RICOH sponsors ’04 Opening Series for Major League Baseball

Tokyo, Monday January 20, 2004 --- . Ricoh Company, Ltd. (President and CEO: Masamitsu Sakurai) announced that Ricoh will sponsor the “ ’04 Ricoh MLB Opening Series” to be held at Tokyo Dome on March 28 through 31, under the auspices of MLB, MLB Players Association, Nippon Professional Baseball and the Yomiuri-shimbun.

Ricoh’s title sponsorship covers 6 matches including two MLB Opening Series between the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, March 30/31, four Japan-US Pre-Season Games “Hanshin Tigers vs. Tampa Bay Devil Rays”, and “Yomiuri Giants vs. New York Yankees” (both held March 28), and “Hanshin Tigers vs. New York Yankees”, “Yomiuri Giants vs. Tampa Bay Devil Rays” (both held March 29) at the Tokyo Dome.

Major League Baseball has enjoyed a recent spike in popularity in Japan thanks to the presence of Japanese players in the league. MLB Opening Series is held for the 2nd time following the “ New York Mets vs. Chicago Cubs” game in 2000. This time around the triumphal return of Hideki Matsui is sure to capture the imagination of baseball fans all over Japan.

Ricoh is shooting for the “World No.1 Manufacturer” slot as a leading provider of digital office solutions. Ricoh sees the MLB Opening Series as exhibitions of top class baseball in line with its own No.1 ambitions and wants customers to enjoy the world's No.1 MLB play. All these factors persuaded Ricoh to become a title sponsor.

In addition Ricoh sponsors and supports sports programs including its own highly ranked rugby team, the Ricoh LPGA tour championship cup for women pro golfers as well as other events.

Schedule

’04 Ricoh MLB Opening Series

March 30	from 19:00 at Tokyo Dome	New York Yankees vs. Tampa Bay Devil Rays
March 31	from 19:00 at Tokyo Dome	New York Yankees vs. Tampa Bay Devil Rays

Japan-US Pre-Season Games

March 28	from 12:00 at Tokyo Dome	Hanshin Tigers vs. Tampa Bay Devil Rays
	from 19:00 at Tokyo Dome	Yomiuri Giants vs. New York Yankees
March 29	from 12:00 at Tokyo Dome	Hanshin Tigers vs. New York Yankees
	from 19:00 at Tokyo Dome	Yomiuri Giants vs. Tampa Bay Devil Rays

About RICOH
A pioneer in digital office equipment, Ricoh offers a broad range of digital, networked products, including copiers, printers, fax machines, CD-R/RW and DVD+RW/+R drives and media. Ricoh also competes in the camera field, both conventional and digital. With 395 consolidated subsidiaries worldwide, Ricoh employs 74,600 people with total sales of $16 billion. The Ricoh Group currently enjoys No.1 market share for plain paper copiers in Europe, Japan and No.2 share in the USA.

Website: www.ricoh.com

Back to News Archive

To Top