SUPPORTER

Supporter

7th Supporters Meeting

7th Supporters Meeting, Sunday, August 21, 2011

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the more than 200 supporters who attended this supporters' meeting. First, President Kanamori gave a speech, after which he reported on the club's activities to date, including an overview of the business for fiscal 2010. After that, Director of Strengthening Yamamoto reported on the team's current situation, and the meeting proceeded with the supporters at the venue posing opinions and questions, which were answered by the executives in charge of each department.

Report from Kanamori

First, he expressed his gratitude to all supporters for their continued support, and then gave a report on the club's business situation and the J.League overview for 2010, the Club Licensing System, a gratitude project to mark the 20th anniversary, and club and team activities for 2011 (support for earthquake recovery efforts, academy activities).

Business Overview for 2010

Breaking down the revenues for 2010, "sponsorship fees" were 1.734 billion yen, the highest ever. The difference in total revenues from 2009 is that there were no large transfer fees in 2010, resulting in a total decrease of about 700 million yen. GAMBA OSAKA's total revenues are based on about 3.3 to 3.5 billion yen, with transfer fees added to that.
Currently, the club is posting stable profits and is the only club in the J.League to pay dividends to shareholders. The club is also taking measures to cover the costs of suddenly recruiting new players in the middle of the season.

In the overall J.League situation, the team with the highest income is Urawa Reds with 5.6 billion yen, followed by Kashima Antlers Antlers with 4.4 billion yen. The characteristic of Urawa's income is that it has 2.2 billion yen in admission fees, a difference of 1.7 billion yen from GAMBA OSAKA.
In terms of total revenue, GAMBA OSAKA is 8th out of 18 clubs, and only three teams - Urawa Reds, Kashima Kashima Antlers, and Nagoya Grampus- had total revenues exceeding 4 billion yen in 2010. GAMBA OSAKA's revenues were 4 billion yen two years ago, and this was due to large transfer fees.
Eight out of 18 clubs recorded net profits, while six out of 18 clubs recorded retained earnings, with GAMBA OSAKA included in both categories due to its solid management.
Four of the 18 clubs are in debt, and any club that has a net loss for three consecutive years or falls into debt will no longer be able to exist as a J.League club. In that sense, sound management is a very important theme for clubs.

Club License

"Japanese Club Licence" refers to the J.League Clubs standards in Japan that are based on the AFC licensing standards.
The standards that J.League Clubs must meet under the Japanese Club License are broadly divided into "facility standards" and "financial standards," and will come into effect from the 2016 season. If a club has a net loss or becomes insolvent for three consecutive periods, it will lose its license.

20th Anniversary

It has been 18 years since the J.League began, so let's start by looking back at our past results. We have been consistently ranked high since around 2004. In 2008, we were 8th in the J.League, but we won the Asian Champions League and the EMPEROR'S CUP. This was a year that taught us what challenges we need to overcome when competing in the ACL and the J.League. We came in 3rd in 2009 and 2nd in 2010, and I think you can see from this table that our goals for 2011 are the same as yours.

When we started, with an average attendance of over 20,000 per game, we used stadiums other than the Expo, such as Kobe Universiade, and attracted 40,000 spectators. After that, we went through a period of stagnation, but thanks to everyone's support, we gradually began attracting around 17,000 spectators. As of 2010, a total of 4.31 million people had spectated our games. We hope to exceed 5 million spectators next year.

The total income peaked at 5.2 billion yen in the second year of the J-League. Currently, it fluctuates depending on transfer fees and prize money, but in recent years, it has been stable at 3.3 to 3.5 billion yen as they compete for the top spots.

The team exists only thanks to your support. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone who has supported the club for the past 20 years.

To commemorate our 20th anniversary and to show our appreciation, we will be inviting all season seat holders who have had season seats for 10 years or more to the clubhouse. With the cooperation of our sponsor, Kukuru, we will be holding a takoyaki party on Sunday, October 16th, so please come along.

Secondly, we have asked Captain Saburo Kawabuchi, Honorary Chairman of the Japan Football Association, to give a speech on the theme of "How we have shaped the J.League and the world of soccer together." We will invite 250 fan club members and others by lottery, and the speech will be held at the Hotel Hankyu Expo Park.

