KBO President urges preparation for post-golden age of 10 million spectators

[Anchor]

KBO President Heo Koo-youn, who opened the era of 10 million spectators in professional baseball for the first time, warned of a crisis following the golden age.

He emphasized that in order to prevent the unprecedented success from disappearing like a mirage, it is essential to focus on substance rather than just expansion.

This is a report by reporter Ha Mu-rim.

[Report]

This season, professional baseball has opened the era of 10 million spectators for the first time in Korean professional sports history.

The explosive influx of spectators from the 2030 generation through the allowance and activation of SNS content, as well as the introduction of the world's first ABS, have also had a significant impact.

President Heo Koo-youn received high praise for these achievements and was awarded the grand prize at the Ilgoo Club awards ceremony, but he stressed the need for awareness of the crisis.

[Heo Koo-youn/KBO President: "I have a thought that our baseball might be 'external prosperity but internal emptiness.' I think there is a considerable possibility that we could drop to 9 million or 8 million (spectators) at the moment we become intoxicated with 10 million spectators."]

He particularly expressed concern about the international competitiveness of Korean baseball, which has been underperforming in recent international competitions such as the Tokyo Olympics and WBC.

He pointed out that success built without a solid foundation can collapse like a mirage in an instant.

[Heo Koo-youn/KBO President: "(Since the gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics) if you ask whether the Korean baseball has continued to develop, I find it hard to agree. In the meantime, Japan has experienced a significant shock and has continued to develop gradually, whereas the pace of Korean baseball has been relatively slow."]

He emphasized the need to strengthen competitiveness through expanding youth baseball, improving infrastructure, and training advanced coaches.

He also promised to create an opportunity for revival in the 2026 WBC through generational change and thorough preparation.

[Heo Koo-youn/KBO President: "We are making extensive preparations to reach the semifinals in the 2026 WBC, and it must be achieved. For the sake of our fans, reaching the semifinals is a must."]

This is KBS News, Ha Mu-rim.