Richard HoshinoNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF INFORMATICS, TOKYO

Optimizing the Scheduling of Nippon Professional Baseball

using Mathematics

Summary of ResultsScheduling optimization leads to

Economic benefitsEnvironmental benefits

We have developed the distance-optimal schedule for the Nippon Professional Baseball league, reducing total team travel by 25% – nearly 70,000 kilometres!

Chiba Marines Schedule (2010)1 2 3 4 5

Saitama

Hokkaido

Tohoku

Orix

Fukuoka

6 7 8 9 10Saitam

aHokkaid

oOrix

Tohoku

Fukuoka

11 12 13 14 15Saitam

aFukuok

aHokkaid

oOrix

Tohoku

16 17 18 19 20Orix

Hokkaido

Fukuoka

Saitama

Tohoku

23,266 kilometres in total travel.

(HOME sets are marked in red.)

Chiba Marines Schedule (2010)21 22 23 24 25

Fukuoka

Orix

Saitama

Hokkaido

Saitama

26 27 28 29 30Fukuok

aTohok

uOrix

Hokkaido

Tohoku

31 32 33 34 35Hokkaid

oOrix

Saitama

Fukuoka

Tohoku

36 37 38 39 40Hokkaid

oOrix

Saitama

Fukuoka

Tohoku

23,266 kilometres in total travel.

(HOME sets are marked in red.)

Unexpected Inspiration

Key Insight

Key Insight

Key Insight

R2TFOS

HCOSH

FOSFTCHTCFSSCHO

TFHTC

O

R3TFOS

HCHSF

OSTFOCFSCHTOCHT

SHOTC

F

R1SHTF

OHFCO

STCOSFFSHTCOTSC

HCOFH

T

R4OSHT

FSFOC

HFOCSTCHTFSHTSO

CTCFH

O

Optimal Schedule

Team R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8

Chiba SHTFO

TFOSH

TFOSH

OSHTF

HOFST

FSTHO

TSHOF

HOFTS

Tohoku HFCOS

COSHF

CHSFO

SFOCH

SHOFC

OFCSH

CHOFS

OFSCH

Hokkaido TCOSFOSFTCSTFOCFOCSTCTSOFSOFCTFTCSOCSOFT

Orix FSHTCHTCFSFSCHTCHTFSFCTHSTHSFCSFTCHTCHSF

Fukuoka OTSCH

SCHOT

OCHTS

HTSOC

OSCTH

CTHOS

HOSTC

STCHO

Saitama COFHT

FHTCO

HOTCF

TCFHO

TFHCO

HCOTF

OCFHT

FHTOC