Making Your Hearts Pound

“Home run!” shouts the sports caster while the camera shoots fans from both sides showing different reactions. One side cries, the other cheers with joy. They empathize with the players on the ground. Nowadays, it is difficult to see a person without a sports team that he or she cheers for. Korean professional sports leagues have deeply rooted themselves in the hearts of busy modern lives yearning for a brief respite.

Professional sports leagues of Korea have a rather short history compared with that of the West and other industrialized countries. The Korean professional baseball league, along with the Korean professional soccer league, commenced in the early 1980s. It is said that these two professional sports leagues were started by former President Chun Doo Hwan, who seized power through a military coup. In an effort to placate the public, he promoted a policy commonly referred to as the 3S. The 3S stands for screen, sex, and sports. By doing so, the former president was able to induce political indifference among most citizens, making his control of the public easier. In contrast to the aforementioned sports leagues, the Korean professional basketball league has a shorter history of merely 15 years. In spite of such a brief history, the Korean professional sports leagues have achieved brilliant records, attracting foreign investors and fans. As of 2012, the Korean professional soccer league, commonly referred to as K-League, ranked 18th among world professional soccer leagues. Also, the Korean national baseball team won the gold medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, with the Korean national basketball team having won two times in the Asian Games as of 2011.

In Korea, all three sports have amateur leagues. These sub-elements can be largely distinguished from professional leagues based on their wage system. Athletes playing in the professional sports leagues obtain earnings from three sources of the following: gate receipts, spectators wagering, and sponsorships. Nowadays, an exorbitant amount of money is spent to support professional sports leagues as well as other amateur leagues, because by doing so, national sports teams become more competent, and amateur league players are motivated to play better to advance to the professional league.

K-LEAGUE

K-League was founded in 1983 by former president Chun in an effort to sway public attention in his favor. Its initial title was the Korean super League with only five clubs. The inaugural crown was lifted by Hallelujah FC. the Korean super League was later renamed K-League in 1998, expanding its membership to 15 clubs. As of 2012, a total of 16 clubs are competing for the championship.

Since its founding, K-League has participated in various international cup tournaments, finishing with notable records. In the Asian Football confederation (AFC) champions League, Seongnam Il-Hwa lifted the crown in 2010, Pohang Steelers in 2009, and Cheonbuk Hyundai in 2006. Furthermore, in 2009, Pohang Steelers triumphantly placed third in the FIFA club world cup, these results show how much K-League has developed over the past years. However, its market is relatively small compared with J-League of Japan, which was founded in 1991. In 2009, K-League’s approximate market size was calculated to be around 170 billion won, which is one-sixth that of J-League, and one-twenty-second that of the premier League of England.

   
 

On top of participating in intercontinental leagues, K-League also cooperates with foreign leagues to enhance its competitiveness. Recently, referees from K-League traveled to Germany to learn advanced umpiring techniques. Also, in order to prepare for the commencement of the pyramid system in 2013, officials made journeys to Japan, Scotland, and the Netherlands to seek advice.

The split system, scheduled to start this coming year, is a rather complex system that K-League has never experienced before. For the first time in its history, the 16 clubs are divided in two groups as the top group battles for the championship title, while the lower group fights to stave off relegation to the second professional league. Upon application, executives of K-League are anticipating more fierce competition among the teams. Once the second professional league starts, participating clubs will ferociously battle each other to join K-League, which is the zenith of the pyramid. The enhanced competition will naturally lead to more investment, and fostering of youth players. This is why the pyramid system is dubbed the “future of K-League.”

Like any other foreign sports leagues, K-League also has its rival matches. Among such rivalries, the fiercest is FC Seoul vs. Suwon Samsung Blue Wings. The rivalry was even selected as one of top 7 world derbies by the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), which supervises all international soccer leagues and matches. The two teams have always been the most competitive and capable, with both clubs taking the trophy four times in K-League. Recently, Suwon their side with seven consecutive wins over FC Seoul.

