JPN
A press conference was held on August 24th (Monday) at Bushiroad's headquarters in Tokyo, following the conclusion of "Sammy presents STARDOM 5★STAR GP 2026," which ended with 19-year-old Rina becoming the youngest ever champion. In the first part of the press conference, President Taro Okada made comments regarding ringside photographers. President Okada's comments are as follows:
Thank you all so much for watching and cheering us on at the 5★STAR GP until yesterday. This was the first time in history that the final tournament was held at Ryogoku Kokugikan, and we were able to record an attendance of 5,004 people, which is a significant increase from previous finals. However, we were able to fill Ryogoku Kokugikan to capacity at the end of last year, and we need to be able to fill even more seats in the arena. All the wrestlers realized that the road to the Tokyo Dome, which is our goal, is still long, and we were able to complete the 5★STAR GP with that in mind. We believe that this is all thanks to the support of our fans. Thank you very much
As 5★STAR continues to gain momentum, and we've seen various customer reactions, there's one thing I'd like to say first. We've received feedback from customers that camera crews are obstructing their view of the action in the ring, both ringside and during spectator seating. We understand that those who have purchased tickets, especially those in the front row, have paid a considerable price for them, and we fully understand their desire to capture the moments they were looking forward to
Therefore, Stardom has reduced the number of photographers allowed ringside. We are very sorry to ask the media representatives gathered here today to take photos outside the ringside, or to refrain from having photographers present this time in exchange for providing the photos, and we appreciate your understanding in accepting these difficult requests. Stardom is currently reviewing the placement of ringside cameras and working to minimize any disruption to the viewing experience. Of course, we will continue to make improvements as much as possible in the future, so we ask for your understanding in this regard
On the other hand, in order to capture better video and better photographs and deliver them to everyone who is looking forward to the broadcast, magazines, and photos, it is absolutely necessary to have photographers shooting at ringside. Because it is always unpredictable what the wrestlers will do and where they will be during a match, our photographers are constantly thinking and working hard, so there are times when a photographer will inevitably be in front of someone in a particular seat in order to capture the best moment. We do our best to be considerate of the view and our photographers work together to do so, but realistically, it is difficult to promise that we will not obstruct your view in every situation. We are truly sorry for any inconvenience or dissatisfaction this may cause
I have one request regarding this matter: I would like to ask that you please send any positive feedback, such as comments about scenes being difficult to see or suggestions for improvement, to the operating company. This is because we have seen instances of people temporarily uploading photos with photographers in them to social media or directly contacting photographers, which disrupts operations, and we have recently been receiving an increasing number of comments that go beyond the scope of normal feedback and requests
Our photographer staff operates under the judgment and policies of our company, Stardom, so there is absolutely no possibility of individual photographers interfering with our clients' experience based on their own judgment. They remain excellent and enthusiastic photographers who follow company instructions, so Stardom will take any complaints, inconveniences, or suggestions for improvement regarding the shoot seriously. Please direct your feedback to our designated contact point rather than directing it to individual photographers on-site or on social media
We will continue to listen to legitimate and positive feedback and make improvements accordingly. However, we ask once again that you refrain from making personal attacks on individual staff members, specific individuals, fellow staff members, or external staff members. We want to enhance the enjoyment for our customers, whether watching live or via streaming, and help them capture great memories, while also creating an environment where all staff members can work with peace of mind. We would appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we aim to achieve this goal together with our fans. It is because of the enthusiasm of our customers that we receive a variety of opinions, and we will continue to create an even better Stardom, one that can be seen by even more people in larger venues
[Q&A with various media outlets]
--There have been a lot of comments (on social media) saying that it's hard to see when the cameraman is standing in front of you, so is crouching down a bit the best you can do to take the shot?
Okada: Well, there are times when we stand, and there are times when we crouch down when it's really necessary. But because of the height of the ring, standing is probably the best we can do to take the shot in this day and age. To get a better shot, it's essential to stay in that position for a few seconds and take the picture. The view also changes depending on the venue. Korakuen Hall in particular has the ringside seats very close together, so the cameraman is more noticeable. Of course, we want everyone to be able to see with a clean view, but there are limits to that at the moment, and for the customers in the front row, we are working hard to make them find more value in the experience of being close to the action, as well as having a good view. I see every day that the wrestlers and their seconds are all doing their best to provide a service that will satisfy the customers as much as possible in their sport, so I hope you will understand.
--So, the current method is the best possible approach while also considering the customers, is that right?
Okada: That's right. For customers at ringside, and also those in seats a little further away. For example, with PPV, we show the match on monitors through that, and we also try to accommodate the greatest common denominator as possible for customers watching via streaming or PPV, and we communicate with them on a daily basis with that in mind.