Lotte Giants say adding the Dinos will make the league less competitive

A plan to expand the country’s top baseball league from the current eight teams to nine next year has been halted with the sport’s governing body failing to reach an agreement on Tuesday.

The NC Dinos, who currently play in the second division league, were seeking approval from the Korea Baseball Organization to become the league’s ninth team.

The KBO’s board of directors, comprised of presidents of the current eight teams, gathered in Seoul Tuesday to discuss the inclusion of the team which was formed last year.

But the officials on Tuesday dismissed the expansion plan, opting to postpone a decision until their next meeting.

<YONHAP PHOTO-0912> NC다이노스 홈구장 마산야구장 새단장 완료 (창원=연합뉴스) 프로야구 제9구단인 NC다이노스의 홈구장인 마산야구장이 리모델링을 거쳐 산뜻한 모습을 선보였다. 좌석 수를 대폭 줄인 대신 좌석간격을 넓혔고 테이블석 등 다양한 관람시설을 갖췄다. 마산야구장은 3만석 규모의 새 구장이 완공되는 2015년까지 NC구단의 홈구장으로 사용된다. 2012.4.9.<<창원시>> lyh9502@yna.co.kr/2012-04-09 17:45:57/ <저작권자 ⓒ 1980-2012 ㈜연합뉴스. 무단 전재 재배포 금지.> The NC Dinos’ newly renovated baseball stadium in Masan, South Gyeongsang Province. NC Dinos The NC Dinos’ newly renovated baseball stadium in Masan, South Gyeongsang Province. NC Dinos
NC다이노스 홈구장 마산야구장 새단장 완료 (창원=연합뉴스) 프로야구 제9구단인 NC다이노스의 홈구장인 마산야구장이 리모델링을 거쳐 산뜻한 모습을 선보였다. 좌석 수를 대폭 줄인 대신 좌석간격을 넓혔고 테이블석 등 다양한 관람시설을 갖췄다. 마산야구장은 3만석 규모의 새 구장이 완공되는 2015년까지 NC구단의 홈구장으로 사용된다. 2012.4.9.<<창원시>> lyh9502@yna.co.kr/2012-04-09 17:45:57/ <저작권자 ⓒ 1980-2012 ㈜연합뉴스. 무단 전재 재배포 금지.> The NC Dinos’ newly renovated baseball stadium in Masan, South Gyeongsang Province. NC Dinos The NC Dinos’ newly renovated baseball stadium in Masan, South Gyeongsang Province. NC Dinos

The NC Dinos’ newly renovated baseball stadium in Masan, South Gyeongsang Province. (NC Dinos)

The KBO was also due to review a proposal to launch a 10th team, but decided to put it on hold as well. The decisions will be made after going through a formal procedure, the KBO announced.

NCsoft, an online game developer, set up the NC Dinos in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province in early 2011.

Its initial aim was to make it into the country’s top league in 2014, but the Dinos, which recently completed rebuilding their Masan Baseball Stadium with an investment worth about 10 billion won ($8.8 million), has insisted that it is now ready to join the top league starting next year.

Also, the union of Korean baseball players announced Monday that they back the move as it will boost the popularity of the sport.

However, some of the current teams, including the Busan-based Lotte Giants, are reportedly opposing the idea of expanding the league in 2013.

They claim the Dinos still need more time to prepare to play in the top division league as it could make the league less competitive.

Baseball is the most popular professional sport in South Korea. In 2011, the KBO drew some 6.8 million fans to ballparks last year, marking an all-time single season record, and it expects to attract a record 7.1 million fans this season.

By Oh Kyu-wook (596story@heraldm.com)


koreaherald@heraldcorp.com