The start of the derby dates back to 1999, when Cho Kwang Rae, then coach of Suwon Samsung Blue wings, transferred to FC Seoul, signing a contract as a manager. On top of that, Seo Jeong Won, now a coach for Suwon Samsung Blue Wings, added fuel to the fiery rivalry when he decided to play for Suwon Samsung Blue wings, rejecting the opportunity to play for his original team, FC Seoul, after he came back from the French professional Football League. Since then, the two teams have ferociously competed for the crown, with fans from both sides even making up cheer songs mocking their adversary. Back in June, after FC Seoul lost 2:0 to Suwon Samsung Blue wings, fans from FC Seoul lay on the ground protesting. The incident was settled after scores of fans were arrested. The next day, the event made headlines in sports newspapers, abashing many soccer fans. Sports-culture critic Choi dong Ho commented, “Blind pursuit for victory has become the biggest side effect of competition. Fans and clubs need to have long-term goals.”

Sure enough, K-League has definitely developed both in its size and competitiveness since its foundation. It is considered as one of the top leagues in Asia. However, it possesses various chronic shortcomings such as poor infrastructure, indiscrete pursuit for winning, and low spectator turnout. Fortunately, different measures are being taken simultaneously by government officials, fans, and K-League to resolve such problems. Kim Ka Eun (public relations, K-League) says, “The government is actively encouraging grassroots efforts to promote youth players and heighten players’ competitiveness, while clubs are actively taking part in making their stadiums more spectator-friendly.”

Korea Baseball League

The pennant race in Korean professional baseball league lasts from early April to early October. Games are usually held six days a week, except on Mondays. The top 4 clubs during the pennant race advance to the postseason for the first and second rounds of the play-offs, with playing the best of five games, followed by a best-of-seven Korean series. The third- and fourth-place clubs compete in the first round of the play-offs, the winner of which, along with the second-place club, compete in the second round. Finally, the winner of the second play-off and the first-place club face off in the Korean series.

Unlike Major League Baseball (MLB), the Korean baseball league does not have a minor league system, but rather a second string, Korea Baseball Future’s League. The minor league is where whole clubs compete with each other. the second string, however, is composed of relatively incompetent players from the first league clubs. Players in both sections can be transferred, even during the season.

   
▲ Kim Jun Wan ('09, Physical Education) Photographed by Bae Mi Seon

With such a system, the Korean professional baseball league attracts the public. According to the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), it reached over seven million in attendance for the 2012 regular season, much more than other professional leagues ––about two million for K-League and around a million for Korea Basketball League (KBL). Regional sense of rivalry is one of the factors drawing fans to baseball from soccer and basketball. With more ardent regional sense than K-league and professional basketball league, the base of fans is much stronger and broader.

Regionalism also leads to a variety of interesting cheers. Eight teams in the professional baseball league have each distinctive cheering songs and chants. Among them, Kia tigers and Lotte giants are representative examples because they have been traditional rivals based on the regionalism between the Honam and Yeongnam areas. Thus, their cheering activities resemble fighting with each other. Kim Ji Han, a reporter of The Daily Sports, said, “The cheering of Lotte giants is most distinctive I have seen. It leads fans, even noncommitted ones, to cheer excitedly against an opponent, especially the Kia tigers.” Although it used to be somewhat problematic as it was too aggressive in the past, it is now an attractive feature, making people interested in baseball.

Another key factor is that KBO has targeted female and family-unit fans. Kim young sang (’11, sociology) commented, “the Korean professional baseball league is no longer just an interest of males, thanks to the marketing strategy of KBO and clubs that hold some events for females only.” the number of female fans is gradually growing, and families, including wives and children, are beginning to come to the stadium together as a group. Female spectators accounted for 40 percent of all spectators in 2011.

Based on the wide range of fans and a number of outstanding baseball players in the professional baseball league, Korean baseball has been active on the international stage. the Korean professional baseball league is usually regarded as one of the top 5 leagues in the world. According to the International Baseball Federation (IBAF), the Korean baseball league is ranked fourth, following those of Cuba, the U.S., and Japan. the Korean baseball team won an Olympic gold medal in the Beijing Olympics in 2008, and was the runner up in the 2009 world Baseball classic (WBC).

Despite the remarkable achievements, the government has been relatively reluctant to actively support the Korean professional baseball league. Kim Jun Wan (’09, Physical Education) suggested that support for facilities by the central and local governments is inadequate compared with that in foreign countries. “There are no domed stadiums at all, and even locker rooms are not provided at some stadiums in Korea. Such poor facilities should be improved as Korean baseball is developing and will develop further.”

