This year's KBO League concluded its regular season with the last game on the 17th. The cumulative number of spectators was 8,103,26.
This is a record increase of approximately 35% compared to the 2022 season (6,002,847 people).
In addition, it was the third largest audience ever, following 8,406,880 in 2017 and 8,339,577 in 2016. The number of spectators exceeding 8 million is the first time in five years since 2018 and the fourth time in history.
The KBO League had difficulty mobilizing spectators from 2020 to 2021 due to the aftermath of COVID-19. The aftermath remained at the beginning of the 2022 season.
However, as the quarantine guidelines were lifted, 10,000 spectators gathered at the five stadiums for the opening match on April 1 this year. A total of 105,450 people visited the baseball stadium in one day.
The fact that the LG Twins took first place in the regular league for the first time in 29 years and the fierce battle for rankings until the end of the season also had an impact on the increase in attendance.
LG mobilized the largest number of spectators (1,202,637) among the 10 teams this year. This is a whopping 31% increase compared to last year (920,071 people). It was the result of fans who were angry because they had not seen LG win for nearly 30 years and gathered at the baseball stadium.
SSG Landers (1,068,211 people) ranked second in terms of audience attendance this year. SSG, which confirmed 3rd place in the regular season in the final game of the season, attracted 21,007 spectators to its home stadium on the last day.
In the regular season, 5th place Doosan Bears (969,562 people) and 7th place Lotte Giants (891,745 people) followed SSG.
Kiwoom Heroes (71%) ranked first in attendance growth, the lowest this season. Kiwoom, which recorded 340,331 people last year, attracted 583,629 people to Gocheok Sky Dome this year.