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Blaublitz Akita

Blaublitz Akita (ブラウブリッツ秋田) is a Japanese professional association football team based in Akita, capital of Akita Prefecture. The club currently play in the J2 League, Japanese second tier of professional football league. Due to the club's former ownership by TDK and thus formerly known as the TDK SC, most of the players were employees of TDK's Akita factory.

The club has won 2 J3 League title in the 2017 season and the 2020 season respectively.

History

The club based in Nikaho, Akita, was founded in 1965 as TDK Sports Club. They were promoted to the Tohoku Regional League in 1982. They played in the Japan Soccer League Division 2 in 1985 and 1986. They were the only club in Tohoku region competing in the JSL.

In 2006, TDK SC won the Tohoku Regional League championship for the fifth straight year. They were automatically promoted to the Japan Football League after they won the National Regional League Playoffs.

The team has announced that it would separate from its parent company and join the J. League if the club's final yearly standing should ever allow promotion.

As Blaublitz Akita

In May, 2009, TDK SC announced that the football club will become independent for the 2010 season and be based around Akita. Later in 2010 the club's name was changed to "Blaublitz Akita". Blau and Blitz mean blue and lightning in German respectively.

In 2014 they entered the J3 League after previously playing in the Japan Football League, the third tier of the Japanese association football league system until promotion to J2 in 2020.

The club moved to Akita City[2] and entered the J3 League for the 2014 season. The club finished 8th in each of its first two years in the professional competition. In the 2017 season, their fourth, they won the title, however due to their lacking a license to play upper-tier football, they were not promoted, becoming the first professional third-tier champion not to be promoted. However, Akita acquired the J2 license on September 27, 2018,[3] after which they won the title again in the 2020 season, returning to the second tier for the first time in 34 years.

Team image

Former crest

Supporters

Blaublitz Akita's main active supporters' group is called the 'Blue Tasu Akita'.[4]

Team mascots

The official team mascot is an 8-year-old Ryūjin, named Blaugon and wears #00.[5]

Songs and chants

Rivalries

Ōu Honsen (Dewa derby)

TDK and NEC Yamagata first met in 1990 in old Tohoku regional football league. The two clubs have been based in former Dewa Province, and their rivalry is renamed as Ōu Honsen after the Japan Railways Ōu Main Line in 2021.[7] Blaublitz Akita still maintains regional rivalries with Montedio Yamagata. Matches between Blaublitz Akita and Montedio Yamagata are sometimes referred to as the Ōu Main Line Derby, named after the Ōu Main Line railway that connects the cities of Akita and Yamagata. The fixture represents a competitive regional clash between neighbouring prefectures in northern Japan.

Ōu Honsen (Dewa derby)

TDK and NEC Yamagata first met in 1990 in old Tohoku regional football league. The two clubs have been based in former Dewa Province, and their rivalry is renamed as Ōu Honsen after the Japan Railways Ōu Main Line in 2021.[7] Blaublitz Akita still maintains regional rivalries with Montedio Yamagata. Matches between Blaublitz Akita and Montedio Yamagata are sometimes referred to as the Ōu Main Line Derby, named after the Ōu Main Line railway that connects the cities of Akita and Yamagata. The fixture represents a competitive regional clash between neighbouring prefectures in northern Japan.

Stadium

The home stadium of Blaublitz Akita is the Soyu Stadium, also known as "Yabase". Located in Akita, Akita Prefecture, Japan. Opened in 1941 and renovated several times to meet modern football standards, the stadium serves as the club’s primary venue for matches in the J2 League. With a capacity of around 20,125 spectators, Soyu Stadium features a traditional athletics-track layout and is part of the larger Akita Yabase Sports Park. The venue provides a distinctive matchday atmosphere, with supporters of Blaublitz Akita gathering in the main stands behind the goals, creating an energetic environment for home fixtures. The stadium has become an important landmark for football in Akita and plays a central role in the club’s connection with the local community. The club practices at the adjacent Akita Sports Plus ASP Stadium and Space Project Dream Field.

