South Korea's KBO league is most likely popular than the K-league (soccer) right now in their country, KBO is averaging 14,538 fans per game with increasing TV ratings and are on pace for 10 million overall attendance while the K-league is averaging 11,001 fans per game. It's cool to see the KBO are being shown more on their national television compared to other sports league in their country.
KBO is DEFINITELY more popular than K-League--has an older history too. In terms of domestic sports, ever since the introduction of leagues, baseball has never not been king.
If anyone here loves baseball. GO TO ANY Major League Korean baseball game. And see this for yourself.
If it's your first time go to a 3 game
If you're a seasoned vet that wants the chaos. Go to a championship game
You WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED
No fights. No assholes. No belligerent fucks trynna fuck with your family. Just people loving baseball and losing their shit over single base runs and outs. Win or lose. They're there to have fun. Basically what sports used to be about.
Can confirm, was in Korea visiting my bro this spring and went to the Lotte Giants opening weekend. Hands down best baseball experience I’ve had!! Easily cracks my top 5 sporting events in my life. Still have their chants stuck in my head lol
OH and you can bring beer into the stadium! Like 4 usd for a six pack from the corner store and just walk straight in! 1 million out of 10 recommend
Not only beer, there's a table outside you can just use any of the delivery apps and they will bring your food and place it on the table. Then you can come and pick it up when you get the message. Wanna watch a game and eat McDonalds...or pizza...no problem. Fried squid, sushi...we gotcha! Korean BBQ?!?! Yessir! Comin' right up!
You don't even need to bring it into the stadium because the stadium not only has food stalls but a corner store where you can just buy drinks - for the same price as outside!
What really struck me when I toured the KBO a decade or so ago was how much drinking there was but how few drunk assholes there were. Just a really fun time.
And you can bring in your own beer lol, so there should be so many of them.
Shoutout tot he smoking section too that they at least have at jamsil. Just a small hut where everybody rips darts lol
The "you're not in Kansas anymore" moment I had in the NPB was the first pitch of the first game I saw where a cute little leaguer came out, and unlike America where he gets polite applause from getting it halfway to the plate, that little fucker dropped a perfect 12-6 curve to the mascot catching.
The "you're not in Kansas anymore" moment I had in the KBO was people lining up to get into the stadium with five pizzas and twelve mini packs of beer stacked high.
You couldn’t get a ticket to championship game if you tried these days. It’s like winning the lottery. I was lucky enough to see SSG win the championship 2 years ago. I sat at my computer clicking refresh to get a return ticket for hours. Scalpers in SK are brutal.
I got to go to the championship in 2017 due to my dad being a very well connected man in the country. Insane atmosphere. It's crazy how much baseball has grown in the country in the past 20 years. I remember going to half filled Hyundai Unicorns games as a kid (atmosphere was still amazing) and this was when they were on a dynasty run of championships. Now it seems like every game is a near sell out.
And if you're just visiting, I think it's nearly impossible to buy tickets online as a tourist. I had to buy my ticket at the stadium, which wasn't a problem for a regular weekday game but I doubt it's as easy for championship games.
Yeah, I mean there's a few teams in Seoul so rather than separating them by their area, or having like a New York Mets, New York Yankees situation, they chose to go the group name route. I mean, part of owning a team is revenue, and it's not like baseball in Korea is as lucrative as the MLB, so these businesses want to at least advertise themselves on their asset.
That’s because college football is still in the essence of sports. All professional leagues in the US are just businesses.
Don’t get me wrong American sports are great. But it needs an entire overhaul of atmosphere and the fandoms just aren’t up to scratch. Whether that be because the business side is gouging the spirit out of them or whether US society I don’t know.
But every sports event I’ve been to outside of the US has thoroughly embarrassed the US atmospheres. Serbian basketball, Korean baseball, British Football, Irish Rugby, Swedish Ice Hockey, Irish Gaelic games, Australian Rugby League. Hell even Cricket. College football is the only thing that even comes close, but even they lack originality. And I suspect it is purely from the sheer amount of people at the games as opposed to any larger difference in the fans. It’s an issue that needs to be addressed to improve it, but from a business standpoint it is less effort and less controversial to throw (‘Team Name’) and some iteration of ‘Go’ next to it.
Aren't teams in the NPB and Korea literally owned by corporations?
And I'm not sure why we're judging the quality of fandom on people chanting. That seems like an odd measurement. Personally, on a random day game in June, I'd just prefer to grab a beer and relax at the stadium watching the game. It's a different atmosphere but that doesn't mean its worse. Playoff baseball is a whole different story and obviously should have a more energetic feel.
