About

Kataller Toyama (カターレ富山, Katāre Toyama) is a football club in Japan that was formed from the merger of the ALO's Hokuriku and YKK AP SC. The club currently plays in J3 League. The idea of a merged club had been discussed by the Toyama Prefectural Football Association as early as 2005, but discussions had come to nothing. On September 10, 2007, YKK (owner of YKK AP SC) and Hokuriku Electric Power Company (owner of ALO's Hokuriku), agreed with merging their clubs to aim promotion to the J.League in response of eager request by the TPFA. According to Tulip TV, local broadcasting company, over 20 companies informally promised to invest in the new club. In the media briefing, the governor of Toyama Prefecture also participated. TPFA has founded an organization named "Civic Football Club Team of Toyama Prefecture (富山県民サッカークラブチーム)" with two major economic organization and representatives of Hokuriku Electric Power Company and YKK. The Japan Football League confirmed that the merged club would compete in the JFL from the 2008 season. They applied for J.League Associate Membership in January 2008, then their application was accepted at the board meeting of J.League on February 19, 2008. On November 23 they secured qualification for promotion to the J2 League, and on December 1 promotion was made official by J.League. The word "kataller" is a portmanteau of the phrase katare (勝たれ) which in Toyama dialect means "to win", and the French aller, "to go". The phrase is also intended to be a pun of Italian cantare, "to sing", and of native Japanese katare (語れ), "to talk" (written with a different kanji character). The crest is shaped in the form of a tulip, the official Toyama Prefecture flower.