The 2025 KBO League regular season is set to kick off on March 22, with expectations high for ticket sales and fan participation. After a spectacular previous season where all opening day games were sold out, the anticipation is palpable among fans eager for the first pitch.
Last year, the KBO witnessed a remarkable turnout, with all five opening games selling out, culminating in a record attendance of 103,841 fans. This year, should the trend continue and all games are sold out, the attendance could potentially rise to 109,950, marking the third consecutive season with over 100,000 attendees. The hope is that this would reflect the longest seasonal sellout streak since 2017.
Significantly, Kiwoom's Ahn Woo-jin holds the record for the most strikeouts in an opening day game, having achieved 12 strikeouts against Hanwha during the 2023 season. This season, the spotlight will also shine on other prominent pitchers like Hesus, Baenz, and Hurado, who themselves had remarkable strikeout counts last year and are expected to make an impact on the mound.
This year, all ten KBO teams have indicated that foreign pitchers will be the starters for their opening games, creating a buzz reminiscent of the 2017 season when the same strategy was deployed. Baseball enthusiasts are eager to see if this tactic will yield a repeat of past successes.
Another point of intrigue is the potential for another exciting closing game after there have been several last-minute thrillers in the previous opening days—15 such instances have occurred in KBO history. Fans are eagerly waiting to see if this trend will continue into the new season.
The first home run recorded in the 2024 season occurred astonishingly early, just six minutes into the game, when Kiwoom's Choi Joo-hwan sent one over the fence against KIA. Fans will be watching closely to find out who seizes the honor of the first home run in 2025.
Current player Kim Hyun-soo holds the record for the most home runs hit in opening games, having accomplished this feat four times. If he can add to his tally, he would only be one behind the legendary Hae-Teh Han's record of seven. This points to an exciting race for record-breaking performances this season.
For rookie players, the last opening day home run was made by KT's Kang Baek-ho in 2018. Given this long drought, baseball fans are hopeful that a new rookie will emerge in 2025 to make a mark on opening day.
The KBO regular season will start at 2 PM across five locations nationwide: Gwangju (NC-KIA), Jamsil (Lotte-LG), Munhak (Doosan-SSG), Daegu (Kiwoom-Samsung), and Suwon (Hanwha-KT). This marks a highly anticipated moment for baseball fans, as this season is designed to bring back the thrill of the game in full swing.
At the KBO Media Day held at Lotte Hotel World on March 20, team representatives expressed their excitement and readiness for the season, especially after the impressive 321,763 attendance during the demonstration matches, which set a new record for average attendance per game.
The teams are set to face 144 games each, totaling 720 across the season. KIA Tigers, last year’s champions, will commence their season at home against NC Dinos with a home-advantage two-game series on March 22 and 23, featuring ceremonies celebrating their prior championship achievement.
The KBO has announced that James Naile will take the mound for KIA Tigers in the opening game, backed by a formidable pitching line-up featuring 2024 MVP performers like Naile, along with other stars from KIA who are aiming to dethrone their competition with powerful arms and skillful strategies.
Given the excitement surrounding the games this year, and the warm weather expected across the country, fans are gearing up to witness the magic of baseball, with opening day forecasted to be attended by thousands. KBO tickets are already in high demand with predictions pointing to substantial attendance, creating a 'ticket war' among fans excited to secure their spot at the matches.
The KBO's return symbolizes more than just sporting events; it reflects a community eagerly united by their love for baseball, marking an exciting season ahead.