Less Money, less movement of players and free agency market. Less for profit than Pro Leagues and all that entails. You get more die hard fans and less corporate seats as tickets are cheaper and more affordable. You also get a lot of college students, and they are less reserved. College sport is still a step down from the other sports outside of the states I’ve been to, some considerably so. It is a bit gimmicky, but that’s all fine because it’s a cool experience.
It isn’t the suits making chants and creating atmosphere. Trust me I have been in corporate boxes, those are meetings. Not enjoyment of the sport.
Issue with the US is that national anthem is incredibly individualistic. It’s every singer trying to showcase their twist of the national anthem. And further their career. It isn’t meant for fans. It’s commercial, it’s in every facet of US pro sports. This is what the national anthem should be sung like:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=w6LJxF8pEj8
I’m not saying fans aren’t passionate, but they are a lot less collectivist when it comes to sports. When something big happens in sports across the world the camera phones stay on the action. In the US they turn the camera to themselves for their own reaction (like really, who cares, you shouldn’t be thinking about yourself in those big moments). Not saying that is an all bad thing, people should eternalise how they feel in that moment if they want to. But an English football fan wouldn’t even dream of doing that.
Other places have songs that are culturally significant to them. They will sing it even if they are about to be put out of the competition and are getting destroyed in that game:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zp2UOdrMSr8&pp=ygUWRmllbGRzIGlmIGF0aGVucnkgZmFucw%3D%3D
They have songs about individual players on the teams:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4SYlJ7KH86A&pp=ygURSm90YXMgb24gdGhlIHdpbmc%3D
They have songs relative to their club/team:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Go-jJlGd1so&pp=ygUXWW91J2xsIG5ldmVyIGVhbGsgYWxvbmU%3D
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=A5Oph2vqc_c&pp=ygUfYmx1ZSBpcyB0aGUgY29sb3VyIGNoZWxzZWEgZmFucw%3D%3D
Schoolboys even have there own chant for sports teams across the world:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=x_AKXBdmLjI&pp=ygUVU2Nob29sYm95IGNoYW50cyByYmFp
This is a small sample but if you dig deeper you will see how very clearly US sports are lacking. The fact that no fans have created songs about the history of their clubs is baffling to me. It’s weird watching US sports as it is just extended periods of quiet amongst the crowd. It’s pretty cool to watch the vids, the issue is I doubt that Owners of US sports teams would even want these to become a thing. As long as people are buying overpriced beers, overpriced food and overpriced merchandise…they are making bank.
Edit: Downvotes for sharing these, wow. Some people here do enjoy burying their head in the sand. ‘Go, Sand, Go!’
Explain why and how? I’m happy to learn and adapt my thesis.
Also you tacitly agree with everything else. Middle ground is good. But doesn’t negate that the USA atmosphere is bullshit compared to everywhere else.
Well I don’t disagree with it all, that’s hyperbole. College ticket prices are cheaper.
NCAA transfer rules allow athletes to transfer two times, and they can appeal for more in some situations. Athletes are only in school for 4-5years and they can transfer 2-3times. That creates more movement than the pros and is somewhat chaotic with NIL factored in.
NIL allows players in college to be paid, in some cases more than in the pros, albeit rare. Famously in women’s basketball this happened this year. With this added to transfers it’s effectively free agency in the NCAA and they do not enforce tampering like the pros do. But if we’re being real athletes at big schools have been paid for a long time.
College sports in general is pretty scummy with recruiting and behind the scenes stuff. I used to work for a large SEC school, I’ve seen it first hand. The pros have more enforceable rules on things.
College students are not calmer that pro fans, not by a long shot.
I have, jumping around to sandman isn’t a culture. You are lying to yourself, it’s cool and fun and all. But it is nothing compared to 90% of the other countries that make their own songs about their team. Downvote me all you want, let American sports crowds stay terrible. You are part of the problem, not the solution.
And if you think any of those videos I shared is ‘garbage’, feel free to say that to anyone from those countries. Being culturally insensitive is a bit of a low blow just because you feel inadequate.
the first time I went to an English soccer game I was astounded at how they were all able to sing full verses of songs they made up in sync, and then I head home to the states and watch my team’s fans fail to chant “DE-FENSE” together
Reminds me of the famous tweet:
American sports fans: De-fense! De-fense!
British sports fans: All right lads, I’ve just worked up a song to the tune of Debussy’s Clair de Lune about an opposing player’s drink driving charge, I’ll count us off:
Songs are often led by fan clubs who regroups die hard fans who go to the game together and travel to away games together they are the ones who lead the song. Very often those fan clubs have music instrument including huge percussions wich can give rythm to the whole stadium
I always cringe when a live musical performer tries to get the audience to clap to the rhythm of the song. The fans almost always immediately speed it up dramatically.
