Trophy tour for WBSC Premier12 2024 gathers momentum ahead of November tournament
The trophy tour for the WBSC Premier12 2024 presented by RAXUS continues to gain traction across Japan as the start of the biggest international baseball tournament of the year approaches on November 9.
The trophy was first publicly showcased at the Vantelin Dome - where the opening Premier12 Group B game between Japan and Australia is scheduled for November 13 - coinciding with the Chunichi Dragons' home games against the Hiroshima Carp on September 22 and 23, attracting thousands of fans.
Following this initial display, the trophy was showcased at Hinata Sun Marine Stadium Miyazaki during the NPB Farm League Championship on October 5, and it will continue to be featured at the Baseball Hall of Fame Museum from October 16 through to early November.
The trophy was officially unveiled on May 10 during the inaugural World Baseball Softball Day, marking six months until the Premier12 2024. Crafted from polished silver-plated brass with special 24k gold-plated details, the trophy is presented in a customized trolley. It stands 78 centimeters (30.7 inches) tall, has a base diameter of 35 centimeters (13.78 inches), and weighs 12 kilograms (26.46 pounds).
The trophy arrived in Japan in June and has been on a nationwide tour. It was first exhibited at the offices of the WBSC's commercial partners - SSK, Raxus and Konami Digital Entertainment before being passed to TV Asahi.
On August 31, it was showcased to the media during a press conference to promote the tournament. The tour then continued with a display at the headquarters of Nippon Express Holdings, another Global Sponsor, from September 10 to 19, before arriving at the Vantelin Dome.
Many NX Group employees gathered at the exhibition to take photos and enjoy the rare opportunity to see the spectacular trophy up close, while raising anticipation ahead of the tournament. In addition to being a sponsor, NX Group is also responsible for the full transport of baseball equipment for the participating teams and supports the tournament from a logistics perspective. NX Group has been supporting the Japanese national baseball team Samurai Japan as a Diamond Partner since October 2015.
The full Opening Round schedule of the Premier12 2024 presented by RAXUS features 30 games - 15 per group. Mexico will host Group A in Guadalajara and Tepic from November 9 to 14, where they will face the United States, Venezuela, Netherlands, Panama and Puerto Rico.
Group B will take place in Nagoya (JPN) and Taipei City (TPE) from November 13 to 18, featuring Japan, Chinese Taipei, South Korea, Cuba, Dominican Republic and Australia.
After round-robin play, the top two finishers from each group will advance to the Super Round. The first- and second-place teams of the Super Round will compete in the Premier12 Championship game, while the third- and fourth-place teams will play for the bronze medal.
The Tokyo Dome in Japan will host the Super Round (November 21 to 23) and the medal games on November 24. The championship winner will take the trophy back to their home country.
The Premier12, the WBSC's flagship event, is considered the most important baseball tournament of 2024. The 12 participating teams qualified through the WBSC/KONAMI World Ranking as of 31 December 2023.
