Customer's Voice: Osaka Bruteon

A men's volleyball club based in Hirakata City, Osaka Prefecture
The prestigious "Panasonic Panthers" has announced that the new league "SV. LEAGUE" (starting in October 2024), the name was changed to "Osaka Brutheon". The official website that disseminates the latest information about the club has introduced "My Site AI Translation Premium" from 2023.

This time, we spoke with Mr. Matsuoka of the Fund Development Division about the background of the introduction of our service and the future development of the club.

―Can you tell us about the background of the club's focus on multilingualism?

Mr. Matsuoka: The reason why we are working on multilingualism is not only to cater to international fans, but also to make the value of the club, including its competitive performance, known more widely. Looking at the Japanese volleyball world as a whole, there is still room for growth, and I think we can still grow ourselves.

―Please tell us about the background that led you to introduce "My Site AI Translation Premium".

Mr. Matsuoka: In order to achieve multilingual support, we first investigated various translation services. We compared several leading services and examined the benefits and costs of each. As a club, it is not realistic to support all languages, so in the early stages, we focused on the main languages and introduced them on a trial basis. In addition, there were cases where other sports clubs, especially J-League clubs, were actively promoting multilingualism, so I used that as a reference. By focusing on cost and practicality, we sought the best form for the club by developing it step by step.

―Have you seen any specific effects since you introduced "My Site AI Translation Premium"?

Mr. Matsuoka: When there are events and matches overseas, the number of views from the local area increases instantly, and the number of overseas followers and comments in foreign languages on social media is increasing. I think this is a synergistic effect because the multilingual version of the official website and social media has made it easier for local fans to access.

―Thank you very much. Are there any other challenges you feel are facing in multilingual support?

Improving the accuracy of translations is something I am always conscious of. Through past experiences and interactions with fans, I am thinking about Japanese sentences so that I can translate them more accurately and naturally. There are many parts that are difficult to do with simple machine translation, but in this regard, "My Site AI Translation Premium", which has a dictionary function, translates our Japanese well.

-We also have a check system by translation staff, so please feel free to contact us if you have any problems.

―Next, I would like to ask you about the rebranding, but can you tell us why you decided to change the club name when you entered the SV League?

Mr. Matsuoka: The SV League is a new league that aims to become the world's highest volleyball league and brings together clubs that agree with it. As a part of this, we needed to focus on both global and local (glocal). Also, the name "Panthers" until now was used by other clubs both domestically and internationally, so its uniqueness faded.

―Certainly, if you search, other teams will also be hit.

Mr. Matsuoka: The name "Panthers" can also be seen in American football teams (NFL) and ice hockey teams in the United States. In addition, as we value the region and aim for the world, we were required to have a new name that expresses our broader and deeper roots in the community. That's why I took "Osaka" as the name and removed the company name.

There are hundreds of candidates for new team names!

―How did you choose the new club name?

Mr. Matsuoka: In deciding on the new club name, we listened not only to the club management staff, but also to the opinions of players, coaches, and some alumni players. There were hundreds of candidate names, and we narrowed down the candidates not only from the perspective of the club, but also from the perspective of trademarks and ease of pronunciation. In the end, the name was unanimously decided by everyone, and the players are confident in their new name.

―That was a huge number of candidates. Does the word "bruteon" also have a special meaning?

Mr. Matsuoka: We chose "BLUTEON" with the meaning of "Blue to Eon" because of the team color that continues from the Panthers and the desire to become a sustainable volleyball club that connects the world, and "Osaka BLUTEON" because we want to continue to aim for community coexistence in the future.

―When you ask about the origin, you will become even more attached to it. I think it's a very nice club name.

Mr. Matsuoka: Thank you.

 ―Finally, please tell us about the club's future goals.

Mr. Matsuoka: We are not just aiming to be "number one," but we are also aiming to be unique, "the only one." We want to be a special club not only for local fans, but also for fans around the world. For that reason, I would like to continue to grow together with the players, staff, and fans.

―That's a great vision. I hope I can help you even if it's a small effort.

I look forward to seeing Osaka Brutheon continue to do well. Thank you very much for today.

Mr. Matsuoka: Thank you very much. We hope you will look forward to the club's activities in the future.

Launched on April 1, 2022 to make sports sustainable, we are involved in the strengthening, operation, and box office of Osaka Brutheon, Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights (rugby), and Gamba Osaka (soccer). In addition, we are entrusted with the management of the Panasonic Baseball Club and the Panasonic Women's Track and Field Club to strengthen the team.

Image courtesy of Osaka Brutheon