Sad, isn't it; what has happened to sumo?
Prior to the inauguration of the J. League and the rise of soccer in Japan, baseball and sumo rivaled one another as the two most popular sports in the country. Back in the 1970s and '80s, and even into the '90s, there was a connection.
In May, July and September when the Grand Sumo tournaments are held during baseball season, fans who liked both sports enjoyed a late afternoon-into-the evening watching on TV.