COMMENT: Japan's World Cup crowds attest to sport's ad potency

The unexpectedly fine performance of the Japanese soccer team in the World Cup follows a growing wave of popularity the sport is enjoying in a once baseball only-oriented country. Baseball was originally brought to Japan in the 1870s by American teachers and the first professional league was founded as early as 1936. The most popular team, the Yomiuri Giants (sponsored by the giant Yomiuri media group), is supported by almost half the Japanese population. The 12 professional teams play to a world-class standard and have successfully exported players such as Ichiro and Sasaki (Seattle Mariners), to baseball's home in the US.