[Official] "Just 2℃ short" — Even with spectator seat ground temperatures exceeding 60°C, the Busan Samsung-Lotte game started 30 minutes late; Changwon NC-KIA match cancelled for two consecutive days

*This content was translated by AI.

“Why not start at 8 p.m. instead?” Baseball fans also angry at KBO’s decision — Only Samsung-Lotte game delayed by 30 minutes despite “spectator seat ground temperature exceeding 60°C”

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) decided to delay the Busan Lotte-Samsung game by 30 minutes. It was just 2℃ short of cancelling for two consecutive days.

On the 2nd, the KBO decided to start the regular-season match between Samsung Lions and Lotte Giants at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan at 6:30 p.m., 30 minutes later than scheduled. At the same time, the KIA Tigers-NC Dinos game originally scheduled to be held at Changwon NC Park was abruptly cancelled.

Currently, most areas in Gyeongsangnam-do province, including Busan and Changwon, are under a heatwave major warning. The heatwave major warning is the highest level of the newly introduced heatwave special weather advisory as of June 1 this year, issued when the apparent temperature reaches or exceeds 35°C for two consecutive days or is expected to reach or exceed 38°C in a single day.

According to the Busan branch of the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) as of 3 p.m., Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan reached 37°C at 4:37 p.m., and Changwon NC Park soared to 39°C, meeting the criteria. The previous day (the 1st), similar conditions led to the cancellation of both games.

Although a similar heatwave continued the next day, the KBO’s judgment differed this time. The reason was the expected temperature after 6 p.m. Yangdeok-dong, where Changwon NC Park is located, was forecast to be 37°C with an apparent temperature of 35°C even at the regular game start time of 6 p.m.

Only by 8 p.m. did both the actual temperature and apparent temperature drop to 34°C. In contrast, Sajik-dong in Busan, where Sajik Baseball Stadium is located, was predicted to fall below 33°C starting from 6 p.m.

The KBO’s decision to cancel the game came down to just a 2℃ difference. An official from the NC club stated, “In the Changwon area, temperatures were observed to exceed 35°C even after 6 p.m.”

However, criticism has emerged that the KBO’s judgment relied too heavily on KMA forecasts alone. Even within Busan, other areas recorded temperatures exceeding 36°C at 6 p.m. according to KMA standards at the same time. The heatwave impact warning issued for Sajik Baseball Stadium still remains in the dangerous range.

Just around 2 p.m. that day, the ground temperature at spectator seats at Sajik Baseball Stadium soared to 64.3°C, while the artificial turf on the field reached 78.1°C. As a result, players from both teams did not have sufficient time to warm up on the field, increasing the risk of injuries during the game.

Moreover, on that day, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety elevated the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters for heatwave response to Level 2 starting at 1 p.m. According to NEWS1 and NEWSIS, especially in areas with severe heatwaves, a senior-level on-site management official was dispatched.

According to KDCA, when the apparent temperature reaches 38°C, the risk of overall mortality and cardiovascular disease-related deaths rises sharply. Last year and this year, there were repeated cases of spectators losing consciousness or showing symptoms of heat-related illnesses at baseball stadiums. Of course, since cancellations also result in financial losses, establishing accurate criteria is indeed necessary. However, there are growing calls to listen to voices from the field expressing concern for the health of players and fans.

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*This content was translated by AI.