KBO 'In Just Two Years, Contract Value Skyrockets Eightfold' — A Massive Hit Hits → 'The Top Spot Was This...' More Surprises Expected Next Year as Fan Expectations Rise [22nd Anniversary Special Series ④]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

| '19 Product Categories This Year': KBO Fan Merchandise Contract Value Jumps Eightfold Compared to Two Years Ago

| 'Collaborative Goods Fans Want to See Again Next Year' Ranks No. 1: Doosan Manggom, No. 2: Starbucks

| Even for a Single Product, KBOP Engages in Direct Communication with All 10 Teams — A Testament to KBOP's Fierce Efforts

| 'Otherwise...' Considering Fans' Fatigue Levels: "More Product Categories Launching Next Year; Quality Over Quantity"

This season, another masterpiece graced the KBO League. These are various fan merchandise items directly planned and launched by the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), which have earned widespread love from baseball fans.

Some products were so popular that fans couldn't get enough — a testament to their immense popularity. The reason is clear: these are exactly what baseball fans need, and they also boast high quality. How could fans not seek them out?

At the center of this success stands KBOP, KBO's marketing subsidiary, which accurately identifies fan needs and leverages its planning capabilities. Of course, each team also sells a wide variety of products independently. However, KBOP has unified the intellectual property (IP) of all 10 teams into one entity, recently achieving unprecedented market value. This is known as "integrated marketing," transcending the limitations of individual team marketing to encompass the entire KBO League.

KBO's integrated marketing now goes beyond simply selling products. It significantly elevates the value of all 10 KBO League teams and the league as a whole, embedding baseball deeply into fans' lives even outside the stadium. This can be described as a cultural industry strategy designed to enrich the daily lives of baseball fans.

According to KBOP, this year's major IP collaborative product categories for KBO totaled 19 types. The number of physical products is similar to last year's scale. However, when calculating total contract values with each brand, the difference is staggering. A KBOP official stated, "Specific contract terms are confidential and cannot be disclosed precisely, but this year's contract value rose approximately two-fold compared to last year and about eight-fold compared to 2024, two years ago." In fact, first-half sales alone exceeded 30 billion won. Compared to last year's total sales of around 40 billion won, this indicates a significant expansion of the overall market.

Product categories were expanded dramatically. Items range from food products like Paldo Bibimmyeon (spicy mixed noodles), Pepero, Starbucks hot dogs, and popcorn across all 10 teams, to lifestyle goods from CJ OnStyle, cosmetics from Mediheal, Bodyfriend mini massagers, Bamkel cooling bags, LAP ribbon pins, Dunlop Korea golf balls, Korea Post stamps and stamp albums, and Daewon Media player cards. Mediheal, CaseTify tech accessories, Dongkook Pharmaceutical cooling patches, and Odense tumblers were also renewed for this year due to strong reception last year.

Children's products appealing to all generations are also highly popular. KBO is strategically launching collaborative projects such as Samcheonri children's bicycles featuring the identities of all 10 teams and Crocs Jibits (special accessories designed to be inserted into sandal holes for shoe customization). It has also expanded into intangible service areas, gaining attention. Collaborations with KIA offering vehicle displays themed around all 10 teams, Photoism photo frames, and 9.81 Park Jeju have received fan acclaim.

Moreover, the lineup of national team 'KOREA' products is equally impressive. Last year, KBO signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the National Museum of Korea's Muzes (Museum + Goods) and launched Muzes X KOREA uniforms and cheering tools. This year, during the World Baseball Classic (WBC), it showcased T-shirts and cheering sticks featuring traditional Korean Dancheong patterns, receiving widespread praise. A KBOP official noted, "We are currently coordinating with the National Museum Culture Foundation to launch products with a new concept at the 2026 Asia Professional Baseball Championship (APBC) in November." This represents an upgrade of sports products into cultural and artistic commodities by combining Korean baseball identity with traditional culture.

How is revenue distributed? A KBOP official explained, "Typically, contracts follow a structure of base contract fee (minimum guaranteed amount) plus sales royalty (amount proportional to sales volume). The more products sold, the higher the revenue for both KBOP and the 10th teams." As product sales increase, KBOP's profits rise accordingly, which are then fully distributed to the 10th teams, contributing to each team's financial stability. A virtuous cycle has thus been established.