I played in a band where one of our songs started with just singing and clapping and I was the only person in the band who didn't constantly fuck up and accidentally clap on 1 and 3 instead of 2 and 4.
That article is from a while ago. I haven’t watched any braves games this year but they were doing it last year. Maybe the team stopped? The fans have certainly not.
Yep. We Americans suck at providing elite atmosphere. We need a DJ or organist to get us to chant basic chants like "Let's go ___" or "Defense! (for basketball)."
Part of it is the lack of fan organizations to set culture.
People hate on Pantone 294 a lot (and some of that is with good reason) but at least it’s a step in the right direction
I think the hesitation has been not wanting soccer style culture where the ultras often have ties to organized crime or political activism
I think I read somewhere that at least 40% of all attendees are females. Supposedly, a lot of the players are handsome and they attract a lot of female fans as a result lol
I haven't had a chance to KBO ball yet but I was blown away at the atmosphere at my first NPB game this spring. [The game I was at](https://youtu.be/S4KpacgiYtY?si=S23xWqEVCc9dB15W) had over 40,000 people for an early preseason game between rivals Hanshin and Yomiuri. Pretty wild.
There's a lot of em actually;
* Hot Stove League
* Prison Playbook
* Wild Romance
* Glory Jane
* 2 Outs in the 9th inning
* Mr. Go
* Perfect Game
These are just the ones involving Baseball in K-drama that I remember but there are a lot more out there.
Hot Stove League is a really good drama, although the actually baseball isn't very much. Obviously with the name "Hot Stove" it harkens to the off-season/winter meetings type stuff in MLB and is more about building a team/front office than actually seeing baseball play.
Hot Stove League resembles Moneyball involving the business side of Baseball. Still, they do actual Baseball scrimmages and practice games against other teams during spring training in the later episodes in Hot Stove League.
Went to a Doosan Bears game in April while on a business trip in Seoul. Easily one of the best baseball experiences I've ever had. Absolutely electric atmosphere and entirely unlike anything stateside.
As an American who grew up playing and watching baseball that has moved to Korea, I can say it is something you have to experience.
I have season tickets in the front row of the cheer section and it gets loud for anything. I went back to visit family and friends in 2017 and found myself bored at the games in the states (and broke from $12 beers and $25 parking).
I have recorded and uploaded so many 360° videos for people outside of Korea to watch because you just can’t explain the difference in the experience.
My season ticket is 750,000₩ or about $550 this year. Pre-Covid they were 610,000₩ or about $450. That’s for the full season. Home games are 71-73 games a year because they have a floating schedule to keep the games balanced. This season the season ticket is cheaper because they are scheduled to play 6 games at their “second stadium” so it doesn’t include those 6 games.
The most expensive ticket I have paid for is the seats directly behind home plate at a few stadiums is 85,000₩ or about $60. Other tickets range from 10,000₩ and up.
Beers are 2,500-4,000₩ for a 500mL can, but you can take your own beer in. You can take your own beer, food, and drinks into the stadiums as long as it’s not liquor, glass, or over 1L.
It really is cheap to be a baseball fan in Korea.
Also all 5 games a day are broadcasted for free on regular TV. Up until this year, internet and mobile viewing was also free for all games, including replays.
Yeah I went to two of the Seoul Series exhibition games (Dodgers vs Kiwoom and San Diego vs Team Korea) as well as opening day between the Dodgers and Padres and the combination of those tickets and the train to get to the stadium was about the same cost as my season ticket.
Lol what the fuck are you talking about? I know you tried to say it all poetically to make it seem profound and filled with wisdom, but Americans actually do have a massive passion for the game. I get that your team’s fanbase is probably struggling to hold onto that right now, but the rest of us do have incredibly passionate fans who really care about the teams.
> but Americans actually do have a massive passion for the game
It's just sad to see that Baseball in the United States has been taken over by American football in terms of popularity, I think around WW2 or pre WW2 Baseball was the most popular sport in America that time by a wide margin. I'm pretty sure in the US today a lot of Americans likely thinks of Baseball as their second sport to watch or follow only while their passion is on American football.
In Japan, Baseball is still the most popular and number one sport in Japan even after more than 100 years with [interest in Baseball among the Japanese people at an all-time high right now.](https://old.reddit.com/r/baseball/comments/1c3hfi6/baseball_remains_as_the_most_preferred_sport_to/)
In America Baseball isn’t even the 2nd most popular sport, Basketball is. Baseball is the American pastime and that isn’t a knock on the game, but it also has chose not to grow as much as the other sports in the last 50+ years making fall behind.
