On the afternoon of April 8, cherry blossoms were in full bloom at Seoul's Jamsil Baseball Stadium. Before the game between Doosan Bears and Hanwha Eagles, spectators dressed in lighter clothes gathered in groups. The ticket booth was flooded with a crowd waiting for on-site purchases.
At the convenience stores located throughout the stadium, people continuously entered and exited to purchase alcohol, beverages, and simple snacks. Office worker Park (34), who was leaving the convenience store carrying two cans of beer, said, “I took a half-day off to watch the Doosan home game. Seeing so many people makes me glad I pre-purchased my tickets.”
The popularity of Korean professional baseball (KBO), which first surpassed '10 million spectators' last year, continues this year, benefiting the distribution industry. In particular, convenience stores near Jamsil Baseball Stadium, such as GS25 and 7-Eleven, have seen a significant increase in product sales.
According to GS Retail, from February 22, when the KBO opened, to April 6, sales of baseball cheering goods, alcoholic beverages, ready-to-eat meals, and bread at ten GS25 stores near Jamsil Baseball Stadium significantly increased during the two-week period.
Sales of non-alcoholic beer increased by 1369% compared to the same period last year, influenced by the rise in family units among spectators. Sales of children's beverages rose 642.5%, and cookie sales increased by 253.5%.
The number of young spectators visiting the baseball stadium has also increased, resulting in a 359.5% increase in sales of highball products. During the same period, sales of dry snacks rose 231.2%. Additionally, sales of convenient foods like packaged kimbap increased by 112%, while beverage sales of ion drinks (87.4%), bottled water (54.5%), and coffee (48.8%) also rose.
A convenience store manager operating near Jamsil Baseball Stadium stated, “On game days, sales increase by about 80% compared to usual. Since the beginning of the season, the enthusiasm of baseball fans has been intense.”
The LG Twins, who have recently recorded 11 wins and 1 loss, are also supporting the popularity of Jamsil Baseball Stadium. The LG Twins have sold out all seven home games since the opening of the season. Notably, the home game against Hanwha Eagles, held from March 25 to 27, filled all the seats despite being on weekdays. Similarly, the Doosan Bears, who also use Jamsil Baseball Stadium as their home ground, are achieving results that allow them to aim for 'fall baseball' with a record of 5th place (6 wins, 7 losses).
GS25's 'specialized baseball team stores' are also gaining momentum. Last August, GS25 transformed its Jamsil Tower store into an 'LG Twins specialized store,' significantly increasing the proportion of cheering goods in the store. They sell over 30 types of products, including replica uniforms, shiny jackets, player cheering towels, official cheering sticks, reusable bags, and Twins Friends characters.
A GS Retail official noted, “From February 22 to April 6, sales of LG Twins cheering sticks, flags, keychains, and various goods at GS25 convenience stores near Jamsil Baseball Stadium increased by 10,572% compared to the same period last year,” and added, “This is attributed to the increase in the variety of goods and expansion of sales points centered around specialized stores.”
The commercial area near Jamsil Baseball Stadium is also regaining vitality. In particular, the traditional market Saemaul, which is within walking distance from the stadium, has seen an increase in customers looking to take out various foods such as fried chicken, pig's feet, and dumplings before games. Content recommending restaurants in Saemaul Market is also popular on platforms like blogs and YouTube.
The food industry is also quickly launching related products. SPC Samlip collaborated with KBO to launch 'KBO Bread' last month, and it surpassed sales of 1 million units just three days after its release. KBO Bread is a product that embodies the features of nine teams, excluding LOTTE, which operates bakery businesses under LOTTE Wellfood.
A convenience store owner near Jamsil Baseball Stadium stated, “KBO Bread is so popular that even if orders are placed, the supply does not come in sufficiently,” and added, “I display the team’s products on days when their games are scheduled.”
Domino's Pizza also collaborated with KBO to launch the one-handed pizza 'Subja' on April 8. Subja, characterized by its elongated shape that can be easily held with one hand, is sold in special packaging featuring the logos of all ten teams.
This season, the KBO League is performing well, surpassing 1 million spectators just 60 games after its opening. The average attendance per game is 17,656 spectators. An official from the distribution industry noted, “This year, professional baseball is expected to exceed 10 million spectators as more viewers are visiting the stadium as part of their outings, which is also helping to stimulate consumption.”