Will professional baseball team NC Dinos leave their home city of Changwon?
On the 30th, Lee Jin-man, the CEO of NC Dinos, spoke during an official briefing at Changwon NC Park about the team's stance on the reopening of Changwon NC Park and mentioned the possibility of a transfer.
Changwon NC Park underwent safety inspections after an incident on March 29, when a structure collapsed during a game against the LG Twins, resulting in the death of a baseball fan. It reopened on the 30th with a match against Hanwha Eagles after 61 days.
CEO Lee Jin-man noted, "From a long-term perspective, I want to keep all options open regarding the team's future and seriously consider the possibility of a transfer."
CEO Lee said, "There have been various issues and challenges the team has faced. The team has put in great efforts to root itself in the region, spending hundreds of millions of won on community donations and youth baseball development. However, it seems that the team's efforts have not been significantly recognized. There seems to have been unreasonable treatment. Especially after the incident in March, the team has experienced a situation where its very survival was threatened. Maintaining the status quo is not the answer; it has become time to sincerely seek improved directions."
It showed that serious considerations regarding the transfer of the NC team were being made internally. The discord between the NC team and Changwon city continued to surface during the process of addressing a series of events, including the death of the baseball fan and the safety inspection of Changwon NC Park.
During the closure of Changwon NC Park, NC played six games at Ulsan Stadium as a substitute home ground. The direct financial loss amounts to approximately 4 billion won. Before the reopening of Changwon NC Park, NC communicated several requests to Changwon city on the 29th.
CEO Lee specifically requested support for several areas to continue playing baseball in Changwon. His requests included aspects such as loss compensation, facility management, improved fan accessibility, and administrative support. In terms of administrative support, he included a request to uphold previous promises made by Changwon city. He stated that the team conveyed specific parts that Changwon city could complement regarding relocation concerns and is currently awaiting a response.
NC received support from the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) during discussions to designate Ulsan Stadium as a substitute home ground. CEO Lee stated, "The KBO also conveyed a message that there are 'alternatives' regarding relocation. While the decision of the team is important, KBO's approval is also necessary. Ongoing discussions with the KBO are required."
According to baseball regulations, a team wishing to change its home region must obtain approval from the KBO president by October 31 of the preceding year. No board or team owner meeting is necessary, but some conditions apply. KBO Secretary General Park Geun-chan explained, "Relocation to a home area with an existing team is not permitted. A dedicated stadium must be established. Approval from the president is required according to regulations."
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