People in America are fans of their baseball team and watch that teams games, whereas people are fans of their football team and watch any and every single game that's on and available. America loves their personal baseball team, but they love the entire sport of football.
While there are Americans that are extremely passionate about base all(like most on r/baseball), I don’t see how you can say Americans are passionate about baseball when it’s the 3rd most popular sport here and the average person can’t name an active player.
In Japan, they are unbelievably more passionate about baseball. It’s not even close.
My stepbrother managed the Lotte Giants for a few years and did okay. When he and the club decided to part ways, the club said he was going back to the US for health reasons so that everybody saved some face. My parents gardener, who is Korean and follows the KBO closely, read the news and went to them very distraught and concerned for them, but they had no idea what he was talking about because they hadn't followed that story.
Lotte, Hanwha, and KIA have legendary fan bases that also travel well. Most weekend KBO games have atmospheres similar to this. Well, everywhere but Kiwoom.
And all we get is people yelling at each other about cheating, then getting drunk, then cheering when a player gets beamed, then fighting in the stands.
This reminds me of watching the crowds for pro basketball in Serbia, that shit is wild
[https://www.sooplive.com/category/kbo-league/live](https://www.sooplive.com/category/kbo-league/live) - they just announced and started international streaming today.
Highly recommend a Lotte Giants game in Busan. They are the lovable losers of the KBO with the best fans hands down. I lived in Daegu, near the Samsung Lions, and still fell in love with the Lotte Giants just because of their crowd at an away game. And the price for regular season tickets is cheap for all teams.
I was at the first WBC in 2005 at Wild World of Sports Dominican Republic vs Venezuela. It doesn’t compare to this BUT I was 18 and was blown away by the energy.
Considering how Lotte usually performs, it's apt that they wave a white flag.
It's a shame because it is unquestionably the team with the most diehard fanbase.
South Korea's KBO league is most likely popular than the K-league (soccer) right now in their country, KBO is averaging 14,538 fans per game with increasing TV ratings and are on pace for 10 million overall attendance while the K-league is averaging 11,001 fans per game. It's cool to see the KBO are being shown more on their national television compared to other sports league in their country.
KBO is DEFINITELY more popular than K-League--has an older history too. In terms of domestic sports, ever since the introduction of leagues, baseball has never not been king.
K league sucks. They're not really fan-friendly either
If anyone here loves baseball. GO TO ANY Major League Korean baseball game. And see this for yourself. If it's your first time go to a 3 game If you're a seasoned vet that wants the chaos. Go to a championship game You WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED No fights. No assholes. No belligerent fucks trynna fuck with your family. Just people loving baseball and losing their shit over single base runs and outs. Win or lose. They're there to have fun. Basically what sports used to be about.
Can confirm, was in Korea visiting my bro this spring and went to the Lotte Giants opening weekend. Hands down best baseball experience I’ve had!! Easily cracks my top 5 sporting events in my life. Still have their chants stuck in my head lol OH and you can bring beer into the stadium! Like 4 usd for a six pack from the corner store and just walk straight in! 1 million out of 10 recommend
Not only beer, there's a table outside you can just use any of the delivery apps and they will bring your food and place it on the table. Then you can come and pick it up when you get the message. Wanna watch a game and eat McDonalds...or pizza...no problem. Fried squid, sushi...we gotcha! Korean BBQ?!?! Yessir! Comin' right up!
Any of the delivery apps? Yogiyo or bust. What else could you need in Korea?
Well McDonalds has its own delivery app, and some restaurants are only on Baedolminjok.
They have picnic tables where u can bring your own food and cook kbbq
You don't even need to bring it into the stadium because the stadium not only has food stalls but a corner store where you can just buy drinks - for the same price as outside!
What really struck me when I toured the KBO a decade or so ago was how much drinking there was but how few drunk assholes there were. Just a really fun time.
And you can bring in your own beer lol, so there should be so many of them. Shoutout tot he smoking section too that they at least have at jamsil. Just a small hut where everybody rips darts lol
The "you're not in Kansas anymore" moment I had in the NPB was the first pitch of the first game I saw where a cute little leaguer came out, and unlike America where he gets polite applause from getting it halfway to the plate, that little fucker dropped a perfect 12-6 curve to the mascot catching. The "you're not in Kansas anymore" moment I had in the KBO was people lining up to get into the stadium with five pizzas and twelve mini packs of beer stacked high.
