The first spectator-free baseball game in Korean professional baseball

▲ A picture indicating that there is no audience / Source: THE PR NEWS

The COVID-19 virus, which first broke out in China in December 2019, is spreading around the world as of 2020. COVID-19 has killed many people worldwide, and most people's daily lives have been interrupted. Everyone should refrain from going outside and wear a mask when going out. Students don't go to school, they take classes online at home, office workers work from home, and COVID-19 makes many people change their daily lives. This time, I would like to introduce you to Korean professional baseball, which has undergone a new change due to COVID-19.

With the worldwide suspension of sports due to COVID-19, South Korea held the opening ceremony of professional baseball(KBO) on May 5. The professional baseball game(KBO), which usually starts in early April, was postponed due to the COVID-19 and started on May 5. Baseball games have been suspended due to the COVID-19 worldwide, making South Korea the second country to start a professional baseball game after Taiwan. There has been a lot of interest in the opening ceremony of Korea professional baseball around the world. This was revealed by many foreign media who visited the stadium about the Korean professional baseball league, which opened for the second time after Taiwan. ESPN, a U.S. sports media outlet, covered a feature article introducing the KBO and gave detailed information about the KBO to those who miss sports.

There was something different in this Korean professional baseball game. Last year, about 114,000 spectators visited the stadium during the opening of the Korean professional baseball league in 2019, marking the largest attendance ever. However, this opening ceremony was blocked by the COVID-19 that prevented spectators from coming to the stadium. Leaving the empty stands behind, baseball players wore masks to participate in the game. To fill the empty stadium, several stadiums have installed banners throughout the stadium showing the appearance of radish characters to mean "Because of COVID-19, spectators cannot come to the stadium". Also, baseball fans took pictures of cheering baseball teams at home for their cheering teams, showing unusual cheering by playing them on the billboards of baseball stadiums.

The 2020 KBO League will start May 5 and run through November 2. Although it is not scheduled when baseball lovers will be able to watch baseball games directly at baseball stadiums due to COVID-19, I am hoped that baseball games will be played with spectators as soon as possible after overcoming COVID-19.