Suwon Samsung, the most prestigious pro soccer team in the K-League, was directly demoted to the K2 (minor league) as it was confirmed to be the bottom of the league this season. It is the first time that Suwon, which was founded in 1995, has been demoted to the second division. The entire soccer community is in shock.
Suwon transformed into a strong team in a short period of time through aggressive investment right after its foundation. As a result, it won four K-League titles and two Asian Champions League titles in a decade or so. 메이저 토토사이트
However, one option changed the fortunes. Suwon’s operating entity changed from Samsung Electronics to Cheil Worldwide in 2014, and its operating expenses began to be drastically cut. Although it was dubbed “self-sustaining,” it is true that the parent company’s reduction in operating expenses will inevitably mean a fall when considering limited domestic professional sports conditions in terms of entry revenue and merchandise sales. Amid this development, internal development was slow. It was apparent that he was in a hurry to maintain the status quo, let alone self-sustaining. Eventually, after moving around the bottom ranks in recent years, he was forced to withdraw from the relegation zone.
Professional baseball has returned to the era of 8 million spectators this year. It started amid bad news that the team suffered a crushing defeat at the 2023 World Baseball Classic before the opening of the season, but failed to shake fans’ hearts. The Korean Series, which ended with the LG Twins’ first championship in 29 years, was almost sold out after a “pre-sale war.” Unlike professional soccer, which has a mix of corporate and civic teams and has different goals, the professional baseball system is equipped with a box office system in which all 10 teams compete with solid team colors.
Even teams without investment will surely weaken. All teams’ dream is to bring in young players and nurture them into stars of their clubs. However, synergy can occur only when a veteran player with weight is available to watch and learn from him. Hoping to grow up alone without a mentor is more like greed. While some players fall apart even if they grow up in the latest development system, many players grow up beside their seniors who are outstanding despite unfavorable conditions. To complete this harmony, investment is needed accordingly. Investments not only for the players but also for convenience of spectators and strengthening marketing are also indispensable.
Efforts for development are also made. Professional sports are run by most teams with subsidies from their parent companies. However, from the perspective of the parent company, a team that cannot generate adequate profits while subsisting on subsidies should not be taken lightly. Various activities should be carried out to attract spectators and increase advertising revenue that the team can afford to do from its perspective. The national team should also show positive results by creating a virtuous cycle of first-team backup based solely on the standard of talent.
So far, no team in the pro baseball has cut operating costs in an extreme way like Suwon did. However, self-indulgence of the front desk and lack of motivation of the team can happen anytime. This is why the team should reconsider the reality and future, rather than just ignoring the neighbors.