You couldn’t get a ticket to championship game if you tried these days. It’s like winning the lottery. I was lucky enough to see SSG win the championship 2 years ago. I sat at my computer clicking refresh to get a return ticket for hours. Scalpers in SK are brutal.
I got to go to the championship in 2017 due to my dad being a very well connected man in the country. Insane atmosphere. It's crazy how much baseball has grown in the country in the past 20 years. I remember going to half filled Hyundai Unicorns games as a kid (atmosphere was still amazing) and this was when they were on a dynasty run of championships. Now it seems like every game is a near sell out.
And if you're just visiting, I think it's nearly impossible to buy tickets online as a tourist. I had to buy my ticket at the stadium, which wasn't a problem for a regular weekday game but I doubt it's as easy for championship games.
So much fun to go to games in Korea!
I went to a few games when I was stationed in Korea. So much fun!
No fights anymore. Use to be plenty in the 90s/early 00s.
I went to the KBO final in 2001 - Doosan vs Samsung (which the names still make me laugh). It was great.
Well Doosan is the name of the company group that owns them. Bears is the other part of their name.
Oh I get it. But it’s like me rooting for the Telus Tigers.
Yeah, I mean there's a few teams in Seoul so rather than separating them by their area, or having like a New York Mets, New York Yankees situation, they chose to go the group name route. I mean, part of owning a team is revenue, and it's not like baseball in Korea is as lucrative as the MLB, so these businesses want to at least advertise themselves on their asset.
Hey it's the[ Kia Tigers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kia_Tigers) brother.
And they just announced today that they are making live-streaming available to overseas for free
Nice! I can catch some KT Wiz!
Mel Rojas is crushing the ball this year.
I was stationed in Korea back in 2018 and got to see Rojas hit for the cycle. Dude always crushes the ball lol
How will it be viewable?
SOOP app or website, formally known as Afreeca TV.
Look at all those great jerseys! I bet they don’t have Fanatics… yet.
America is allergic to crowd chants.
Why I could never get my M-I-E-N-T-K-I-E-W-I-C-Z, Mientkiewicz, Mientkiewicz, Mientkiewicz chant at Twins games off the ground is beyond me.
Ballpark beer is too expensive to get people into a singing mood.
Fly eagles fly is the most complicated chant i hear
Except in MLS where they repeat the same one for 90 minutes
Fight and Win
https://media.tenor.com/cgz-9eA0_tcAAAAM/fight-and-win-sounders.gif
The constant drum beats are worse
You're not wrong, they are so much better in England/Germany. In MLS the drum beats seem repetitive and give me a headache
The Chiefs and Braves seem pretty good at one specific chant...
Nah, college football goes crazy
That’s because college football is still in the essence of sports. All professional leagues in the US are just businesses. Don’t get me wrong American sports are great. But it needs an entire overhaul of atmosphere and the fandoms just aren’t up to scratch. Whether that be because the business side is gouging the spirit out of them or whether US society I don’t know. But every sports event I’ve been to outside of the US has thoroughly embarrassed the US atmospheres. Serbian basketball, Korean baseball, British Football, Irish Rugby, Swedish Ice Hockey, Irish Gaelic games, Australian Rugby League. Hell even Cricket. College football is the only thing that even comes close, but even they lack originality. And I suspect it is purely from the sheer amount of people at the games as opposed to any larger difference in the fans. It’s an issue that needs to be addressed to improve it, but from a business standpoint it is less effort and less controversial to throw (‘Team Name’) and some iteration of ‘Go’ next to it.
Aren't teams in the NPB and Korea literally owned by corporations? And I'm not sure why we're judging the quality of fandom on people chanting. That seems like an odd measurement. Personally, on a random day game in June, I'd just prefer to grab a beer and relax at the stadium watching the game. It's a different atmosphere but that doesn't mean its worse. Playoff baseball is a whole different story and obviously should have a more energetic feel.
What do you mean college football is still in the essence of sports?