Fourthly, we will be sending this flag to all 18,500 current fan club members. This also applies to those who join the fan club from now on. We will not be selling these flags in 2011, so please keep them as a memento of our 20th anniversary.

Finally, we will wear the commemorative uniform at the Urawa Reds on October 2nd. At that match, we will select and announce the "Best 11 of All Time" and "Best 20 Goals" voted for by the fans. This is what we are planning to do as a token of our gratitude for our 20th anniversary.

2011 Activity Report

Now, the team and players are working with determination. Our players do their best when they have to. In 2008, when we lost our ACL qualification for the following year, the team said, "We're going to win the EMPEROR'S CUP." And they really did it, even with many injuries.
The Head Coach and players are truly trustworthy. Please look forward to it.

Earthquake reconstruction efforts

On March 27th, we held a charity match and together with Vissel Kobe, donated 35,917,867 yen to the Japanese Red Cross. From April onwards, we have donated 1,358,555 yen for every match. As of August 20th, we have donated a total of 37,276,422 yen from March to August. Our current earthquake recovery efforts will continue until March of next year, after which we will consider a new plan.

After consulting with the local government in the affected area, Yamamoto and Tanigaki from the training headquarters delivered the supplies to the affected area in a Gamba truck. We will visit the area again in the fall to ask about what is needed there. We are also inviting families who have evacuated to the Kansai area to the match against Nagoya on August 17th.
We would also like to hear our supporters' ideas for various activities to support the earthquake recovery effort, and work together as the GAMBA OSAKA Group to address these issues.

Academy

Two years ago, we signed a sponsorship contract with Otemon Gakuin University, and last year, we partnered with Otemae High School to start accepting youth players and set up a boarding school. J-Leaguers, whose average player lifespan is 25.6 years, need three elements in their lives: intellectual education, moral education, and physical education. GAMBA OSAKA is responsible for physical education, and when we looked for a partner who could teach ethics and daily behavior, Otemae University raised their hand.
As a result, we tend to attract talent from all over the country, and we receive applications from a wide range of locations, so we aim to attract a wide range of candidates.

The youth and junior youth teams have been going abroad since the year before last, and this year the youth team is currently in Spain (returning on August 21). Although they were unable to beat Barcelona or Valencia even once this year, I think the coaches and youth players learned a lot from the experience, learning about "fierceness around the ball" and "running to the end."
As a GAMBA OSAKA club, we are creating an environment to develop players while listening to the opinions of the top team.

GAMBA OSAKA has come this far thanks to all of you. We hope that as many of you as possible will come to the stadium. We regret that the stadium is not yet full, as we have not made enough efforts, but we appreciate your continued support.

General Manager of Strengthening Division, Yamamoto

From 2004 to 2011, we achieved results such as finishing third or higher in the J.League and becoming Asian champions, and our supporters have high expectations of us as a team that can aim for the championship every year. In order to meet this expectation, the training headquarters is putting all its efforts into man management, group management, and team management. With the tight schedule this summer, the players, including the Head Coach, are getting quite tired both mentally and physically, but the many cheers we receive at every game give us the strength to keep running around. I would like to thank you on behalf of the Head Coach and players.

Taking into account lessons learned from last year, we have begun work with the aim of forming a team that not only emphasizes passing and passing football, but also adds "speed" to the offensive power and attacking football that Gamba desires.
It's not that they've neglected their defense, but rather that they've focused on offense, and as a result, they've won many games by a single point, which feels similar to 2005, when Clemerson De ARAUJO Soares played well and won the championship.
As the training headquarters, we will be asking for further improvements in both offensive and defensive strength. This year's football has been exciting, but from now on we will be asking for it to become a style of football that people can enjoy with confidence.

Adriano and Usami were placed at the center of this year's attack in order to add speed through passing, but in July, the two were transferred and Rafael Dos Santos De Oliveira(RAFINHA) was acquired as a reinforcement. Rafael Dos Santos De Oliveira(RAFINHA) was acquired after confirming that his technique and tactical acumen would suit GAMBA OSAKA 's football, and thanks to his own efforts, his teammates' quick understanding, and the courage of the Head Coach in deciding to use him, all of these factors have paid off in a positive direction.
We place emphasis on "speed" and often score points with fast breaks from midfield cuts. This year's team wants to use these fast breaks and slow breaks appropriately to improve our team strength.

