If the Baseball Fans Are Coming Back

‘How much fan service is enough in pro baseball?”

The efforts of each ball clubs to revive the heat of pro baseball, which was cooled off by the World Cup, are pathetic. They already threw away their pride as the most popular sport in the country long time ago. They seem to do anything if they can bring the fans back to the ballparks. Finally, they are offering free admission.

The Samsung decided not to charge admission for two games against the Hyundai that will be held in Daegu ballpark on the 1st and 2nd next month. It is an ‘emergency management’ to secure fans, which are declining.

The Samsung is the club, which has the second largest declining margin of fans compare to the last season by 51% following the Lotte(54%). Being unable to bear the situation, the ball club picked a card to change the situation and that is free admission.

The loss that the Samsung should suffer for the 2 free games is between 30 to 40 million won. It means the Samsung should pay for the ballpark fee and the Hyundai’s share (28% of the admission earnings) as well.

It is the first time in the 21-year history of pro baseball, which had no ‘free ticket.’ That’s why it’s more shocking.

In response to this, the Korean Baseball Organization criticizes the decision of the Samsung, “It is to break the order of the whole pro baseball league.” However, the Samsung club official said, “What was our decision to do this,” and “please give us a break to see this as a part of fan services.”

There was a fan service to give ice creams to all of the fans to enter the ballpark at the Suwon Ballpark that had the Hyundai-Hanhwa game on the 28th. At that time, the Hyundai employees bought all the ice creams from the nearby large discount stores and distributed them to the fans.

The total spectators of the pro baseball this season are declined by 11% compare to last season. What will be next to bring fans to ballparks again?

Sang-Soo Kim ssoo@donga.com