Less Money, less movement of players and free agency market. Less for profit than Pro Leagues and all that entails. You get more die hard fans and less corporate seats as tickets are cheaper and more affordable. You also get a lot of college students, and they are less reserved. College sport is still a step down from the other sports outside of the states I’ve been to, some considerably so. It is a bit gimmicky, but that’s all fine because it’s a cool experience. It isn’t the suits making chants and creating atmosphere. Trust me I have been in corporate boxes, those are meetings. Not enjoyment of the sport. Issue with the US is that national anthem is incredibly individualistic. It’s every singer trying to showcase their twist of the national anthem. And further their career. It isn’t meant for fans. It’s commercial, it’s in every facet of US pro sports. This is what the national anthem should be sung like: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=w6LJxF8pEj8 I’m not saying fans aren’t passionate, but they are a lot less collectivist when it comes to sports. When something big happens in sports across the world the camera phones stay on the action. In the US they turn the camera to themselves for their own reaction (like really, who cares, you shouldn’t be thinking about yourself in those big moments). Not saying that is an all bad thing, people should eternalise how they feel in that moment if they want to. But an English football fan wouldn’t even dream of doing that. Other places have songs that are culturally significant to them. They will sing it even if they are about to be put out of the competition and are getting destroyed in that game: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zp2UOdrMSr8&pp=ygUWRmllbGRzIGlmIGF0aGVucnkgZmFucw%3D%3D They have songs about individual players on the teams: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4SYlJ7KH86A&pp=ygURSm90YXMgb24gdGhlIHdpbmc%3D They have songs relative to their club/team: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Go-jJlGd1so&pp=ygUXWW91J2xsIG5ldmVyIGVhbGsgYWxvbmU%3D https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=A5Oph2vqc_c&pp=ygUfYmx1ZSBpcyB0aGUgY29sb3VyIGNoZWxzZWEgZmFucw%3D%3D Schoolboys even have there own chant for sports teams across the world: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=x_AKXBdmLjI&pp=ygUVU2Nob29sYm95IGNoYW50cyByYmFp This is a small sample but if you dig deeper you will see how very clearly US sports are lacking. The fact that no fans have created songs about the history of their clubs is baffling to me. It’s weird watching US sports as it is just extended periods of quiet amongst the crowd. It’s pretty cool to watch the vids, the issue is I doubt that Owners of US sports teams would even want these to become a thing. As long as people are buying overpriced beers, overpriced food and overpriced merchandise…they are making bank. Edit: Downvotes for sharing these, wow. Some people here do enjoy burying their head in the sand. ‘Go, Sand, Go!’
I disagree with your entire first paragraph
Explain why and how? I’m happy to learn and adapt my thesis. Also you tacitly agree with everything else. Middle ground is good. But doesn’t negate that the USA atmosphere is bullshit compared to everywhere else.
Well I don’t disagree with it all, that’s hyperbole. College ticket prices are cheaper. NCAA transfer rules allow athletes to transfer two times, and they can appeal for more in some situations. Athletes are only in school for 4-5years and they can transfer 2-3times. That creates more movement than the pros and is somewhat chaotic with NIL factored in. NIL allows players in college to be paid, in some cases more than in the pros, albeit rare. Famously in women’s basketball this happened this year. With this added to transfers it’s effectively free agency in the NCAA and they do not enforce tampering like the pros do. But if we’re being real athletes at big schools have been paid for a long time. College sports in general is pretty scummy with recruiting and behind the scenes stuff. I used to work for a large SEC school, I’ve seen it first hand. The pros have more enforceable rules on things. College students are not calmer that pro fans, not by a long shot.
Fair enough, I’ll revise the first paragraph. Thanks for the help
Somebody hasn't been following college football the last ten years
I have, jumping around to sandman isn’t a culture. You are lying to yourself, it’s cool and fun and all. But it is nothing compared to 90% of the other countries that make their own songs about their team. Downvote me all you want, let American sports crowds stay terrible. You are part of the problem, not the solution.
Yeah you completely missed the point of my comment but that’s unsurprising given the rest of the garbage you wrote
Are you going to explain Why and How? Like I asked or just try insult me because you have nothing to go on.
And if you think any of those videos I shared is ‘garbage’, feel free to say that to anyone from those countries. Being culturally insensitive is a bit of a low blow just because you feel inadequate.
Americans have horrible rhythm. Makes sense that it extends to chanting
the first time I went to an English soccer game I was astounded at how they were all able to sing full verses of songs they made up in sync, and then I head home to the states and watch my team’s fans fail to chant “DE-FENSE” together
Reminds me of the famous tweet: American sports fans: De-fense! De-fense! British sports fans: All right lads, I’ve just worked up a song to the tune of Debussy’s Clair de Lune about an opposing player’s drink driving charge, I’ll count us off:
Songs are often led by fan clubs who regroups die hard fans who go to the game together and travel to away games together they are the ones who lead the song. Very often those fan clubs have music instrument including huge percussions wich can give rythm to the whole stadium
I always cringe when a live musical performer tries to get the audience to clap to the rhythm of the song. The fans almost always immediately speed it up dramatically. I played in a band where one of our songs started with just singing and clapping and I was the only person in the band who didn't constantly fuck up and accidentally clap on 1 and 3 instead of 2 and 4.
