Team Data: Tokushima Vortis Team Name: Team Logo & Mascot: Team Flag: Home Uniform Away Uniform Home Stadium Naruto Soccer Stadium Seats 20,441 Team Data: Management Corporation: Tokushima Vortis Inc. Established: 7 September 2004 President: Koji Takamoto Investors: Funded by local government and local companies Address: 2-22 Hisagodani, Aza-Inabushi, Itano-cho, Itano-gun, Tokushima 779-0108 Hometown Area: Tokushima City, Tokushima Prefecture Home Stadium: Naruto (Pocari Sweat) Stadium (capacity: 20,441) Joined J. League: 2005 Awa Dancer Although Tokushima Vortis does not have an official mascot, when the team entered the J.League the Rising Sun News proposed a "temporary" mascot, in the form of an "Awa Dancer" (a traditional dance performed in Tokushima every summer, drawing millions of visitors from around the country. Feedback from fans in Shikoku indicates that some of them have begun using this mascot as well. Who knows.... some day Vortis may have us to thank for their official mascot!

Team Roster 2008 Schedule Historical Results Preseason Forecast Otsuka Sports Club was founded in 1955, but remained in the lower regional divisions of the JSL until 1988. The team was promoted to the JSL first division in 1989, and after the creation of the J.League and JFL in 1993, remained in the middle of the rankings of the JFL. Otsuka FC provides yet another example of how, in the world of Japanese football, grassroots support has overcome corporate bureaucratic tomfoolery. This is one of the characteristics that makes Japan's football culture slightly different from the money-driven leagues of Europe. In 1994, in response to the JFA's request to try to give teams a "local character" rather than one linked to a corporation, the team changed its name to Vortis Tokushima. But in 1999, when the JFL was reorganised, the team officials inexplicably changed the name back to "Otsuka Pharmaceutical FC". This may reflect the fact that the company sponsor, Otsuka Pharmaceutical, felt that it could generate more publicity for itself by having the team named after the company. Though it seems to refute the principles of the Japan Football Association, which seeks to promote local grassroots support over company sponsorship, the team ignored the wishes of fans and started the season as "Otsuka Pharmaceutical". But while the company had the "power" to force through such a change, it soon discovered that its power was only nominal. Otsuka Pharmaceutical was wholly unprepared to address the campaign of "nonviolent resistance" which the team's fans implemented. Though they never displayed even the slightest hint of anger or controversy, fans continued to show up at the stadium each week with huge banners of support for "Vortis Tokushima". An internet search for "Vortis Tokushima" would turn up dozens of web sites whereas "Otsuka Pharmaceutical FC" provided practically none, since the official team site was the only one to use this name. The company soon realised that regardless of what THEY wanted to call the team, they were stuck with the name "Vortis Tokushima", like it or not. Fortunately, the corporate sponsor eventually realised which side of the bread had butter on it. By the start of the 2001 season, the team began selling official goods which used the name "Vortis Tokushima" in small letters, in addition to the "Otsuka FC" logomark -- a prime example of how the direction of football culture in Japan is being determined by the fans, and not by corporate clods in the head office. 1989 1st Place Shikoku League 1990 10th Place JSL Second Division 1991 6th Place JSL Second Division 1992 8th Place, JFL 1993 4th Place JFL 1994 6th Place, JFL 1995 5th Place, JFL 1996 7th Place, JFL 1997 7th Place, JFL 1998 9th Place, JFL 1999 6th Place, JFL 2000 4th Place, JFL 2001 2nd Place, JFL 2002 3rd Place, JFL 2003 1st Place, JFL 2004 1st Place, JFL In 2004, Vortis claimed the JFL championship, meeting the last of the requirements for J2 entry. In 2005, a new era dawned for football in Japan's outlying regions, as Tokushiuma Vortis joined the J.League as the first team from the island of Shikoku. With their application for J2 entry, the name Otsuka FC finally died an unlamented death. In accord with the J.League's rules against the use of corporate names, the team petitioned for entry as "Tokushima Vortis". Apparently, the back-office apparatchiks must have felt that reversing the order of the name would demonstrate that they still had SOME power. But in the end, it was the grassroots fan base that has triumphed. Vortis captured the enthusiasm of the entire Shikoku region, spurring their neighbours in Ehime prefecture to vie for, and ultimately win promotion to the J.League in 2005. Though Vortis will probably have to struggle for a few years before they have the financial base and player talent to move up the J2 ranks, their entry to the league was a historic event, making the J.League the first TRULY nationwide organisation in Japanese sports history . The first season in the J1 was naturally a difficult one for Vortis, but they surprised many sceptics with their determination and quality of play. The team rose as high as fourth place, at one point, before slipping down the table later in the season to finish ninth. In 2006, the team was forced to rebuild, as the players who took the team into the J.League began to hit the ceiling of their abilities, and made way for younger replace,ments. As a result, despoite the encouragement of a local rivalry with Ehime FC, Tokushima drifted down-table, and they followed it up with a last-place finish in 2007. Clearly, there is still a long ways to go before the team can compete effectively at this level. For the time being, the objective for Tokushima Vortis fans will be to establish themselves as a solid and competitive team with healthy finances. Perhaps a few years down the road, this will allow them to take the next step, and begin thinking about promotion to the J1.

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