[WBC] Moving to exclusive Netflix streaming with no terrestrial broadcast

The WBC (World Baseball Classic) held next year will finally have no terrestrial broadcast, as Netflix has secured the broadcasting rights for all games.
The trend of major international sports tournaments shifting entirely to subscription streaming can be called a major turning point for domestic fans.
The Japanese baseball boom is in jeopardy, or perhaps such a massive amount of money changed hands that even the organizer, Yomiuri, couldn't do anything about it.

Toward an era where online streaming is the norm

Until now, it was taken for granted that everyone could easily watch Japan national team games during prime time on terrestrial television.
However, from now on, it will be in a format where "only Netflix subscribers can watch."
The shift from an era where you could watch as long as you had a TV to an era where you "must pay a monthly fee to watch" is a major hurdle, especially for casual viewers.
I think relatively young people have Netflix, so they won't watch it much, and I wonder if people older than that will go as far as subscribing to watch it.

Differences from the previous Amazon Prime

In the previous tournament, Amazon Prime Video handled the main streaming, but it was also broadcast in parallel with terrestrial and other platforms, making it a format that a wide range of viewers could enjoy.
Compared to that, this Netflix exclusivity feels like it has a narrower reach.
I happen to be a Netflix subscriber, so I don't have any trouble with the viewing environment, but when it comes to recommending it to family and friends, the restriction that "you can't watch it unless you subscribe" feels very strong.

Behind the exclusive broadcasting rights

The reason Netflix was able to monopolize the WBC is, after all, due to its massive financial power.
Against Netflix, which has captured viewers around the world with huge content investments, traditional media like domestic terrestrial stations and the Yomiuri Group cannot compete in terms of funding.
In the global broadcasting rights business, we are entering an era where individual Japanese TV stations cannot compete.

How fans are taking it

While there is a strong belief that "sports should be free for everyone to enjoy," there is also a growing segment of people who say, "I want to watch all the games in high definition and high sound quality even if I have to pay." With the Netflix exclusivity, the WBC will be treated as more of a "premium content," but will people really be able to keep up with that?
After all, whether Shohei Ohtani participates will be the turning point.
The difference in temperature among fans seems likely to become even more apparent.

The future of sports viewing

This decision symbolizes the dawn of a new era in sports viewing.
It is highly likely that not only the WBC, but also the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup will eventually become centered on streaming services.
A future where both convenience and the inconvenience of exclusivity coexist seems to be coming.

Summary

While I think "I'm glad I happen to be a Netflix subscriber," my honest impression is that I wish they had used it in combination with terrestrial broadcasting like last time, so that a wider range of people could enjoy it.
Though, you could just subscribe to Netflix for the duration of the tournament and cancel it immediately.