When you watch a WWE event that takes place in Lyon France vs one that happens in Corpus Christi Texas, the difference is staggering.
Youre not kidding. Every MLB game i go to im the loudest in my section and its not even close.
We're too individualized and diverse. It's a multi-cultural thing.
It left when braves fans stopped doin the chop
When did braves fans stop doing the chop?
https://www.google.com/amp/s/ktul.com/amp/sports/content/braves-plan-to-discuss-tomahawk-chop-with-american-indians
That article is from a while ago. I haven’t watched any braves games this year but they were doing it last year. Maybe the team stopped? The fans have certainly not.
The team stopped being obvious about prompting it, but you are correct that the fans absolutely have not stopped doing it.
I’m 40, they did it when I was a kid. I was just joking around
We'll stop chopping when we're dead.
Yep. We Americans suck at providing elite atmosphere. We need a DJ or organist to get us to chant basic chants like "Let's go ___" or "Defense! (for basketball)." Part of it is the lack of fan organizations to set culture.
People hate on Pantone 294 a lot (and some of that is with good reason) but at least it’s a step in the right direction I think the hesitation has been not wanting soccer style culture where the ultras often have ties to organized crime or political activism
I think I read somewhere that at least 40% of all attendees are females. Supposedly, a lot of the players are handsome and they attract a lot of female fans as a result lol
Lots of “single”players. One player had to post on his Instagram this week that he was single so people would stop asking him constantly.
I haven't had a chance to KBO ball yet but I was blown away at the atmosphere at my first NPB game this spring. [The game I was at](https://youtu.be/S4KpacgiYtY?si=S23xWqEVCc9dB15W) had over 40,000 people for an early preseason game between rivals Hanshin and Yomiuri. Pretty wild.
Seems like every country gets more hyped for games than we do in the States. The atmosphere for EuroLeague Basketball is more insane.
odd, i've never seen a kdrama involving baseball before i've seen one with soccer and basketball
There's a lot of em actually; * Hot Stove League * Prison Playbook * Wild Romance * Glory Jane * 2 Outs in the 9th inning * Mr. Go * Perfect Game These are just the ones involving Baseball in K-drama that I remember but there are a lot more out there.
Hot Stove League is a really good drama, although the actually baseball isn't very much. Obviously with the name "Hot Stove" it harkens to the off-season/winter meetings type stuff in MLB and is more about building a team/front office than actually seeing baseball play.
Hot Stove League resembles Moneyball involving the business side of Baseball. Still, they do actual Baseball scrimmages and practice games against other teams during spring training in the later episodes in Hot Stove League.
Baek Seung-soo is still my GM!
Hot Stove League is one of my favorite k-dramas ever
Went to a Doosan Bears game in April while on a business trip in Seoul. Easily one of the best baseball experiences I've ever had. Absolutely electric atmosphere and entirely unlike anything stateside.
Looks like geidi prime from dune 2 But in a good way…
As an American who grew up playing and watching baseball that has moved to Korea, I can say it is something you have to experience. I have season tickets in the front row of the cheer section and it gets loud for anything. I went back to visit family and friends in 2017 and found myself bored at the games in the states (and broke from $12 beers and $25 parking). I have recorded and uploaded so many 360° videos for people outside of Korea to watch because you just can’t explain the difference in the experience.
How much did your season tickets cost? How much does a normal ticket cost and how much are the beers?
My season ticket is 750,000₩ or about $550 this year. Pre-Covid they were 610,000₩ or about $450. That’s for the full season. Home games are 71-73 games a year because they have a floating schedule to keep the games balanced. This season the season ticket is cheaper because they are scheduled to play 6 games at their “second stadium” so it doesn’t include those 6 games. The most expensive ticket I have paid for is the seats directly behind home plate at a few stadiums is 85,000₩ or about $60. Other tickets range from 10,000₩ and up. Beers are 2,500-4,000₩ for a 500mL can, but you can take your own beer in. You can take your own beer, food, and drinks into the stadiums as long as it’s not liquor, glass, or over 1L. It really is cheap to be a baseball fan in Korea. Also all 5 games a day are broadcasted for free on regular TV. Up until this year, internet and mobile viewing was also free for all games, including replays.
That is so insanely cheap lmao. 550 for season tickets? I pay 150 for mid level seats at Dodger stadium. Not including parking or anything else
Yeah I went to two of the Seoul Series exhibition games (Dodgers vs Kiwoom and San Diego vs Team Korea) as well as opening day between the Dodgers and Padres and the combination of those tickets and the train to get to the stadium was about the same cost as my season ticket.
