The professional baseball NC Dinos effectively issued an ultimatum to Changwon City. With the reopening of Changwon NC Park after 62 days, they expressed a firm stance, bringing the issue of the potential transfer to the surface. It is not easy for the club to first raise the issue of transfer at this level, but the distrust towards Changwon City is substantial.

Lee Jin-man, the CEO of NC Dinos, said on the 30th, ahead of the home game against Hanwha, that "from a long-term perspective, we want to keep all options open regarding the club's future and seriously consider them. I felt that there is a need for change in the environment surrounding our club because of this incident," and suggested the idea of transfer, saying, "We want to seek a partnership that will create an environment where we can focus on baseball based on trust. We will review new possibilities with the mindset of a second founding."

The home game in Changwon, which resumed after a series of ups and downs 62 days after the incident involving a baseball fan during a match against LG on March 29, revealed the conflict between NC Dinos and Changwon City during the process. During the process of addressing the incident, NC Dinos was adrift due to the irresponsible and hurried administration of Changwon City and the Changwon Facilities Corporation.

For two months, they had to live as drifters away from home. They played three games at Sajik as the home team, and even the six games at the temporary home ground in Ulsan were practically away games, resulting in 44 games played outside. During this period, the NC squad endured uncertain away travel and accommodations, incurring considerable financial losses.

The closure of the home stadium for two months led to losses in ticket revenue, stadium advertising rights contracts, compensation for season ticket holders, and damages due to the non-operation of food and beverage stores for the club. Additionally, the costs for accommodations for the players increased as they continued to travel for away games. CEO Lee Jin-man stated, "As the club is also an enterprise, we have been tallying the losses since the incident occurred until we returned to our home stadium. The losses from not being able to play at home and the additional losses incurred while wandering away adds up to about 4 billion won. If we had spent the rest of the season in Ulsan, it would have easily exceeded 10 billion won."

Furthermore, CEO Lee explained, "There are not only direct financial losses but also indirect ones. The extraordinary extended away games have affected the players' performance. That aspect is also a loss from the club's perspective, and we are counting everything. Although I can't provide exact figures just yet, you could say it’s about 4 billion won plus some. Despite wandering away from our home, NC performed decently with 20 wins, 21 losses, and 3 draws in 44 games, but their win rate during the same period was only 8th (.488)."

Since last year, the financial difficulties of the parent company, NCSOFT, have adversely affected the baseball team's operations. For NC, which is already tightening its belt, the losses of at least 4 billion won cannot be taken lightly. CEO Lee emphasized, "Through this incident, the club faced a situation where its very existence was threatened. Maintaining the status quo is not the answer for the club's sustainability; it is time to seek improved direction."

Established in 2012 as the 9th team in the KBO League, NC quickly rose to become a strong team. When NC was first brought in, Changwon City promised astounding conditions, including fully covering the cost of constructing a new stadium, as well as granting naming rights, operational rights, and advertising rights, but none of these promises have been properly kept. As four mayors came and went, promises were repeatedly changed as if flipping a palm, and the club even heard criticism from city council members that "the contribution to the local community is weak." Thus, the conflict that has continued for over a decade has deepened to an irreconcilable level.

CEO Lee stated, "The club has made numerous efforts to establish and root itself in the local community. Despite spending millions of won on community donation activities and supporting youth baseball, it seems that our club's efforts in this area have not been significantly acknowledged. Rather, it seems we have sometimes received even more unreasonable treatment."

NC can no longer just endure. The KBO also has an open attitude towards the transfer of NC's home base. Since last year, the domestic professional sports scene has welcomed over 10 million spectators for the first time, and many local governments are actively working to attract professional baseball teams. Given the realistic alternatives, if Changwon City perceives NC's ultimatum simply as a bluff, it could face serious consequences. The city risks losing the baseball team and incurring the resentment of local fans.

On the day before reopening, on the 29th, NC conveyed requests to Changwon City regarding facility improvements, enhancements in fan accessibility, administrative support, and other future improvement measures. Although they have discussed these matters for several years, this time they asked for concrete answers regarding the start and completion times as well as budget securing methods for each item requested. While there is no set deadline for responses, it is necessary for NC to receive actionable answers before the local elections on June 12 of next year to engage in sincere dialogue.

When Changwon NC Park opened in 2019, NC signed a 25-year contract for usage fees totaling 33 billion won with Changwon City until 2044. If they proceed with the transfer, they will need to resolve issues related to the stadium usage contract. It is uncertain if they can recover prepaid costs. While this could become a monumental expense for NC, CEO Lee expressed, "Even if it happens that we cannot recover those costs, it should not influence the club's decision-making regarding its future. Whether the transfer occurs or the current environment improves, if the value exceeds the costs already incurred, it can be recognized as a sunk cost." This opinion cannot merely be attributed to CEO Lee alone; it can be interpreted as a comment reflecting the will of the parent company, NCSOFT, and if Changwon City does not present specific, feasible improvement measures, the transfer will become a matter of time.

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