Many young players, such as Kim, Uchida, Kawanishi, Fujiharu, and Omori, have been used this year. I hope they will work hard in their daily training so that they can get more opportunities. The three midfielders, Yokotani, Takei, and Shimodaira, are becoming regulars. I hope they will improve their level to make the team more solid overall.
We took the lead in yesterday's (8/20) match. As Kanamori said, the Head Coach and players are determined to do their best. With the support of the training headquarters, we will challenge to win the J.League for the first time in six years.
Although they were eliminated in the round of 16 in the ACL, Japan is the host country for this year's CWC.
We aim to win the J1 League and qualify as the host country, and we would like to get through this hot summer with the encouragement of our supporters, so please continue to support us.

We received opinions and questions from visitors at the venue. We would like to introduce them here along with our answers.

Q Regarding the distribution of tickets to Takatsuki City Council members, it was recalled as it was deemed a payment of benefits, but wasn't there another way to do it?: A

We sincerely apologize for the problem with the Takatsuki City Council. This problem occurred when the Takatsuki City Mayor, Chairman, and many other council members were attending as part of the Takatsuki City Support Day. We forgot that this was completely incorrect from a compliance perspective. We are truly sorry. As with other support days, we should have had them apply by postcard in the same way as citizens, and we should have invited them in exactly the same way as citizens. We truly regret this.
The punishment for this matter was a 10% pay cut for two months due to my lack of management, and Kuwabara was demoted from executive director to director.
To ensure that something like this never happens again, we will be conducting compliance training for all club staff, including players, on September 6th.

Q Once the new stadium is completed, we will need to attract more people. I think it is important to get the local media to take notice and expand the fan base.: A

The J.League has sold its broadcasting rights to Sky Perfect TV and NHK for over 4 billion yen. However, being featured in local media, such as NHK's local broadcasts, increases the sense of familiarity, so we place importance on this and continue our sales activities.

Q With Nadeshiko Japan now the world's best, interest in women's soccer is on the rise. What are your thoughts on the ladies' division?: A

We had many discussions, including a visit to Speranza Takatsuki from 2008 to 2009.
During the inspection, two issues emerged. Currently, Speranza Takatsuki's players are having a lot of fun playing soccer, but in order to aim for victory, it has been decided not to make major changes to the players, and I wonder if that is really a good idea. Also, in terms of facilities, the facilities cannot be completely separated for men and women. The organization has decided to reconsider the women's team about a year before the new stadium is completed. Women's soccer has been rooted in Takatsuki for a long time and continues to this day, so I would like to consider it, including the future.

Q In order for GAMBA OSAKA to become a big club, please tell us how it can increase its profits from its current mid-sized position in the J.League.: A

Regarding the issue of management issues, the biggest problem for GAMBA OSAKA is the stadium. There is a limit to the number of spectators, and this affects sponsorship income in various ways. By improving the stadium environment and creating an enjoyable viewing environment, we plan to have 32,000 people attend the new stadium. Our frank view is that unless we build a new stadium, we will not see a significant improvement in total income. The current stadium's capacity is about 80%. As long as the current Expo Stadium remains full, this admission fee income is the limit. In order to increase this, we need to physically increase the admission fee, otherwise the scale of management will not expand. For this reason, we are working on building a new stadium.

Q It seems like a lot of injuries occur during practice. Can you explain the current situation where injuries occur during practice, not during games?: A

Even during practice, players handle the ball, and in order to be evaluated by the Head Coach, they do not slack off even for a second. Most injuries occur during games, and this year there have been no injuries during physical training without contact play. There are many cases where players make mistakes in their play and get hurt when trying to recover from them while wanting to be evaluated by the Head Coach.
Because it is a sport played between people, injuries are inevitable, but even if they do occur, we will provide support to help them recover as quickly as possible.

Q There is a growing sense of distrust in Gamba's defense. What are your thoughts on this?: A

Gamba places importance on "attack". The Head Coach and I will continue to use the same tactics. However, as long as we place importance on "attack", we will give the opponent the opportunity to concede goals, so I want everyone to understand that. However, we are not accepting conceding goals, and we must continue to work on how to improve our defense, including defense after throwing, together with the Head Coach, coaches, and players.

