Regarding Tom Quinn's Feb. 13 letter, "Match-rigging scandal overblown": Japanese sumo needs to wake up if it wants to survive. Salaries are tiny compared to pro baseball or J League soccer. Also, any professional sport will fail if its main matches are played between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.; a 7 to 9 p.m. time slot would increase audience tenfold.
Furthermore, sumo needs to be on private television networks and receive major revenue from sponsors like beer or auto companies. If this were to happen, imagine how this would stimulate Japan's stagnant economy.
We need a revival or else the end is near. Can you imagine if pro baseball were played between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. on NHK every day? It wouldn't exist.
john shimeall
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