The KBO is the largest professional baseball organization in Korea, and in its 42nd year, young women are showing up more than ever.
In South Korea, the KBO has been a mainstay in professional sports, as baseball has always been rather popular. Now, the youth have discovered the game more than ever before. Women, specifically those in their 20s, have been the most populous age/gender group attending games thus far this season.
In the three-month period through June, the share of women in their 20s has jumped up 3.8% since last year. They own 23.4% of ticket sales in the KBO, while women made up 54.4% of ticket sales in the March-June time period. To compare this to the MLB, a January 2024 survey showed that only 38.7 percent of MLB fans who watched or attended a game were female.
Youthful fans have reinvigorated Korean baseball, as opposed to other baseball-watching countries like Japan and America, where the average fan is seen as an older man. The KBO has marketed heavily to the younger audience on social media and with various jersey promotions.
So why are young women breaking global baseball trends in Korea? It seems that games are an escape, where they can get away from work or anything else monotonous in their lives. With the women’s sports revolution taking place, it is great to see that women in their 20s are enjoying concessions, leisure, and a fun break at a steadily growing rate in the KBO in 2024.
Photo Credit: Baseball fans during the KBO postseason between Kiwoom Heroes and Doosan Bears at the Jamsil Stadium on November 01, 2021 in Seoul, South Korea. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