Q I think the defense is weak, especially the fullbacks. I think it would be difficult to use Seung-yong as a fullback, so I would like to see the defense strengthened.: A

It is difficult to have two players with the same abilities in the same position, not just for fullbacks. Players who lose the competition may ask for a transfer, and players who are not selected may complain to the Head Coach, which can have a negative impact on the atmosphere within the team. Some players want to play even if their position changes, and some players may want to learn how to play in a different position.
Looking ahead to next year, we have a list of players who can play both fullback positions, and we are determined to acquire them.
Kim Seung-yong has a very good personality and is trusted by his teammates. He has earned the Head Coach's praise for his down-to-earth play. He may not be everyone's favorite player as a regular, but as a team player, he has made a big contribution to GAMBA OSAKA's current ranking.
Some of the proud foreign players even refuse to sit on the bench, disrupting the team, as I have experienced. I think the reason GAMBA OSAKA has come this far is because, under the guidance of the Head Coach, the players love Gamba and are able to fight as one. I think they are the best team in both J1 and J2, with all the players thinking about teamwork.

Q Yasuda has been transferred to the Netherlands. This is not just a problem for Gamba, but please tell us how you deal with a player who you have nurtured from the youth team transferring for free.: A

I think it's a dream for young players to play overseas from a young age. Personally, I think it's better for young players to go overseas as soon as possible, but in Yasuda's case, GAMBA OSAKA Osaka negotiated for a long time and offered him a multi-year contract, but it's just that the player's ability to pursue his dream was superior.
Players who go to the Middle East tend to place importance on financial terms in the end. The Brazilian players were offered conditions 4 to 5 times better than those offered by GAMBA OSAKA, and since they have many families, they take the conditions more seriously than the Japanese players who feel obligated to do so. In the first place, under global rules where the "contract" is considered everything, their transfers cannot be stopped by emotions. Adriano also shed tears at the end, saying, "I love Gamba and I want to stay here, but I want to go for my family," and as a result, Gamba received the transfer fee and the transfer took place.
Although I will not be able to disclose the details of the contract in the future, we would like to create contracts that will allow us to attract many good players and have them play for GAMBA OSAKA for a long time.

Q Isn't it extremely dangerous to think that it's okay if operating profit is negative as long as net profit is positive?: A

After operating profit, we add non-operating income and expenses to get ordinary profit. After calculating corporate tax and other taxes, we arrive at net profit, which is the company's final accounting. The final profit of a company is net profit. Different clubs have different ways of thinking about this, but we believe that the net profit after all calculations is the true strength of a company.
In the sports industry, things like the transfer of foreign players and broadcasting rights for the ACL are done globally, so you can't really understand the actual situation unless you look at the final profit. This doesn't mean that we're neglecting operating profits.

Q After losing a game, sometimes they collapse and don't even say hello. If they're professionals, I want them to play properly until the end, and when they lose, it's when the club's capabilities are tested. I want them to think of it as a club problem.: A

Every year in February, when new players join the team, we provide education to the players. We are planning to hold a seminar in September, inviting the Suita Police Station and the J.League. We will convey this opinion to the players during the seminar. We always tell the players that before they are soccer players, they are members of society, and we would like to continue to talk about this whenever the opportunity arises.

Q I heard that they went out of their way to sell tickets to away games during ACL matches. They should have as many people as possible on the home side. I hope they can give themselves an advantage over the opposing team.: A

Ticket sales in the ACL group stage were not good, so we went to sell tickets for away games as well. As you pointed out, we will be careful and think carefully about our activities so as not to give the opposing team any strength.

Q Would it be possible to sell products like G Magazine and Seven-Eleven bento boxes throughout Osaka Prefecture, rather than just in Hokusetsu?: A

Currently, the contract with Seven-Eleven is limited to the Hokusetsu and Kitakawachi areas. We will propose that sales be expanded to Osaka Prefecture. G Magazine also has a subscription system and is available online, so please take advantage of this.

Q It costs money to buy goods for everyone in a family. It's nice to have a special family discount for those who are family members of the fan club.: A

We do not offer any discounts on merchandise exclusively for family members, however we are currently offering discounts on Blu SPAZIO, the online shop for fan club members.