Kit suppliers and shirt sponsors

Kit evolution

Affiliated clubs

  • TDK Shinwakai (Tohoku Soccer League Division 2 North) – Based in Nikaho, Akita.[8]
  • Tsuruoka TDK

TShirt sponsorship by TDK

  • 🇳🇱 AFC Ajax (1982–1991)
  • 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Crystal Palace (1993–1999)

Players

First-team squad

.[9]

Out on loan

Management and staff

Honours

Bold is for those competition that are currently active.

Managerial history

Club captains

{|class="wikitable" ! # !!Name !!Captaincy years 24 Naoyuki Yamada

[17]

  • -
  • align="right"|-
  • Akira Sasaki [14]
  • align="center"|JSL Era
  • -
  • align="right"|7
  • Satoshi Sato[15]
  • align="center"|
  • -
  • align="right"|17
  • Moriyasu Saito[16]
  • align="center"|
  • -
  • align="right"|4
  • Masatoshi Ozawa
  • align="center"|2007–2009
  • -
  • align="right"|18
  • Satoshi Yokoyama
  • align="center"|2010
  • -
  • align="right"|2
  • Hiroyuki Kobayashi
  • align="center"|2011
  • -
  • align="right"|10
  • Masatoshi Matsuda
  • align="center"|2012–2013
  • -
  • align="right"|10
  • Shingo Kumabayashi
  • align="center"|2014
  • -
  • align="right"|4
  • Toshio Shimakawa
  • align="center"|2015
  • -
  • align="right"|24
  • Naoyuki Yamada
  • align="center"|2016–2018
  • -
  • align="right"|39
  • Hiroki Kotani
  • align="center"|2019
  • -
  • align="right"|24
  • Naoyuki Yamada
  • align="center"|2020
  • -
  • align="right"|9
  • Ryota Nakamura
  • align="center"|2021
  • -
  • align="right"|23
  • Shuto Inaba
  • align="center"|2022
  • -
  • align="right"|33
  • Ryutaro Iio
  • align="center"|2023
  • -
  • align="right"|6
  • Hiroto Morooka
  • align="center"|2024–present
  • -

Season by season record

  • Key
  • Pos. = Position in league; P = Games played; W = Games won; D = Games drawn; L = Games lost; F = Goals scored; A = Goals conceded; GD = Goals difference; Pts = Points gained
  • Attendance/G = Average home league attendance
  • † 2020 season attendance reduced by COVID-19 worldwide pandemic
  • Source: Source: J. League Data Site[18]

External links

References

  1. J.League capacity www.jleague.jp, retrieved 19 January 2025^
  2. 1.15 拠点移設の記者会見を行いました ブラウブリッツ秋田 公式ホームページ^
  3. 水戸に解除条件付J1ライセンス、秋田にJ2ライセンス初交付!J1昇格圏町田はJ2ライセンス ゲキサカ, 27 September 2018^
  4. BLUE+ AKITA Network retrieved 29 September 2018^
  5. ブラウブリッツ秋田のマスコット、ブラウゴンの紹介ページです Jリーグマスコット総選挙（2019／サッカー）：Jリーグ.jp Jリーグ.jp^
  6. しゃちょさんの介護日記 有限会社アタカンテ^
  7. 東北日本海側の最強を決める戦い「奥羽本戦」 モンテディオ山形 オフィシャルサイト^
  8. チーム紹介 tohoku-fa.jp^
  9. 選手・スタッフ紹介 – ブラウブリッツ秋田 blaublitz.jp^
  10. Archived copy^
  11. 企業クラブから地域に根ざしたJクラブへ J2・J3漫遊記 ブラウブリッツ秋田 後編 スポーツナビ^
  12. BB秋田、開幕7連勝支える堅守速攻 仲間助ける走りに注目｜秋田魁新報電子版 秋田魁新報電子版^
  13. ストーブリーグを前に. .. 続・東北の門番からJFL～J3へ^
  14. 旧Jsl戦ったTdkのOb、J2・ブラウブリッツに期待｜秋田魁新報電子版 retrieved 6 May 2023^
  15. TDK prayer homepage3.nifty.com, retrieved 11 January 2022^
  16. Archived copy homepage3.nifty.com, retrieved 11 January 2022^
  17. 2021年2月 続・東北の門番からJFL～J3～J2へ^
  18. J. League Data Site J. League, retrieved October 2, 2021^