New KBO season opens to sellout crowds at all 5 games

SEOUL, March 22 (Yonhap) -- All five games on Opening Day of the 2025 Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) season sold out on Saturday, with nearly 110,000 fans taking in action across the country.

The KBO said the five games involving all 10 clubs drew a combined 109,950 fans, the second-highest total for an Opening Day -- behind only the 114,021 fans that attended season openers in 2019.

This is the third straight Opening Day sellout

According to the KBO, Saturday's total also ranked third overall in single-day attendance rankings under the current 10-team setup. The record is 114,085 fans from May 5, 2016.

The 2024 champions Kia Tigers began their title defense against the NC Dinos in front of 20,500 fans at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, 270 kilometers south of Seoul.

The Samsung Lions, runners-up in 2024, brought the Kiwoom Heroes to Daegu Samsung Lions Park in Daegu, 235 kilometers southeast of Seoul, with 24,000 fans on hand.

In the nation's capital, the LG Twins hosted the Lotte Giants with 23,750 fans packing Jamsil Baseball Stadium.

In Incheon, just west of the capital, the SSG Landers took on the Doosan Bears before 23,000 fans at Incheon SSG Landers Field.

KT Wiz Park in Suwon, 30 kilometers south of Seoul, was the smallest stadium for Saturday, and the home team KT Wiz faced the Hanwha Eagles before 18,700 fans.

jeeho@yna.co.kr
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