KBO Cancels Changwon Match Due to Heatwave; K League Kicks Off in Evening Through Weekend

As record-breaking heatwaves persist throughout the weekend, traditional outdoor professional sports such as baseball, football, and golf are taking special measures including game cancellations to protect the health of both players and spectators.

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announced at 2:20 PM today (August 2) that the scheduled match between the KIA Tigers and the NC Dinos at NC Park in Changwon, which was set to start at 6:00 PM today, has been canceled due to the extreme heat.

Following forecasts that temperatures would remain above 38°C even at the start of the game, the KBO made the decision to cancel matches for the second consecutive day to protect spectators and the teams.

Additionally, the game between the Samsung Lions and the Lotte Giants scheduled at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan will start 30 minutes later than originally planned.

Since 2019, the KBO League has enforced explicit regulations allowing the review of game cancellations based on Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) advisory and warning criteria.

When a warning or higher is issued, the KBO game operations manager before the game, or the game umpire after the game starts, is granted the authority to cancel the match after verifying with the local meteorological office.

If daily highs of 35°C or higher persist for two consecutive days, it serves as the criteria for reviewing cancellation in accordance with the KMA heatwave warning.

With Changwon experiencing extreme heat exceeding 37°C for two days in a row, the KBO decided to call off the game.

The Korea Professional Football League (K League) also operates heatwave-related regulations.

First, kickoff times are scheduled for after 7:00 PM for K League 1 (Tier 1) from the fourth week of May to the second week of September, and for K League 2 from the first week of June to the first week of September.

Furthermore, since 2018, regulations have mandated that if matches are played during the summer months (June to August) when temperatures reach 32°C or higher, cooling breaks (lasting 90 seconds to 3 minutes) must be implemented once each in the first and second halves to help players stay hydrated.

Water spraying measures are also required to lower pitch temperatures four times in total during the summer season.

Regulations have been established to suspend or delay matches if hosting becomes impossible or postponement is necessary due to severe weather conditions such as heavy snow, rain, or heatwaves.

In particular, while extreme heat was added as a reason for suspending or delaying matches starting in 2025, unlike the KBO, no specific temperature threshold was set.

However, the league explained that a game has never been canceled solely due to a heatwave.

Regarding this, the league stated, "Because actual perceived environmental conditions can vary greatly depending on various factors such as humidity, direct sunlight, wind, and stadium structure, we operate our regulations so that game supervisors and the league comprehensively judge on-site conditions, prioritizing the safety of players and spectators over rigid temperature standards."

From May 31 to September 28, the league is broadcasting safety campaign videos for spectators regarding heatwaves, produced by the Korea Professional Sports Association, through stadium electronic boards once or twice during all matches.

The Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour has been operating "heatwave response guidelines and preventive measures" for tournaments held from June onward.

Under these guidelines, if the highest daily perceived temperature is expected to reach 33°C or higher for two or more consecutive days, the KLPGA issues an "Advisory," and for 35°C or higher, a "Warning," requiring players and spectators to follow safety measures tailored to each situation.

In addition, safety rules for preventing heat-related illnesses are continuously broadcast on the course's scoreboards for the safety of spectators.

While regulations state that disaster situations such as heatwaves should prompt the competition committee, organizing committee, and sponsors to discuss whether to cancel events, due to the nature of the sport where tournament cancellations or postponements are difficult, no golf matches have yet been canceled due to heatwaves.

Consequently, to protect players and spectators, the KLPGA secures shaded areas and resting spaces at venues, installs water fountains, ice boxes, and air conditioning units, and operates heat relief shelters equipped with cooling devices.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.