“There have been an unusually high number of game cancellations this year. It will continue to be a problem.”
On August 29, the day the KBO announced its 2023 schedule, a veteran front office at one of the clubs said he felt like there were a lot of cancellations this season. While it varies from club to club, the sentiment is largely correct. In fact, this year, more games than usual have been canceled due to rain or other ground conditions. This has forced teams to schedule doubleheaders, even with a full complement of reserve days. Even then, the regular season doesn’t start until at least October 10. Let’s hope it doesn’t rain anymore.
Some have criticized the rush to cancel games early in the season. However, on a day-to-day basis, there were good reasons to cancel. There were many cases where rain was forecast, making it pointless to start maintenance, or stadium conditions were not good due to heavy rain. Sometimes you have to make quick decisions before the fans show up. We don’t cancel games that can still be played.
The problem lies ahead. The onslaught of climate change is only going to get worse. As the environment degrades, we’re faced with more erratic weather than we’re used to. This year, the Northern Hemisphere had an unusually hot summer. Not only in Korea, but also in other countries. There used to be a concept of a rainy season, but that’s not necessarily the case these days. We have localized downpours that are hard to predict. Baseball, which is so close to the weather, is bound to be affected.
No one knows how this trend will play out. But the general consensus is that it’s only going to get worse, which means that professional baseball will have to deal with such a tight residual schedule every year. Given that the industry has already grown to accommodate a 144-game schedule, it doesn’t make sense to reduce the number of games.
There are two main options Temporarily, you could change the way the league works, such as scheduling Monday games early in the season when the weather isn’t as hot. There would be a lot of backlash on the field, but it’s better than playing a doubleheader at the end of the season. It also reduces the number of variables in the standings. Ultimately, the answer is to build more domed stadiums that aren’t affected by the weather. Even when games aren’t necessarily canceled due to rain, South Korea’s summer weather keeps getting hotter. Fans are demanding more comfortable spaces.
The Gocheok Sky Dome is one of the nine domed stadiums currently utilized by the 10 teams, and is home to Kiwoom. The stadium has been labeled as a “half-dome,” but it’s actually a paradise in the summer. It’s not affected by the weather, which makes it easier for teams to plan their schedules. It’s also a favorite destination for away teams during the summer. Fans can also watch the games in the cool. The power of domed stadiums
Realistically, it’s not feasible to build domed stadiums all over the country. It is expensive to build and expensive to maintain. It’s not profitable to play baseball alone. If you don’t have the right demand, you go straight to the tax-eating hippo. That’s why there have been so many discussions about domed stadiums, but they’ve all fallen through. I’ve been tapping away at my calculator and it doesn’t give me an answer.
But all nine stadiums don’t have to be domes. Not even in the United States. Officials said, “If we had three domes, the schedule would definitely be faster. The difference between playing a lot of games during the rainy season and playing up to three games is huge.” Yoon Seok-min, a member of the ‘Sportime Baseball’ crew, also said, “If there are about three, the players will feel that they can return to the dome stadiums frequently.”
The mention of ‘three’ is a real possibility. Gwangju, Daegu, and Changwon have already built new open stadiums. Daejeon is also building an open stadium. Sajik was also decided to be open. These five stadiums are unavoidable. However, there is a dome stadium in Gocheok. And SSG is making baseball fans excited with its huge ambitions. It has confirmed that it will build a dome in Cheongna, Incheon. Construction is set to begin in time for the 2028 opening game. There are also plans for a dome in Jamsil, which will be developed as a mixed-use space.
As the largest city in South Korea, the center of all major functions, and one of the largest metropolises in the world, Seoul is a huge market that can generate demand for domed stadiums. It’s not just about baseball, it’s about cultural events. It would be expensive to build, but there’s no doubt that it’s a market that could be best utilized. Although the relationship between the developer and the Seoul Metropolitan Government is complicated, LG and Doosan are also reportedly interested in building a dome stadium. The Seoul Metropolitan Government’s will to move forward is relatively strong.메이저놀이터
The construction of the new stadium in Jamsil is so complex that the design and plan have been revised several times so far. This is because it is a large-scale project that not only builds a baseball stadium but also organizes surrounding facilities at once. There are so many things to consider that it still tends to go in circles. Baseball officials are watching closely, and there are opinions that it is time for a public discussion at the KBO level.