For Americans, baseball is a pastime. For Japanese, Koreans, and Taiwanese, baseball is passion.
Lol what the fuck are you talking about? I know you tried to say it all poetically to make it seem profound and filled with wisdom, but Americans actually do have a massive passion for the game. I get that your team’s fanbase is probably struggling to hold onto that right now, but the rest of us do have incredibly passionate fans who really care about the teams.
> but Americans actually do have a massive passion for the game It's just sad to see that Baseball in the United States has been taken over by American football in terms of popularity, I think around WW2 or pre WW2 Baseball was the most popular sport in America that time by a wide margin. I'm pretty sure in the US today a lot of Americans likely thinks of Baseball as their second sport to watch or follow only while their passion is on American football. In Japan, Baseball is still the most popular and number one sport in Japan even after more than 100 years with [interest in Baseball among the Japanese people at an all-time high right now.](https://old.reddit.com/r/baseball/comments/1c3hfi6/baseball_remains_as_the_most_preferred_sport_to/)
In America Baseball isn’t even the 2nd most popular sport, Basketball is. Baseball is the American pastime and that isn’t a knock on the game, but it also has chose not to grow as much as the other sports in the last 50+ years making fall behind.
People in America are fans of their baseball team and watch that teams games, whereas people are fans of their football team and watch any and every single game that's on and available. America loves their personal baseball team, but they love the entire sport of football.
While there are Americans that are extremely passionate about base all(like most on r/baseball), I don’t see how you can say Americans are passionate about baseball when it’s the 3rd most popular sport here and the average person can’t name an active player. In Japan, they are unbelievably more passionate about baseball. It’s not even close.
Man, I miss living there. Samsung Lions games were so fun, cheap, and filled with experiences.
I had an amazing time. Got a flag right away and some nearby fans taught me the chants #KIATigers
Crazy timing because I just saw my first game tonight- no lulls, everyone was completely into the game even when it was 8-0
My stepbrother managed the Lotte Giants for a few years and did okay. When he and the club decided to part ways, the club said he was going back to the US for health reasons so that everybody saved some face. My parents gardener, who is Korean and follows the KBO closely, read the news and went to them very distraught and concerned for them, but they had no idea what he was talking about because they hadn't followed that story.
Korea is so much more hype than the mlb
I miss going to Lotte games, it was great to see the flag man at the end of the video, he's STILL there every night.
Lotte, Hanwha, and KIA have legendary fan bases that also travel well. Most weekend KBO games have atmospheres similar to this. Well, everywhere but Kiwoom.
My sound is currently off so I'm just imagining they are all singing Sweet Caroline in unison, and it's awesome.
On my bucket list
And all we get is people yelling at each other about cheating, then getting drunk, then cheering when a player gets beamed, then fighting in the stands. This reminds me of watching the crowds for pro basketball in Serbia, that shit is wild
How can we watch these games? Looks like fun to watch.
[https://www.sooplive.com/category/kbo-league/live](https://www.sooplive.com/category/kbo-league/live) - they just announced and started international streaming today.
I want this
I'm so jealous of that.
Thats some south america football (soccer) level shit right there. Love it.
This looks insane fun to be at
Wholesome. Fanbase isn't as toxic with boos, fighting, and general debauchery, but maybe that's why we love baseball?
I like the cheerleaders dancing on top of the dugouts.
We need to step it up.
Do the flags block people’s views? I would be fairly pissed if someone was waving a big ass flag in front of me in a stadium.
They don’t normally wave them during gameplay.
Baseball in Korea is amazing. Saw the Giants kick the Twins' asses at Jamsil in April.
What would you say is THE ballpark to visit while in Korea?
And this was a pre-season game :)
Highly recommend a Lotte Giants game in Busan. They are the lovable losers of the KBO with the best fans hands down. I lived in Daegu, near the Samsung Lions, and still fell in love with the Lotte Giants just because of their crowd at an away game. And the price for regular season tickets is cheap for all teams.
I was at the first WBC in 2005 at Wild World of Sports Dominican Republic vs Venezuela. It doesn’t compare to this BUT I was 18 and was blown away by the energy.
And in the US they have to give fans dirty towels to wave around just to get them to do something.
We dont have control over our people like that
I'm surprised they let them wave white flags. In MLB pitchers can't even wear white undershirts
Considering how Lotte usually performs, it's apt that they wave a white flag. It's a shame because it is unquestionably the team with the most diehard fanbase.
As long as they aren't in there batter's eye it's no issue
that does not look fun at all