Q For the new stadium, consider alleviating parking congestion and having a carpeted room with heating and air conditioning like the Suita Mei Theater.: A

In the new stadium, we would like to put in a nursery and various shops, and make it a place where everyone in the local area can gather. We will try to cover as many of the requests that you have given us in the past as possible. Once the general direction is decided, we would like to explain the design drawings and concept to you.

Q There is little information about the academy youth and junior youth teams, and only results are available. I'm sure there are many fans, so please make sure to improve the information.: A

The Academy is also engaged in various activities. Currently, in addition to live match results, we also provide links to pages where official records can be viewed. There are some areas where we are not able to provide detailed information, so we will continue to improve this.

Q Think about the opposite direction of the away tour bus. If there was a bus that departed from Tokyo to Osaka and back, even people with little money could go to the Expo.: A

We are looking for supporter buses to depart from Tokyo for the match against Urawa on October 2nd, so please apply. We also have discount fares for regular route buses, such as late-night buses, so please make use of these as well.

Q You said you won't say the word "champion," but please declare that you will win the league! Saying it will make it a reality.: A

The reason why I don't say that word is because, based on the examples of other clubs, if the club president says something like that, it will not work. That's why I never say it. But I'm sure you all understand. I don't dare say it out loud, but thank you!

The following is the Q&A that was distributed at the venue. It answers the opinions and questions that we received via email and fax prior to the supporter meeting. Please take a look at it.

Stadium Environment

Q There are people in the stands taking up more space than necessary, so some people can't find a place to watch the game. Can't you do something about the situation where people are overflowing into the aisles?: A

We have a large number of customers attending the event. We are asking customers to give up their seats to others through G-Vision and the match day program. We also have staff on hand to make announcements and guide customers to closer seats. However, this cannot be solved without the customer's cooperation, so we ask for your understanding and cooperation. We will refer to examples from other clubs to make more effective appeals and announcements.

Q What are the rules for securing queues at each gate?: A

Under the current rules, since the stadium is located within the Expo’70 Commemorative Park, we ask that you only queue on the day of the match. However, there are people who queue from the middle of the night hoping to get in as early as possible. We would like to find a good method with everyone's cooperation, taking into account the methods used by other clubs such as Urawa Reds and incorporating the opinions of those who queue.

Q Is it possible to reserve parking spaces in the East Parking Lot for wheelchair users?: A

Currently, five spaces are reserved for wheelchair users. We will first check the actual usage situation and then discuss with the Expo 2020 Organization how many spaces are needed.

Q I feel like there aren't enough trash cans. Can you add more?: A

As the number of customers increases year by year, so does the amount of garbage. We will install an appropriate number of garbage bins in appropriate locations. In particular, we will strive to meet the needs of our customers, such as near the waiting lines where they need them.

Q Supporters of the away team may sometimes enter the home stands. This can cause trouble, so please make sure to distinguish between them.: A

The current flow of traffic in the facility allows people to pass through, but for safety reasons, we will be calling out to each customer and strengthening our warnings. We will also be making adjustments such as increasing the number of lifeguards. It would be ideal if supporters of both clubs could work together to create a good atmosphere, but we will do our best to avoid any situation that could cause problems.

Q I'm concerned about people smoking while walking. Are you considering making the Expo Stadium a completely non-smoking area?: A

Many visitors smoke, and while we are not currently considering a complete ban on smoking inside the stadium, we will work to separate smoking and non-smoking areas more strictly. We have set up smoking areas in various places inside and outside the stadium, and visitors are asked to smoke there. Smoking while walking is prohibited, signs are posted, and staff will call out to those who smoke. There will be many children inside and outside the stadium on match days, so we ask that those who smoke please be mindful of their manners.

Q If I bring my children, I think it would be nice if there was a nursing room or nursery.: A

Regarding breastfeeding, we will prepare a room and respond to inquiries whenever they arise. However, since it is not a breastfeeding room, unfortunately the facilities are not adequate. Unfortunately, with the current situation, it is difficult to provide a daycare center.

Q Are there any measures to alleviate the congestion around the car parks, outer roads, and footbridges after the game?: A

We have requested the Expo 2070 Commemorative Organization to assign security guards. In order to ease congestion, we recommend that people who have time use GAMBAR. For those who come by bicycle, we ask that you be considerate of those around you and push your bicycle in busy areas.