Korea Basketball League

Korean professional basketball league lasts from October to March of the next year. 10 teams compete in six round-robin tournaments, with each team facing the others once each. Thus, each team plays 27 home games and 27 away games. This is not the end of games in the Korean basketball league. The top six teams from the regular season play again in the play-offs, which are conducted as a tournament. The first and second rounds follow a best-of-five format with the final championship being a best-of-seven.

Actually, Korean basketball is not so outstanding in the international stage. the national men’s basketball team could not advance to the 2012 London Olympics. According to Federation Internationale de Basketball Amateur (FIBA), Korean basketball is ranked 33rd, which is far lower than where Korean baseball is ranked. A possible reason might be that an athlete’s physical condition is far more important in basketball than in soccer or baseball. A small body and lack of height compared to those of westerns can be disadvantageous for playing basketball.

   
 

Domestically, as well as internationally, Korean basketball has problems. KBL attracts relatively fewer fans than K-League and KBO do. Even though the maximum seating capacity of a basketball arena is less than that of football and baseball stadiums, apparently fewer people are interested in basketball than in other sports in Korea. However, it had grabbed the attention of the public in the past when business teams and varsity teams such as that of Korea University (KU) and Yonsei University (YU) competed. then, what changed the KBL?

Lack of star players and lack of basic skills are important factors that have lessened the attractiveness of Korean professional basketball league compared with that of the past. Cho Yong Woon (’05, Law) implied that handsome and talented basketball players such as Jeon Hui Cheol (’92, physical education), and Yang Hui Seung (’93, Physical Education) attracted may fans to basketball. spectators were surprised that they both played great and were handsome, and began to become interested in the league.

Cho also considered lack of shooters and the unconditional pursuit of flashy playing without basic skills as differences from the 1990s. He said, “Shooters who can sink a shot anywhere and anytime are hard to find nowadays. Lacking in fundamental skills, such as passing, they merely try to stand out by making spectacular plays. The tendency leads to fewer points in games, which makes fans turn their backs on the Korean professional basketball league.”

The decreased quality of the professional basketball league is one of the reasons Korean basketball is weak in global matches. Kim mentioned, “A crucial factor deciding world ranking is how active the professional league is. Active professional leagues can improve the quality of games, which can lead to an effective motivation for athletes to play better. This can be the solid foundation to achieve a lot more globally.”

Different from K-League, which has a split system and a pyramid system, and Korean professional baseball league with the Future’s League, Korean professional basketball league, does not have a minor league or the second string. It has just one league consisting of 10 clubs. Some people might suggest that KBL should introduce a pyramid system because K-league benefits from such a system.

Kim, however, opposed the suggestion, saying “the characteristics of basketball are different from those of soccer. That is why the premier League in England has the pyramid system, while the National Basketball League (NBL) in the U.S. does not.” NBL attracts enough fans, even without a pyramid system. Thus, KBL has to find other solutions to be successful.

Kim suggested that aggressive basketball with high game scores and reforms such as variable regulations on foreign players should be pursued for further development of the KBL. Also, Cho Yong Chan mentioned, “The Media need to focus on the Korean professional basketball league as much as on other sports because it will help the public become more familiar with basketball.”

Social and Economic Ripple of Professional Sports Leagues

The professional leagues of soccer, baseball, and basketball are not limited to merely sports. They influence social and economic sectors as well in our society.

Professional leagues are helpful in that they create social bonding among local people. As mentioned in the section on baseball, each club is based in a particular region. Kim Ji Han stated that whenever Kia Tigers and Lotte Giants face each other, people in Honam and Yeongnam area are highly interested in the game, cheer their team fiercely, and tend to enthusiastically rejoice over a victory, or get extremely angry over a loss. Such regional passion for sports can invigorate sports at the area and bring the locals together.

Social capital such as social networks, observing the rules, and mutual trust can be obtained through active professional leagues. As sports can develop mutual respect, trust, and morality, those social capitals can be acquired, resulting in facilitating cooperation for the mutual benefit of members of society. Thus, local governments should invest in and support clubs with continuous interest.

