A new youth baseball tournament for the Reiwa era! 'Rookies Friendship Match Niigata' is renewed in collaboration with local companies and a professional team!

Big Base Inc. announces that the youth baseball tournament for 4th graders and under covering the entire Niigata Prefecture, 'Rookies Friendship Match Niigata', which has been held since 2023, will be renamed 'ALPHAS GROUP Rookies Cup Niigata' starting this season, with Alphas Group supporting the tournament as a special sponsor.

We would also like to announce that Oisix Niigata Albirex Baseball Club (Niigata Professional Baseball Club Inc.), which has been collaborating with us since the 2025 tournament, will be involved in the overall operation as part of the tournament executive committee and providing special cooperation.

- Oct 19, 2025 (Sun): All-team participation 'Rookies Friendship Match Niigata THANKS FES' gathers about 1,300 baseball personnel
- Oct 20, 2024 (Sun): THANKS FES / Approx. 1,000 participants
- Oct 22, 2023 (Sun): THANKS FES / Approx. 700 participants

Although the tournament is popular under the name 'Rookies' in Niigata Prefecture, its history is still shallow, tracing back to June 2022 when it started as a '1-DAY tournament for 4th graders and under in Niigata City' at the Aganogawa Riverbed Ground with 9 teams and 54 players.

Since then, we held tournaments regularly, and in August of the following year, 2023, it was upgraded to a league format covering the entire Niigata Prefecture through the 'All Japan Baseball Player Support Project ENGINE -Enjin-' promoted by our company. After three more years, we are now honored to receive support from Alphas Group.

Although we previously had no know-how in running youth baseball tournaments, our company has operated the 'Victoria League', the largest grassroots baseball tournament in the Kanto region, for 15 years. Making full use of the experience cultivated there, the number of participating teams has swelled to about 7 times the initial number, growing into the largest open tournament in Niigata Prefecture in just 3 years.

A feature of the tournament is its emphasis on 'accumulating practical experience for 4th graders who rarely get to play in matches', a goal set from the beginning. Furthermore, the two semi-final matches are held at HARD OFF ECO Stadium Niigata, the No.1 stadium in the prefecture, giving players dreams and hopes as we will continue to do in the 2026 tournament.

In addition, the baseball event 'THANKS FES', held on the afternoon of the same day for all participating teams, gathered 700 people in its first year, surpassed 1,000 in its second year, and brought together about 1,300 people in 2025, its third year. It has grown to be evaluated from many quarters as the 'largest youth baseball event in Japan'.

Furthermore, Rawlings Japan, the world's No.1 baseball brand boasting overwhelming support from baseball players, has resonated with our philosophy since the first year and will continue to support us as before.

* Please note that tournament entries are scheduled to be accepted at the end of April. Dates for the semi-finals and finals will be announced when entries open.

■ Alphas Group
Comment from Keisuke Okamoto, Representative

Alphas Group is pleased to participate as the main sponsor for the 'ALPHAS GROUP Rookies Cup Niigata', a youth baseball tournament for 4th graders and under.

Through the provision of medical, nursing care, disability support, and food services in the region, our group is working to realize our group mission: 'Support all forms of health and elevate the quality of life.'

We strongly endorse the significance of this tournament as a place where children, who will carry the future, can cultivate the power to challenge and collaborate with friends through baseball. Moreover, by implementing this tournament with the cooperation of Oisix Niigata Albirex Baseball Club, we expect it to expand further as an initiative uniting the local community and sports.

Through our sponsorship of this tournament, we will contribute to the realization of a sustainable local community as a company that supports the healthy growth of children, as well as the health and vitality of the people living in the region.

■ Oisix Niigata Albirex BC / Niigata Professional Baseball Club Inc.
Comment from Hiroshi Ikeda, President and Representative Director

Oisix Niigata Albirex BC endorses the operational philosophy of the 'Rookies Friendship Match Niigata' and has been collaborating with it since 2025. At the 'THANKS FES' last October, players Taisei Chinen and Takato Noto, along with baseball academy coaches, participated and held various events, allowing us to interact with many children.

2026