According to the web site – http://www.field-of-smile.jp/contribution/index.html – Gamba Osaka’s ambitious financial project for a new stadium – hopefully not eventually actually called Field of Smile – is not doing as well as hoped.

According to a source that may or may not be Ben Mabley (Twitter @BenMabley), Gamba are massively below target in their efforts to attract donations from fans for their new stadium thus far. Of the total 14 billion yen (140 oku in Nihongo – ¥14,000,000,000) projected construction costs, the club planned to raise two billion from supporters. Let’s put that into figures, shall we? It’s 20 oku in Japanese, or ¥2,000,000,000.

Apparently, the 12 billion yen that was allocated to come from companies has been raised but the supporters are letting the side down, as it were. After two and a half months of the year-long collection process, fans have so far contributed 46 million yen – just 2.3% of the target. A questionnaire distributed by the club shows many fans have been put off by team’s poor results, so perhaps the coming weeks will improve things as summer approaches. Talking of summer, Gamba President Kanamori is hoping for donations from people’s summer bonuses which hit pay packets this week (end of June) in most cases.

Gamba are offering personalised plaques in the new stadium to those donating at least 50,000 yen and, since the stadium is to be donated to the local government, private individuals with an annual income of seven million yen can claim ¥48,000 back on a ¥50,000 donation – a huge percentage which SHOULD help the club meet the target.

Whatever happens, it seems that companies like Toto (3 billion yen from them alone) will not allow the project to go under, but I am sure the club is hoping that fans will come through so that Mr. Kanamori does not have to go back to those companies with cap-in-hand at a later date.

Japanese details on what it’s all about and how to contribute at the web site above. I am sure they’d find an English speaker to read your mail if you sent a message to info@field-of-smile.jp