Naver announced on the 21st that it has signed partnerships with the 10 KBO teams (Doosan Bears, Lotte Giants, Samsung Lions, Kiwoom Heroes, Hanwha Eagles, KIA Tigers, KT Wiz, LG Twins, NC Dinos, SSG Landers) to expand collaboration for the teams' marketing and the successful promotion of Korean professional baseball.
As the first step in establishing the marketing partnership, Naver Sports will conduct the 'live challenge' throughout the entire 2025 regular season, which was previously tested in a few games of the 2024 season. The live challenge allows users to share videos of every moment they enjoy while visiting the stadium with other users on Naver, delivering the excitement of the scene, such as dynamic player moments and cheering scenes, to baseball fans who cannot visit the ballpark through Naver Clips.
To participate in the live challenge, fans can upload videos ranging from 30 to 90 seconds by clicking the 'create clip' button on the My Place page of the Naver app, the Naver Blog app, and the Naver TV app, along with the '#live challenge' hashtag. Detailed instructions on how to participate in the live challenge will be provided at the stadium through QR codes available on the scoreboard or at seats. Those who participate in the live challenge will have the chance to win team merchandise through a lottery.
In addition, Naver held a presentation on the technology of Naver that connects online and offline for the marketing personnel of the 10 teams at the Naver 1784 headquarters on the 12th, to expand collaboration with KBO teams. During the presentation, it was discussed how users who enjoyed the live challenge videos could store their baseball game tickets purchased through Naver Reservations and Naver Pay in NFT form in the Naver Pay Wallet, a non-custodial digital asset wallet, and participate in events based on this. Various methods were also discussed to provide fans with new experiences, such as implementing a smart stadium using digital twin and robotics technology.
Joo Geon-beom, head of Naver Sports, said, “With Naver Sports establishing a marketing partnership with the 10 KBO teams, we have been able to begin more collaborations,” and added, “Naver Sports will continue to strive to create a flow that allows baseball fans to experience various things on Naver, linking those experiences back to the game site.”