In their inaugural year, the Ulsan Whales took a special step toward regional mutual growth alongside the "400 Blood Donations Teacher – Brave Citizen Award"

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In their first year since founding, the Ulsan Whales demonstrated an active approach to coexisting with and supporting the local community based on their regional affiliation.

A teacher who donated blood 400 times over 28 years, a volunteer king who served 1,353 hours in one year, a citizen who saved a precious life at the scene of a drowning accident, and descendants of independence activists. These were the ceremonial first-batters who took the pitcher's mound at Ulsan Whales home games this season.

The inaugural season of the Ulsan Whales, KBO's first citizen-owned team, was a season where citizens were the protagonists. Among the 26th ceremonial first-batters and batters at home games, many were citizens selected through public recruitment and hidden local heroes. Through a promotion in partnership with the Ulsan Office of Education, 12,647 elementary, middle, and high school students visited the stadium throughout the season to cheer for the Ulsan Whales. At the final regular-season home game on September 13, Ulsan Mayor Kim Sang-wook took the pitcher's mound as the ceremonial first-batter, marking the end of the first season's home games alongside 7,310 citizens.

The Ulsan Whales were sincere in their approach to young fans. They operated viewing programs for local elementary, middle, and high school students throughout the season. Across 53 home games, an average of 239 students per game attended, totaling 12,647 cumulatively. Approximately 70% of these were elementary school students, most of whom visited the baseball stadium as families, holding their parents' hands. The club held a separate autograph session for students from the top 10 schools with the highest attendance to respond to the enthusiastic response.

They took another step forward from "watching baseball" to "playing baseball." The "WHALES-UP Baseball Clinic," directly coached by players and coaching staff, was held seven times, accommodating everyone from youth to high school baseball clubs and amateur baseball enthusiasts, with approximately 400 people receiving one-point lessons from professionals. Roughly twice a month, the ground where professional players compete was opened to citizens for catch-ball and base running sessions together. The club sent 1,700 training balls to local middle schools and amateur baseball teams, and invited approximately 1,200 youth and amateur baseball players to the stadium in groups.

The founding of the Ulsan Whales stirred a wave of significant change in the Ulsan baseball ecosystem. The club held an invitation event at a home game for students from the Ulsan Jeil Middle School baseball team, who achieved the runner-up position in the national tournament (Presidential Cup) for the first time in 17 years. Players from Gu Young Elementary School, who topped the KBO National Elementary Tee-Ball Tournament, were entrusted with the ceremonial first-bat and pitch on the professional mound. The club also shared professional know-how through joint training sessions with UlsanBC (U-18) players.

Connections with the region also became more tightly woven. The club signed industry-academia cooperation agreements with all four universities in Ulsan: Ulsan University, Ulsan University of Science and Engineering, Chuncheon Health University, and UNIST. It also partnered with a total of eight institutional investors, including Ulsan Hospital, the Ulsan Nam-gu Urban Management Public Corporation, and the Ulsan Youth Food Truck Cooperative. The youth food trucks set up booths inside and outside the stadium at every home game, becoming a sales channel for young entrepreneurs. On days when events such as the Ulsan Police Agency's "Drug NO START Day" or the Korea Finance Promotion Institute's illegal financial services prevention campaign were held, the baseball stadium served as a stage for citizen campaigns.

Kim Dong-jin, General Manager of the Ulsan Whales, stated, "The reason for the existence of a citizen-owned team is to place a growth ladder in the region that allows a child who first encounters baseball through tee-ball to nurture their dream of becoming a player and eventually stand on the KBO League first division stage." He added, "We will create a virtuous cycle where players raised in Ulsan advance to bigger stages, and other children start playing baseball by watching those players."

The Ulsan Whales plan to continue regional initiatives introduced this year, such as student invitations and the WHALES-UP Clinic, even more actively for the 2027 season, and to further expand programs that engage with citizens. New offerings are also scheduled, including "Visiting Tee-Ball Classes" where they directly visit local elementary schools, a "University Marketer" program nurturing dreams in the baseball industry, a "Little Cheerleader Academy," and cooperation programs with local small business owners.

In the stands, on the ground, and on the pitcher's mound. The Ulsan Whales' first season was one played together with citizens.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original