'The last train is about to leave' — Is it always 7 p.m.? Why do all 10 KBO clubs share the same clock... 'Jamsil and Changwon are different' [Ryu Sun-kyu's Bizball]

*This content was translated by AI.

This year, a new variable called "heatwave" has appeared in the KBO League. Games were not only canceled but also had their start times changed.

On August 4, when a heatwave warning was in effect, an incident occurred during a game between LG Twins and SSG Landers at Incheon SSG Landers Field, where a man in his 20s lost consciousness and collapsed. Emergency measures including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of an automated external defibrillator were carried out on-site, and the spectator regained consciousness before being transported to a hospital.

As concerns grew over the safety of players and spectators, the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) canceled all games scheduled for the 5th–6. It then held an emergency executive committee meeting on the 6th and decided to cancel all weekend series from the 7th–9 and resume the league starting August 11.

The game start times were also changed. From August 11 to September 6, the KBO shifted the start time of all games except those at Gocheok to 7 p.m. Previously, weekday games began at 6:30 p.m., while weekend and holiday games in July and August started at 6 p.m. These were delayed by 30 minutes and one hour, respectively. The intention was to minimize heat exposure for players and spectators by starting games during periods when temperatures and perceived heat levels are relatively lower.

However, as the heatwave eased earlier than expected, the KBO adjusted game times again. From August 25 to 31, weekday games resumed at 6:30 p.m., and weekend games returned to 6 p.m., aligning with original schedules. The KBO's decision to flexibly adjust game times according to heatwave conditions was a necessary measure for the safety of players and spectators.

Nevertheless, this experience raised one question: Should game start times be uniformly applied across all clubs? Would it not be better to operate more flexibly according to regional and club-specific circumstances?

In Major League Baseball (MLB), each club has different game start times. Day games alone vary widely, starting at 12:35 p.m., 12:40 p.m., 1:05 p.m., 1:10 p.m., 1:35 p.m., and 2:10 p.m. Night games also differ by stadium, with start times such as 6:10 p.m., 6:15 p.m., 6:38 p.m., 6:40 p.m., and 7:10 p.m. This is markedly different from the KBO League, where all 10 clubs begin games simultaneously within the same time slot.

Of course, it is difficult to simply compare the environments of MLB and the KBO League. The United States has a vast territory with regional differences in time zones, climate, and daily routines. Broadcast scheduling by networks also significantly influences game start times. However, what matters most is that there is no fixed notion that all games must be scheduled at the same time.

The KBO League should also consider adopting such a system. If full autonomy over game times is too burdensome at present, the KBO could define a range of permissible start times and allow home clubs to select specific times within that range, taking into account local transportation conditions and spectator characteristics.

For example, if the allowable start time for weekday games were set between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m., some clubs might begin at 6:15 p.m., while others could start at 6:45 p.m.

In professional baseball, game times are not merely operational issues. They are critical marketing factors that connect to spectators' daily routines, accessibility to stadiums, public transportation availability, and even the time it takes for fans to return home after a game ends.

Changwon NC Park, the home stadium of NC Dinos, is a representative case. Compared to other stadiums, Changwon NC Park has poorer access via public transportation, and the last KTX (Korea Train Express) departs early. Even with games starting at 6 p.m. or 6:30 p.m., it was difficult for spectators to return home afterward. However, when game start times were delayed to 7 p.m. due to heatwaves, conditions for returning home after the game worsened further.

The last KTX departing from Masan Station, the nearest railway station to Changwon NC Park, leaves at 9:43 p.m. for Seoul. To catch this train, spectators must leave the stadium by around 9:10 p.m. Even if a game starts at 6:30 p.m., it may be difficult to watch until the end. For visiting fans traveling to Changwon, a 30-minute delay in game start time can translate into more than just a 30-minute difference.

In fact, during discussions between NC Dinos and Changwon City regarding home ground issues, expanding parking facilities and improving rail transportation were highlighted as key challenges. This underscores that how conveniently spectators can reach the stadium is as important as the stadium's own facilities for commercial success.

During the period when 7 p.m. games were implemented, a noticeable difference appeared in attendance figures at Changwon. On August 11 (Tuesday) against KT, 6,148 fans attended; on the 12th (Wednesday), 12,216 came; but on the 13th (Thursday), attendance dropped again to 5,822.

In the following three-game home series against Doosan, 5,350 fans attended on the 18th (Tuesday), 6,196 on the 19th (Wednesday), and 6,313 on the 20th (Thursday). In contrast, when facing Samsung on the 21st (Friday), 14,909 spectators showed up, and during the weekend games on the 22nd–23rd, attendance reached 18,128 for both days consecutively.

A clear difference emerges when compared to July. During July, when weekday games started at 6:30 p.m. and weekend games at 6 p.m., NC Dinos averaged 11,923 spectators per weekday home game (8 total) and 12,750 per weekend home game (2 total). However, from August 11 to 23, when both weekday and weekend games were held at 7 p.m., the average attendance for 7 weekday home games dropped to 8,136, while weekend home games averaged 18,128 spectators.

Since there are relatively few games and many variables affecting attendance — such as opponent popularity, team performance, day of the week, and weather — it is difficult to definitively attribute changes solely to the 7th p.m. start time. However, it is worth noting that average weekday home game attendance in August (starting at 7 p.m.) decreased by 3,787 compared to July (starting at 6:30 p.m.). This serves as a reference case suggesting that delayed game times may impose burdens on weekday spectators depending on the region.

Even with identical start times, their implications can vary by region. Jamsil and Gocheok, Incheon and Suwon, Daejeon and Daegu, Gwangju and Busan, and Changwon all differ in transportation environments, spectator composition, and daily routines. For some stadiums, 7 p.m. may be a convenient time for office workers to visit after work, while for others, it could become a time of concern regarding post-game travel.

Therefore, there is no compelling reason why all 10 clubs must have identical game start times.

In professional baseball, game times are akin to product sales hours. Just as department stores and restaurants set operating hours based on customer routines, professional baseball should consider when fans can most conveniently visit the stadium. And who knows their customers best? The home club. They are in the closest position to observe how many spectators attend at specific times, the ratio of family versus working adult fans, which transportation methods they use, and what inconveniences arise when games end late.

In the past, other factors played a significant role in determining game times. In the mid-1990s, one Seoul-based club delayed weekday game start times to 7 p.m. to attract working adult spectators. However, as game end times were pushed later, a newspaper struggling with its deadline protested, and the club eventually reverted to starting games at 6:30 p.m.

That was an era when newspaper deadlines could influence game start times. But media environments have changed drastically. Now, the key criterion for deciding game times should be the convenience of fans visiting the stadium rather than the convenience of suppliers.

Of course, leaving game time decisions entirely to club autonomy may be difficult due to numerous factors that must be considered together, such as broadcast scheduling, travel arrangements for visiting teams, and player preparation. Therefore, a practical alternative could involve the KBO setting a defined range within which home clubs can choose their preferred start times.

This summer's 7 p.m. games were a meaningful experiment that prompted the KBO League to rethink its game operations in the heatwave era. The next step may not be about synchronizing clocks across all stadiums nationwide, but rather allowing timepieces to move according to regional and stadium-specific characteristics.

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*This content was translated by AI.