Record heat forces KBO to extend midseason break through weekend

South Korea's professional baseball league, the KBO, has halted play due to an unprecedented heat wave, extending its midseason break through the weekend. The KBO announced Thursday the cancellation of all 15 games scheduled from Friday, August 7, to Sunday, August 9, following an emergency meeting with club representatives and the players' association. This decision brings the total number of games postponed this season due to extreme heat to 30.

The league had already canceled games on Wednesday and Thursday, citing concerns for the safety of players, coaches, and fans amid soaring temperatures. The KBO is scheduled to resume play on Tuesday, August 11. To mitigate the risks associated with extreme heat when games recommence, the league will introduce mandatory "cooling breaks." The time between innings will be extended to four minutes after the third and seventh innings to allow for additional hydration and recovery.

Furthermore, the KBO is pushing back game start times to avoid the hottest parts of the day. Until further notice, all weekday and weekend games will begin at 7 p.m., a shift from the previous 6:30 p.m. weekday and 6 p.m. weekend start times. An exception applies to games at Seoul's Gocheok Sky Dome, the league's only indoor stadium, where schedules will remain largely unchanged: 7 p.m. on weekdays, 6 p.m. on Saturdays, and 2 p.m. on Sundays.

"The goal is to minimize players' and spectators' exposure to extreme heat by starting games when temperatures and heat indices are relatively lower," a KBO official stated. The extreme heat has also impacted the Futures League, the country's minor league, with all games canceled through Monday, August 10. From Tuesday, August 11, evening games will start at 7 p.m., and teams may opt for 10 a.m. games to avoid peak afternoon heat. League officials have also approved the option of shortening games if extreme heat conditions persist.

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The goal is to minimize players’ and spectators’ exposure to extreme heat by starting games when temperatures and heat indices are relatively lower.