Every match results in the losing team being immediately knocked from the competition. The teams that capture the regional titles gather at Koshien to vie for the national crown. To become national champions, a team would have to win around 12 consecutive wins, starting from the qualifying rounds. Local press coverage usually starts in earnest with the first round of the qualifiers, and every match of the showdown at Koshien is broadcast live nationwide on both television and radio. This encourages a feeling of local pride and is a major reason for the tournament's nationwide popularity.
Most people start by cheering for their alma mater.
If that team is eliminated, they may move on to support a team representing their prefecture. And if that, too, proves unfruitful, it is common to root for the school located nearest one's hometown. Perhaps the biggest draw of the high school tournament is the players' devotion to the game. Players practice day in and day out, covered in sweat and mud, knowing that such efforts will ultimately end in disappointment for all but a handful of students. By the final match, athletes are physically exhausted.