In the case of the Korean professional basketball league, it is conducive to balancing regional development as well as to helping the local economy. Cho Yong Chan pointed out that as some basketball clubs are based in small and medium- sized cities such as Anyang, Goyang, and Wonju, it will be beneficial for those cities in developing competitiveness against other major cities.

Sports Toto is another ripple effect of professional leagues. It will be a kind of leisure game where participants receive a cash reward based on how they betted on the result of a game. Toto is often criticized because it seems like a lottery in that it is really a matter of a chance. It might stir up a speculative drive in people and lead them to become addicted to it.

Despite such a critical viewpoint, Toto is a leisure game legally authorized by the government. As there is a limit how much a purchaser can bet at a time (100,000 won maximum), the financial risk is not so high. Also, contrary to Lotto where people have to depend on pure chance itself, they tend to bet on Toto through their own analysis of data and lose relatively less money. The sense of participation is another positive aspect of Toto. The means for sports fans to participate in professional sports is somewhat limited to cheering and Toto. As one of the means for participating, Toto can allow people to become more involved in professional sports.

What is more, profits from Toto are invested in various areas. Cho Yong Chan noted, “The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism distributes profits from Toto to each sport. The aid is usually invested in sports facilities, promoting youth sports, and supporting other sporting events.” Thus, Toto can be regarded beneficial, considering those four factors of the following: the limit on betting, using objective data, the sense of participation, and the way profits are used.

   
 

   
 

Future of Korean Professional Sports Leagues

Undeniably, Korean professional sports leagues have grown both in size and capability despite a rather short history compared with the leagues of other nations. However, the Korean professional sports leagues definitely have more potential to achieve even more. To do so, diverse approaches seem most pivotal.

First, the integrity of the professional sports leagues needs t o be sus t a i n e d . What differentiates a sports match from a play is that its outcome is difficult to predict, for it can never be repeated in the same manner. This is why sports are often called “a drama without a script.” Unlike other cultural products, a sports match cannot and should not be controlled or manipulated. Any attempts to do so, including performance enhancing drugs (PEDs), match fixing, and instigation of violence, need to be stopped. Kang Kwon Soo (Sports Promotion, Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism) said, “Match manipulation is undeniably a negative factor in developing fan trust. It is important to build a transparent environment to enhance faith and trust among sports fans.”

 

Next, standardization of team competitiveness is critical. Korean professional sports leagues have done well in this field, introducing the draft system. Owing to the system, teams that rank at the bottom are given priority in signing promising players. However, the system also has demerits such as disregard for player preference in choosing a particular team to play for and regionalism. Yet, the leagues are adopting a multitude of measures to provide players an opportunity to transfer to another team. Players in the professional baseball league are now able to change their status to that of free agent and can transfer to a different team after they play nine years for the team that drafted them. Also, regionalism in sports is now often considered something that should be broken down. Professor Lee Cheon Hee (Physical Education) said, “These days, a player’s competitiveness is the most important factor in being drafted. His place of birth or alma mater is not as weighty.”

Finally, the true “regionalization” of franchises needs to be settled. This does not mean regionalism in drafting. The problem is that most professional sports teams in Korea claim to be regional based, but in fact, the majority of them are corporation based.

It would be easier to comprehend when one takes Suwon Samsung Blue Wings and Busan Lotte Giants as examples. The corporations seem to take advantage of local residents to promote their firms, instead of fortifying the team’s relationship with them. Sports clubs need to be something for local residents to take pride and show constant interest in.

   
 

In the case of the United States, when the Chicago White Sox of MLB tried to move the team to Saint Petersburg due to its poorly equipped home stadium, the fans vehemently opposed the move. They even convinced the local government to grant the club 185 million dollars for constructing a new baseball stadium. The construction created hundreds of jobs for residents, revitalizing the community. This case vividly shows that a professional sports team is a positive factor in bringing the local community together and contributing to the local economy.

Without any doubt, Korean professional sports leagues have proved their capabilities in recent years. Nevertheless, they possess the potential to do better. It is high time that they boldly discard what is deconstructive for them while improving what they are doing well in. Only then will a bright future await the Korean professional sports leagues.
 

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