Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) league has issued a statement regarding the exclusive streaming rights for the World Baseball Classic (WBC). This comes amidst growing contentions around the distribution and control of digital sports broadcasting rights. Although the specifics of the statement and the recipient(s) weren't disclosed, it appears NPB is working to reclaim and reinforce their control over the broadcasting rights of the WBC within Japan.

Baseball is more than just a sport in Japan; it's deeply ingrained in the nation's culture and plays an influential role across various sectors, including media and entertainment. The NPB's move to possibly secure exclusive streaming rights reflects its ambition to enhance Japan's relevance in the global baseball landscape and to control the digital distribution of national baseball content.

Similar issues have arisen in places like the US or EU, where sports broadcasting rights often become subjects of contention between broadcasters, leagues, streaming platforms, and individual teams. It's part of a global trend highlighting the increased importance of streaming rights due to the proliferation of digital media and changing viewing habits.