Pro baseball attendance soars past 7 million, setting new records

South Korean professional baseball is experiencing an unprecedented boom, shattering attendance records and drawing massive crowds. The 2026 KBO League has already surpassed 7 million spectators in a mere 388 games, breaking last year's record by 17 games and marking the first time this milestone has been reached in under 400 games.

The league's popularity is evident not only in the sheer number of attendees but also in the rapid pace of growth. It took only 13 games and 54 matches to go from 6 million to 7 million spectators, setting new records for both shortest time and fewest games. The average attendance per game stands at 18,077, an 8% increase from the previous year, and total team revenue has already surpassed 130 billion won.

Several teams are leading the charge in fan engagement. LG Twins and Samsung Lions have each drawn over 900,000 home spectators, with Doosan Bears and Lotte Giants close behind. Four teams, LG, Samsung, Doosan, and Lotte, are consistently attracting over 20,000 fans per game. The NC Dinos have seen the most significant increase in attendance, with a 21% rise compared to last year, followed by Kiwoom Heroes and KT Wiz.

The league's success is further highlighted by its high stadium occupancy rate, which averages 87.7%. Over half of the games played this season (56%) have been sell-outs, with Hanwha Eagles leading in occupancy at 99.7%, followed closely by Samsung and LG. The KBO League's first half concludes on July 9, with the second half commencing on July 16.