Hi there! This is @hamagucchi from the Sports Business Team.
My team works on various initiatives in collaboration with sports teams partnered with Mercari Group—the Kashima Antlers, Orix Buffaloes, and Ibaraki Robots—to encourage fans to use Mercari’s services and make sure they enjoy using them. Our goal is to increase interest in Mercari and our affiliated teams through sports engagement.

On July 1, 2025, Mercari purchased the naming rights for Kashima Soccer Stadium in Ibaraki Prefecture. The stadium, now with the official nickname “Mercari Stadium,” is the home stadium of the Kashima Antlers.

I visited Mercari Stadium to see what the first game would be like under its new nickname.

A sold-out first game to welcome “Mercari Stadium,” complete with a passionate crowd and a special-edition newspaper!

The first thing I noticed when arriving at the stadium was the excitement. The inaugural game was between Kashima Antlers and Kashiwa Reysol, the top-ranking J1 League team (as of July 20, 2025, the date of the game). The 720 Summer Festival* was also underway, building expectations. Many fans came to the venue early to get a taste of the atmosphere, and crowds bustled inside and outside the stadium. I was not surprised when I heard that tickets had sold out!

*The 720 Summer Festival is an event now in its third year, aimed at getting people energized in summer and boosting support for the team. This year’s edition featured massive cutouts of Kashima Antlers players and a wide range of food options. See details here

At the entrance, fans could pick up a special extra published by the local newspaper company Ibaraki Shimbun to commemorate the event. The article in the extra talked about the history of the stadium and the close relationship between the Kashima Antlers and the local area. I saw many Kashima Antlers fans reading it around the venue. To me, it seemed that everyone in the region had their eyes on this new chapter of the stadium’s history, marking something bigger than a simple change in name. I was moved to see everyone in the stadium embracing this change together.

A new stadium experience incorporating Mercari services!

What particularly stood out to me were the new experiences at the stadium made possible by the incorporation of Mercari’s services.
This game marked the opening of the Mercard Lounge. Open to Mercard holders, the lounge is a free space where fans can relax before the game, with a wide range of drinks on tap.

We also launched a new food delivery service! In partnership with our on-demand work service Mercari Hallo, fans in select seats can now order stadium food right to their seat via Mercari Hallo crew.

This means that fans can enjoy the stadium food while watching the game without ever having to leave their seats. Seeing fans delight at how easy it is to order food made me feel proud that a Mercari service is contributing to a positive experience for both the fans and the soccer club alike.

New commercial featuring Kashima Antlers players!

Starting July 20, a new, special-edition Mercari commercial featuring Kashima Antlers players will be played on screens throughout the stadium. The commercial shows the players in a more casual light—a stark contrast to their competitive nature on the pitch.

Some users on social media commented that they enjoyed seeing a different side of the players.

▼See the YouTube playlist played at the stadium here:

Displaying strong defense from the outset for a fierce contest

Then, it was time for kickoff. Immediately after the first kick, both teams showed incredible defense with no sign of letting up.

After 5 minutes, Leonardo de Sousa Pereira scored a sensational goal to put Kashima Antlers in the lead. At the 39-minute mark, Naomichi Ueda scored a goal of his own, sending the crowd into a frenzy. Minutes later, Kashiwa Reysol scored at minute 43, closing the gap for a score of 2-1 at the end of the first half.

The second half saw impressive displays of defense by Kashima Antlers, keeping the crowd on edge. Then, at minute 76, Kashiwa Reysol scored again to bring the score level.

Just when we thought the game would end in a draw, at the 94-minute mark in additional time, Yuta Matsumura suddenly took possession of the ball and charged forward to score a third goal for Kashima Antlers. The crowd went wild, riding this celebratory wave until the end of the game just 2 minutes later.

So, it was victory for Kashima Antlers with a final score of 3-2; a satisfying end to the first game played in “Mercari Stadium.”

Partners for shaping the future together

This is just the beginning of the story for Mercari Stadium.
Keeping in mind our gratitude and respect for being able to operate alongside the great club of Kashima Antlers, we want to continue shaping the future together with the fans, the club, Ibaraki Prefecture, partner companies, and the local community, including the team’s surrounding hometown cities. Securing the naming rights for Kashima Soccer Stadium and giving it the nickname “Mercari Stadium” has renewed our passion for the cause.

Through our business, as well as through culture and sports, we aim to contribute to society by circulating all forms of value to unleash the potential in all people.