In Hatsu 2001, former Bench Sumo player Zentoryu had a brilliant idea, and implemented it for a couple of  bashos.

 

Rijicho Jejima has been worried. All of the Bench-rikishi have been performing without pay :-(

This must be changed, and Bench-Yen is being counted in the Bench bank. As we all know, rikishi get paid according to rank, and number of wins, yusho, special prizes etc, and so should bench-rikishi!"

 

Well, after months of research, the BS Kyokai has come up with a cyber-salary system tailored for bench sumo. So from now on, Bench Rikishi will receive a salary. We've tried to keep this system as close as possible to the real thing, but, obviously, there was no way we could do this with 100% accuracy.

 

It’s long been a desire of mine to replicate the Bench Sumo Salaries. The data needed is huge, as you can see below.   With nearly 600 players and almost 80 bashos, even the simplest of data tables is huge.  You have to know rank, ranks levels, scores, score differentials, who beat who at what rank, etc.  BIG data hogs!  I think I’ve finally cracked the code, and we now have salaries once again.  So, click the links below to see your take home pay.   Next up…  Bench Sumo Taxes.  ;-)

 

I used Zentoryu’s numbers with few exceptions (for instance, kensho values were raised to match what we’re seeing in real Sumo).  Most of the thinking is his, and the explanations below are paraphrasing is original post to the Bench Sumo list. Huge thanks go out to him for his initial efforts. 

 

 

Lifetime Salaries

Find out how much you’ve made over your career

 

Last Basho’s Paychecks:            

See how much you earned last basho.

 

 

 

Basic Pay Structure

Here is the basic pay structure.

 

 

 

Monthly Salary:

Bench Sumo monthly salaries (based on an extrapolation of salaries from 2006) is as follows:

 

Yokozuna                             3,075,000 yen

Ozeki                                      2,550,000

Sekiwake                               1,847,000

Maegashira                           1,427,000

Juryo                                      1,129,000

 

As we all know, those below Juryo rank are given no monthly wages, although each tournament they receive a special allowance called basho teate (adjusted, based on 2006 values, as well).

 

Makushita                            175,000 yen

Sandanme                            85,000

Jonidan                                  75,000

Jonokuchi                             70,000

 

Allowances and Bonuses

The following bonuses an allowances are provided by the BS NSK.

 

a.       Sanyaku Bonus:

Bonuses after a tournament ranked in Sanyaku are:

 

Yokozuna                             250,000 yen*

Ozeki                                      200,000

Sekiwake                               100,000

* - These figures were also adjusted raised from the last numbers available

 

b.       Tokyo Basho Bonus:

30,000 yen for all Sekitori after every Tokyo Basho

 

c.        Daily and Travel allowances

Paid for 35 days to every BS Sekitori (hey, we need to get around :-) and are as follows:

 

Yokozuna                             15,600 yen

Ozeki                                      14,100   yen

Sekiwake                               12,700 yen

Maegashira                           11,700 yen

Juryo                                      11,130 yen

 

Championship Money for Yusho and Special Prize winners

 

a.       Championship Bonuses:

The Championship money for each Yusho winner will be as follows:

 

Makuuchi             10,000,000

Juryo                      4,000,000

Makushita            2,000,000

Sandanme            1,000,000

 

b.       Sansho Bonuses:

Sansho winners (in Makuuchi only) will receive:

 

Fighting Spirit       4,000,000

Technique Prize   4,000,000

Outstanding Performance   4,000,000

 

As in real Sumo, wages and allowances are linked to a BS rikishi's performance only as far as it affects his rank. A drop or rise in rank will mean a corresponding change in salary and bonuses.

 

Hoshokin

 

Okay, here's where it starts getting complicated :-) Hoshokin will be computed for every bench rikishi after each tournament beginning with their first match, but nothing will be paid on the figure until the rikishi reaches Juryo status. It is primarily based on wins over losses in a given basho.

 

A rikishi will receive 1 point for every victory over the half mark. For instance, an 8-7 record will earn a rikishi 1 KK point. A 9-6 will net 3 KK points, etc.

 

These points will accumulate over the course of a BS rikishi's career and will always be added to and never subtracted from, even if the rikishi goes MK.

 

When a rikishi makes it to Sekitori status he will receive a minimum number of points based on his rank (if he has not accumulated that amount already). As hoshokin never decreases, the new addition is not deleted when a sekitori loses his status due to demotion. 

 

What follows is the complete list of minimum figures based on rank:

 

Yokozuna                             150

Ozeki                                      100

Sekiwake                               60

Maegashira                           60

Juryo                                      60

 

Here is a list of bonuses that add to the basic total:

 

Kinboshi                                10

Makuuchi Yusho                 30

Zensho Yusho                      50

Ginboshi                                5**

** - (another exclusive of Bench Sumo) Since Bench Yokozuna are very rare, points will be awarded for defeating a Bench Ozeki, since they are the closest thing we have.

 

Following every basho each Sekitori ranked BS rikishi will be payed 4,000 times the sum he/she has accumulated.

 

For example, at the end of the Hatsu 2001 basho, Jejima had accumulated 89 yen points. This figure, when multiplied, yields a 356,000 yen salary bonus.

 

 

Kensho Bonus:

 

As you all know, Makuuchi rikishi can make a sweet amount of extra money thanks to winning sponsored bouts. This was difficult to replicate for bench sumo. The sponsorship is often based on not only the popularity of the rikishi involved, but their rank as well.

 

Each rank on the banzuke will be assigned a points value (or "popularity value"), based on the old Quality points system as a guideline (since we don't have to worry about ranks below Makuuchi).

 

Rank                                      Value

Yokozuna                             12

Ozeki                                      10

Sekiwake                               8

Komusubi                             7

Maeg 1-4                               5

Maeg 5-8                               4

Maeg 9-12                            3

Maeg 13-17                          2

Juryo Opponent                   1

 

Using these values, a Makuuchi rikishi will accumulate Kensho points over the course of a basho based on the following formula:

·         When two rikishi face each other, the total combined popularity value of their ranking will be awarded to the winner of the bout (i.e., Bout is worth [Own Value]+[Aite’s Value])

o    For instance, if an Ozeki faces a Sekiwake, the winner of the match would receive 18 points (10 for rank of Ozeki, 8 for Sekiwake rank.)

o    If two M16's face each other, 4 points would be up for grabs.

·         Lastly, at the end of the basho, each Makuuchi rikishi will have his point total multiplied by 55,000.

o    So, theoretically, when two Ozeki meet, the bout would be worth 20 Kensho points or 1,100,000 yen, but when two M16's meet the bout would be worth 220,000 yen.