Merchandise

Q I would like replica uniforms to be of the same quality as authentic jerseys, with stars representing title wins, etc. Also, I think there needs to be some way to encourage more supporters to wear the uniforms and cheer on the team.: A

We are always in discussion with the manufacturer, Descente, regarding the specifications and prices of the products we sell, including the cost aspect. By increasing the variety of products from Comfit Shirt to Replica to Authentic, the wearing rate (sales number) has definitely increased. We are changing the specifications of the title star to lower the price of the replica. Thank you for your understanding.

Q Please increase the number of products, such as collaboration products with popular anime and products that are not directly related to soccer. Could you outsource new product development and sales? Also, I would be happy if there were more cool designs that can be worn daily.: A

We are currently preparing for the collaboration products, so please wait for a while until we announce them. The license business is managed by J.League. As for the design, we will create an opportunity to reflect and listen to customer feedback, so please participate actively.

Q I would like to see the uniforms actually worn by the players given away or put up for auction.: A

We use as many of the player's uniforms as possible, excluding those used and stored by the club, as gift items for joining the fan club or as raffle prizes at stadium events.

Supporter meetings and PR

Q It seems that you have a Twitter account. Do you have plans to use it? Also, are there any concerns about important information leaking from players' blogs or Twitter accounts?: A

GAMBA OSAKA does not have an official account and is not considering using Twitter. Regarding the players' blogs and Twitter accounts, we are communicating with the players and making efforts to prevent any problems. As the players are affiliated with GAMBA OSAKA, we have conveyed to them that it is not their sole responsibility and that the impact is heavy and large, and we are calling attention to the various problems that are flooding blogs and Twitter accounts.

Q There are a lot of typos and spelling errors on your website. What is the checking system?: A

We have received criticism that there are many mistakes on our website and other public relations-related matters. We are very sorry. We apologize. Our website is basically outsourced. All public relations information from GAMBA OSAKA is created and publicized by each club member in charge, that is, it is handled on our website, mobile site, G-mail, match day program, monthly magazine G-Magazine, etc. to be widely announced. The text on the website is written by each member of the club and posted by our multiple website staff. Depending on the content to be posted, some are checked by executives, and some are handled by confirmation at the level of each person in charge or within the department. As you pointed out, there are also typos, so we will be even more vigilant about this, and everyone, including club staff and website staff, will have a high awareness of providing information to customers and will strive to improve.

Q Even if we can't hold the actual matches, would it be possible to stream practice matches online? Would it be okay to broadcast the supporters' meeting on Ustream or Twitter?: A

Online streaming of official matches is not permitted due to broadcasting and portrait rights. It would cost a fair amount to stream practice matches. It would be a different story if the results were worth the cost and there was enough customer demand, but we have not yet determined that there is a strong demand for it, so we have no plans to do so.
We are currently conducting an experimental video distribution limited to inside the stadium, but the number of users is also less than 1,000. We plan to conduct a survey for about six months after the end of April to see if the demand is not high or if it does not meet the needs, and we would like to determine how to respond in the future.
The supporters' meeting places importance on dialogue between the club and the supporters, and GAMBA OSAKA does not approve of the event being broadcast on Ustream or Twitter. However, we will post an announcement on our website for supporters who are unable to attend the event.

Q Why don't you charge for supporter meetings or limit the number of participants (such as annual seats)? You should also gather opinions through surveys and other means outside of supporter meetings.: A

We would like to hear from everyone who supports GAMBA OSAKA, so at present we have no plans to charge a fee or limit participants. We will continue to consider the timing and frequency of the event. We have conducted questionnaire surveys in the past, but we will continue to consider conducting them in order to further strengthen our marketing activities.

Q What are the standards for when to release information on injured people and whether or not to announce it?: A

As a club, we adjust the timing of announcements based on the wishes of the team on the ground. In addition, we do not announce injuries to players who may be able to play in matches. Regarding transfer information, we also need to coordinate with the destination club, and we only respond once all preparations are complete for an official announcement, so we cannot respond to requests to announce information quickly because it has already been decided.

Q Are there plans to make your homepage and mobile site compatible with smartphones?: A

We are currently preparing for this. Please wait a little while.

