Cheongju is again being stubborn against the Hanwha Eagles. It is showing the end of regional selfishness, with statements that go beyond reason.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Cheongju Mayor Lee Beom-seok said on the 19th, "Over the past 10 years, Cheongju has spent 12 billion won on facility improvements demanded by the KBO and the Hanwha organization, and not assigning professional baseball games to Cheongju is a betrayal of Cheongju fans. For the passionate Cheongju fans who have cheered regardless of performance, it is essential to continue assigning games."

Using the provocative word "betrayal" to pressure the Hanwha organization into assigning games in Cheongju. However, Hanwha, which opened the state-of-the-art Daejeon Hanwha Life Eagles Park with a capacity of 27,000 this year, is expressing reluctance. To maximize attendance and increase ticket revenue, they must accommodate as many fans as possible at the new baseball park, and there are contractual issues with the food and beverage outlets in the new stadium, necessitating a considerable financial hit for every game played in Cheongju.

Of course, beyond monetary reasons, a second stadium is necessary for fan service and expanding the reach of baseball. However, for Cheongju, the real problem lies elsewhere. It is the baseball stadium itself. Built in May 1979, the Cheongju Baseball Stadium is now 47 years old. Despite undergoing multiple renovations and repairs, the limitations of such an old stadium are well beyond reach.

The Cheongju Baseball Stadium, which can accommodate 10,000 spectators, has very limited internal space for the players. Both home and away teams suffer from a lack of rest areas, often forcing players to wait in the bus outside the stadium after training. The visiting team dugout has a low ceiling, posing a significant risk of bumping heads. Due to space and design constraints, it is a structurally unresolved problem.

Even though players can endure the cramped dugouts and locker rooms, the most significant issue is that the ground, which poses a high risk of injuries, also affects performance. Players complained that "the artificial turf in Cheongju is hard and slippery, putting a lot of strain on their legs. The ground is uneven." In reality, there have been players who missed games due to sprained ankles from stepping on uneven ground at the Cheongju Baseball Stadium, and some have had to be replaced due to muscle pain after tripping on the infield grass. There was even a humorous comment that "the goal when coming to Cheongju is to leave without getting injured."

Due to the impact of COVID-19, games at the Cheongju Baseball Stadium were not held for five years, but five games were hosted last year after passing the KBO facility inspection. Before that, they made some improvements by investing 1.9 billion won to replace the artificial turf, but it still feels precarious.

On the 8th, during the opening game of the exhibition match, Hanwha center fielder Estevan Florial almost fell after his foot slipped on the slippery turf while playing defense. Fortunately, it was not a severe injury, but it was a frightening moment that could have ruined Hanwha's season. On the same day, Moon Hyun-bin experienced hamstring issues while running to first base after hitting, which could not be overlooked given the hard ground in cold weather.

The Cheongju Baseball Stadium is also highly uncomfortable for fans. The seat spacing is cramped, and the steep incline makes navigating the stairs risky. There is a lack of parking space, and one of the joys of watching baseball, the food options, are lacking. There is only one concession stand in the stadium, and the tented concession outside gives the impression of taking a time machine back 30 years.

Despite this poor environment, the enthusiasm of Cheongju fans supporting Hanwha cannot be easily ignored. However, the behavior of the city of Cheongju, which demands unreasonable requests from Hanwha every year without providing a proper environment, has crossed the line. Rather than solely requiring sacrifices from the organization and the players, there should be adequate preparations to match those requests.

To gain the sympathy of fans, it would be better to simulate the construction of a new baseball stadium rather than waste public funds on renovations of the existing stadium criticized for being a waste of blood tax. Jeonju City, aiming to attract the KIA Tigers’ second home stadium and Futures League games, is investing 58.5 billion won to build a new baseball stadium scheduled for completion in 2026. If Cheongju had used the 12 billion won spent on stadium renovations over the past 10 years on the construction of a new stadium, it would not feel as wasteful.

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