Isn't the KBO postseason reform being proposed because it's dragging on too long???
Regarding the postseason reform proposal
I am trying to understand it from the perspective of wanting to shorten the waiting time and boost the excitement by playing two postseason games at a time.
What I am noticing is that MLB or NPB, which already have many more games, have already finished their playoffs and are either currently playing or about to hold the World Series or Japan Series.
Meanwhile, Korea has only just finished the Wild Card and is moving into the Semi-Playoffs, meaning the Korean Series is expected to drag on until November.
Of course, this season is an unprecedented case due to the season being interrupted mid-way because of the fuss over heatwave cancellations, but
regardless, isn't the season dragging on excessively because Korea is the only one using a step-by-step format where essentially only one game is played at a time?
In the past, people might say it was because the league wasn't popular enough for anything other than the postseason or special days to sell out,
but these days, KBO popularity is exploding to the point where certain teams frequently sell out even on weekdays,
which is a huge difference that gives us some confidence in commercial success.
Therefore, I don't think that direction is wrong.
We should strive to allow the regular season to end sooner by making rainout criteria stricter—playing games even if it rains if possible—and establishing clear guidelines for heatwave cancellations.
But for the postseason, if we reform it like that—perhaps giving a 1-game advantage to the Wild Card winner and the 1st/2nd place teams—
and instead, hold the Playoff between the 1st place/Wild Card winner and the 2nd/3rd place teams simultaneously,
running two games a day to get through them quickly before moving to the Korean Series,
wouldn't it be more immersive and better if we could finish the entire postseason within October?
It feels like a reform influenced by Commissioner Heo, who has historically had a great interest in international games.
Even in this APBC, it's set up so that players from the 1st and 2nd place teams cannot participate, but other countries' national teams don't have such restrictions, do they?
If the KBO is determined to increase competitiveness by playing more international tournaments in the future, I think this postseason reform proposal makes sense.
Comments 0