Q I think the "Let's go to the stadium" page on the homepage is easy to understand. However, the "Oi G Yokocho" page has not been updated.: A

We apologize for the delay in creating the "Oi G Yokocho" page. We are currently working on it, so please wait a little longer. We will also be preparing to announce the stores that will be participating on the day.
※About the "Oi G Yokocho" page... It was under preparation on the day of the supporter meeting, but it is now up and running, so please take a look. Top page → "Supporters"

Q I would like to see the environment improved for people watching practice. Can you improve the bleachers and install a roof, etc.?: A

GAMBA OSAKA's training ground is not owned by GAMBA OSAKA, so we are unable to improve the environment on our own, but we will continue to work with the Expo Commemoration Corporation as necessary to make improvements.

Q Does President Kanamori also read the questions submitted at the supporter meetings?: A

Kanamori also reads all of the questions asked at the supporter meetings, discusses the answers with the department, and compiles responses.

Hometown Sponsor

Q Although our hometown is in the Hokusetsu Kitakawachi area, we are only registered with the J.League in Suita City. Can we expand the registration? Also, I would like to see the scope of our hometown activities expanded to Osaka City and Osaka Prefecture, such as distributing flyers at train stations.: A

We are currently in the process of preparing to change our registration with the J.League to our four key hometown cities (Suita, Ibaraki, Takatsuki, and Toyonaka). In the Hokusetsu and Kitakawachi areas outside of the four key cities, we will be inviting local residents from next season. Also, starting this year, we are conducting new station flyer activities along the monorail line.

Q There should be more promotion aimed at hometown teams at game venues where many people from their hometowns attend.: A

We recognize that our advertising activities are not enough. Currently, local governments and supporters' associations in the hometowns set up booths at match venues and hand out materials to visitors. Currently, Suita Cable TV and FM Senri broadcast regular segments announcing Gamba information.

Q Would it be possible to have G-Magazine stocked at Seven-Eleven stores outside of the Hokusetsu region?: A

Currently, sales are focused on the Hokusetsu region. There are no plans to sell outside of Hokusetsu at this time. As a fan club benefit, we offer a paid subscription to G-Magazine. It is also available at our online shop.

Tickets & Fan Club

Q I think they need to aim to increase the purchase rate of season tickets by coming up with creative benefits, etc. Please also consider reviewing the pricing to make it easier for families to purchase tickets.: A

We would like to work on providing new benefits to those who have been with us for a long time and holding service events for annual pass holders (such as a takoyaki party in October). In addition, the price of the annual pass is set at about 50% of the advance ticket price for adults, and even cheaper for elementary and junior high school students. Starting next season, we will be planning special benefits for those who have been with us for 3, 5, 7, and 10 years or more to interact with the club.

Q SB seat tickets for the three games cannot be used for the opening ceremony of the elementary school tournament.: A

From next season onwards, we will also be offering SB seats on the day of the Opening Ceremony, when all of Osaka Prefecture's youth soccer teams will gather.

Q When is Fan Appreciation Day this year?: A

The event is scheduled to take place after the end of this season's league matches. We will provide information as soon as the details are decided, so please wait a little longer.

Q Regarding the relationship between supporters and the club, how about creating a new category of "heavy members" in addition to the new light members in the fan club, to deepen the connection with supporters scattered across the country?: A

Currently, 83% of the fan club members are from the two prefectures and four prefectures of Kinki (59% of which are from Osaka Prefecture). We are recruiting supporters' association members from each city who live in the home town of GAMBA OSAKA and will participate in local activities. We hope that many of you will participate in building a deep relationship with the club, not only at the match venue but also on various other occasions. Of course, we also receive support from many people outside the Kansai area, but currently, annual pass members are considered to be "heavy members."

Q Will there be an annual pass for wheelchair users?: A

The number of visitors using wheelchairs is increasing, and we will be introducing wheelchairs from fiscal year 2012.

Q There are a lot of empty seats in the platinum seats and BOX-S seats, which makes the atmosphere less exciting. How about promoting the sale of reserved seats, perhaps by changing the price depending on the game?: A

Prices will not change, but we are working to make it possible for everyone to make a purchase by offering special benefits such as a BOX-S ticket that includes merchandise and tickets that include an event.

that's all