KBO reaches 9 mln fans in fewest games ever

Seoul, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean baseball league, known as the KBO, reached a significant attendance milestone on Tuesday, surpassing 9 million fans in record time. The KBO reported that the current season's total attendance reached 9,049,365 fans after five games nationwide on the same day. This marked an impressive achievement, as it was accomplished in just 505 games, surpassing the previous record of 528 games set in the 2025 season.

The regular season resumed after most games were canceled last week due to extreme heat. The five games combined to draw 67,134 fans, with 22,152 watching the Doosan Bears defeat the Hanwha Eagles 6-3 at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. In the 2025 season, the KBO set a single-season record with just over 12.3 million fans, and it is on track to surpass that number this year.

Teams are currently averaging 17,920 fans per game, a notable increase from 16,904 fans at the same point last year. The KBO has consistently reached every million mark this year, with 260 sellouts so far in 2026. To date, eight of the 10 teams have experienced an increase in their average home attendance compared to the previous year, with only the Eagles and Lotte Giants seeing a slight decrease.

The Eagles, playing out of the 17,000-seat Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark, have maintained a high level of attendance, with a 98.4% capacity rate, the second-highest in the KBO after the Samsung Lions. The Eagles lead the league with 41 sellouts, one more than the Lions.