A KBOP official added, "Last year, many brands proposed collaborations. In the past, proposals were often limited to product manufacturing alone, but now many include simultaneous marketing promotions. For example, including player cards while enabling fans to create their own teams through online registration. These brands sought to implement comprehensive marketing strategies at an organizational level." The official continued, "This made the brand and category selection process extremely difficult. Sometimes multiple brands proposed for the same category. Additionally, given the sheer volume of inquiries, we faced shortages in personnel and time to respond individually."

While many products were well-received, one brand stood out most prominently: Starbucks. A KBOP official stated, "Starbucks has a highly loyal customer base and diverse events. They had long expressed interest in collaboration, and our goals aligned perfectly. We initially set the promotion period from March to May, achieving significant sales amid strong fan interest. Sales were temporarily halted due to the the 18th marketing issue, but during an internal survey titled 'Collaborative Goods Fans Want to See Again Next Year' conducted mid-season, Starbucks ranked second after Doosan Manggom. We are carefully monitoring the social climate and will discuss future collaboration plans accordingly."

Other product backstories were also shared. A KBOP official noted, "Paldo Bibimmyeon and Pepero were already steady sellers beloved by consumers. Nevertheless, they proposed collaborations to link with baseball marketing. Pepero utilized five flavors, presenting five distinct products for each team. For Paldo, we adopted the concept of their famous advertising jingle 'Mix with your right hand, mix with your left hand,' organizing products into 'right-hand teams' and 'left-hand teams' to add fun. Bamkel launched bags suitable for camping and stadium visits, offering convenient storage for cool drinks and uniforms, successfully combining practicality with fashion."

Baseball cards are also exploding in popularity. A KBOP official remarked, "Since three years ago, a culture of collecting and exchanging cards among fans has spread, leading to increased sales. A trend similar to Pokémon cards has emerged, including exchange culture." The strategy of making cards easily purchasable at nearby convenience stores was also highly effective. The official added, "Given the high fan demand, we are continuously collaborating with Daewon Media to further enhance card design, imagery, and overall quality."

Despite receiving such overwhelming support, KBOP adheres to a clear boundary: it strives not to infringe upon the unique business domains of the 10th teams. However, this is not as simple as it sounds. Even for a single product launch, KBOP must communicate with all 10 teams. Detailed reviews of designs and marketing plans are required.

A KBOP official explained, "We pre-review product categories and launch schedules to avoid harming individual team businesses. We generally avoid promoting products like uniforms, hats, commemorative items, and cheering sticks that teams already sell as their main offerings. Communicating individually with all 10 teams means handling numerous tasks from start to finish. Especially for famous characters (Doosan Manggom, LG Meonjak-gwi, Samsung Kakao, KT One Piece, etc.), since teams are already managing them, KBOP tends to avoid such collaborations." The official continued, "We considered collaborating with Pokémon and Sanrio due to their diverse character portfolios, but varying character selections and restrictions across teams made actual implementation impractical."

Recently, KBOP has also focused on 'speed control.' Unrestrained product launches could inadvertently reduce fan interest and even cause fatigue. A self-conducted survey in July revealed that 22% of respondents felt the frequency of collaborative product releases was "high," nearly double those who said it was "low" (with 65% considering it "appropriate"), signaling a potential saturation point among consumers.

Regarding this, a KBOP official stated, "Next year, we are seeking new collaborative product categories different from this year's. We are reviewing directions to launch products that fans would want to purchase by partnering with higher-quality brands rather than focusing solely on quantity." The official emphasized, "We believe reducing fan fatigue in the long term will better support the development of the KBO League merchandise industry than simply boosting sales. Additionally, teams themselves are launching numerous products. If KBO also releases products exceeding fans' purchasing capacity, risks such as fatigue, poor sales, and inventory burdens cannot be ignored."

Thus, KBO maintains a broad vision focused on the future rather than immediate profits, breathing in harmony with its teams. Prioritizing coexistence with all 10 teams by seeing the forest beyond individual trees, KBO also demonstrates strategic care for fan sentiment — the true owners of the KBO League. As an attractive marketing platform for corporations, KBO has achieved unprecedented growth, increasing contract values eightfold in just two years, setting a new benchmark for domestic professional sports marketing.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original