WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC
How much prize money does Japan receive for winning the World Baseball Classic?
The biggest championship of the sport was won by the best team - but how much prize money is there?
A huge constellation of stars aligned in the perfect way this month for the celebration that is the World Baseball Classic.
It was six years since the best tournament of the sport was here: COVID-19 had postponed the tournament until this spring but the final could not have been any more rewarding. The World Baseball Classic 2023 had 20 teams including Great Britain, Czech Republic, Nicaragua, all countries that were making their debut in the competition.
For the first time, the WBC will give out almost $14 million in prizes, and in the final it was Japan who walked away with the crown against a fantastic USA side in a historic game.
How much money do the WBC teams get?
The tournament, that is backed by MLB, will provide each team with $300,000 for taking part. The total prize money will be divided: 50% for the federation and the other 50% for the players and staff.
An extra $300,000 will be rewarded to the group winners and this money will also be divided 50/50 between the players and federations.
How much money do Japan win?
For those who made it to the next round, the quarter-finals, they will receive an extra $400,000, while for the semi-finalists the prize money will be increased to $500,000.
Japan, as they are the tournament winners, will receive $1 million and the USA $500,000. That means Japan will go home with close to $2.5 million for finishing the tournament top of the first stage and then going all the way to winning.