclusion as an official Olympic sport.
M League Opening Match Draws 1.5 Million Viewers. Enthusiasm Continues to Soar
Since its October 2018 launch, M League viewership has continued to climb steadily. The 2021 season, which began in October 2021, recorded 1.5 million viewers for its opening match. Viewership has consistently exceeded 1 million since then, making it one of ABEMA's most popular programs, consistently ranking among the top shows.
Furthermore, looking not just at viewership but also at Twitter engagement data, the M League generates significantly more social media buzz compared to other major sports leagues. For example, it surpasses the Ryuo Championship in shogi (featuring players like Shogi Grandmaster Sota Fujii and Yoshiharu Habu) and the T League in table tennis (featuring players like Jun Mizutani and Tomokazu Harimoto).
The M League's fervor has already spread beyond existing mahjong fans. Among men in their 20s and 30s, the percentage of those who want to try playing mahjong (intent to experience) is steadily rising, clearly expanding its base.
Professional player Naoki Setokuma, who has been active at the forefront of the mahjong world since before this current craze and belongs to TEAM RAIDEN in the M League, commented on the current mahjong boom as follows:
"Since the M League started, I've been approached more often on the streets and at stations. I truly feel mahjong pros are becoming recognized by many people. Previously, over 90% of mahjong players were male college students or businesspeople. But recently, the number of female customers at mahjong parlors has increased tremendously. I really feel that many more people are enjoying mahjong now. We mahjong pros believe it's increasingly necessary to hone our talent appeal to make mahjong more widely recognized, and to sharpen our technical skills to convey the depth of the game. We also want to move away from gambling and eventually make mahjong a beloved national pastime."
Seto Kuma's remarks also show that since the M League's launch, mahjong is steadily establishing itself as a mind sport.
The appeal of "watching mahjong" lies in its game-play excitement and numerous dramatic moments.
Viewers are essential for video content to thrive. The M League, in particular, is supported by hundreds of thousands of viewers per match. The number of people enjoying watching mahjong matches on video continues to grow, and this activity is called "watching mahjong." Why has mahjong, once strongly associated with gambling, become such captivating content? We break down the appeal of "watching mahjong" into three points.
① The Appeal of the Viewing Experience
All M League matches are broadcast free on ABEMA, allowing easy viewing via smartphone or PC. Unique to the M League is the ability to share match reactions and thoughts on Twitter, connecting and cheering alongside fellow fans, or watching matches while listening to professional commentators on YouTube.
② The appeal of mahjong as a game
It's often said that "playing mahjong reveals a person's character." Mahjong possesses the fascinating quality that "even with identical initial tiles (the hand dealt at the start) and drawn tiles (tiles drawn each turn), the outcome changes depending on the player." This is precisely why viewers get excited wondering "What will this player choose?" and watch the match with bated breath, anticipating the outcome.
Furthermore, mahjong is a game where a comeback is possible right up until the very end. One M League match produced a legendary scene where a player overcame a massive deficit of about 30,000 points to win. This scene has been viewed over 4.4 million times on YouTube and is remembered as a match packed with the appeal of mahjong, where the outcome remains uncertain until the very last moment.
At first glance, mahjong seems to consist of simple actions: drawing tiles and discarding unwanted ones. This is why even the super plays of top pros can make you think, "I could do that." However, when you actually try it, it strangely doesn't go that smoothly. Mahjong demands a profound depth of thought to imagine every possibility, split-second situational judgment, insight and memory to glean information from opponents' actions, and the mental fortitude to confront the game head-on when facing disadvantage or adversity. Victory requires a stack of diverse abilities, built upon this accumulated depth.
Pro Seto Kuma states, "Mahjong is content that remains enjoyable to watch even when the outcome is known." Its appeal as a game lies not just in the win or loss, but in the enjoyment of the journey to that point, which captivates many viewers.
③ The Appeal of M League as a Team Competition
Mahjong is fundamentally a 1 vs 1 vs 1 vs 1 individual game. By transforming it into a team competition, the M League generates countless dramatic moments and fervor. Team compositions are particularly compelling: they feature iconic pairs like sisters or legendary duos representing the mahjong world on the same team, or teams built around players with distinctive playing styles. This makes it easy for viewers to find their favorite team to cheer for. Furthermore, with only 32 players currently in the M League, viewers can easily remember each player's face, name, and personality, contributing to its popularity.
Yet, viewed another way, while the M League is a team competition, only one player competes in each match. Consequently, during a match, the player themselves is the sole factor determining the team's performance. Professional Seto Kuma, who battles on the M League stage carrying the hopes of his team and fans, states, "Playing mahjong for others carries immense responsibility and is incredibly tough. Every player standing on that stage is fully aware of that."
The fate of teammates fighting alongside them, the fans cheering them on, and the companies they represent all hinge on their choices. It is this ultimate battle of wills under immense pressure that captivates viewers.
Above all, team play creates unique narratives. The moment the locker room erupts when a rookie player scores their first victory. The instant a player who's been struggling saves the team from crisis with a win. The heartbreaking moment when the team's ace, just one win away from the championship, fails to secure it and sheds tears. These human dramas are precisely why mahjong is accepted as a sport.
Can mahjong's fervor become a solution for corporate challenges?
Mahjong has grown into content that captivates a large audience. Companies are taking notice of this fervor, creating new synergies. The M League offers the following characteristics, providing businesses with value distinct from traditional sports partnerships:
① High affinity with social media
② Viewership concentrates on a single program
③ All players are influencers
While details will be covered next time, examples are emerging where leveraging mahjong-based communication sparks social media buzz, boosting brand awareness and favorability. Additionally, its ability to reach demographics resistant to change through conventional advertising is appealing to companies.
By creating collaborations that leverage mahjong's appeal and the personalities of its players, these initiatives become integrated with the program content. This fosters a world where fans genuinely look forward to seeing companies partner with mahjong. Utilizing mahjong in brand communication thus creates a virtuous cycle, benefiting both brands and consumers. Unlike traditional sports tie-ins, mahjong possesses a unique fervor tailored to the SNS era, making it a truly one-of-a-kind solution.
Source/Reference
※1 ABEMA "Popular TV Program Rankings (Viewership) for October 4, 2021" as of February 16, 2022. https://abema.tv/ranking/view/dates/20211004
※2 M.LEAGUE [Mahjong Pro League] "M League Press Conference (2018/07/17)" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tIQGtiCIyY&t=859s
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Author
Teruya Saruwatari
Dentsu Inc.
Master of Science in Engineering (Industrial Engineering and Marketing). Since joining the company, has worked in the Solutions Division, primarily engaged in social media analysis and strategy development for the entertainment sector, including idols, movies, and sports. Also handles PR initiatives utilizing social media and live streaming platforms.
Kanya Takayanagi
Dentsu Inc.
Since joining the company, he has been responsible for sales and planning of television programs and major sports events at the TV station. He has experience planning and producing mahjong programs. When the professional mahjong league "M League" launched in 2018, he established "TEAM RAIDEN" and participated in the league. Since then, he has served as the team's manager while also working on business production for startup companies. With 40 years of mahjong experience, he is a professional mahjong player affiliated with the Japan Professional Mahjong Federation.