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| Ulsan Hyundai Mobis. Photo courtesy =KBL |
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| 원주 DB. Photo courtesy =KBL |
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The men's professional basketball (KBL) exhibition game will return. Ahead of the 2025-2026 season, KBL will hold an exhibition game called 'Open Match Day' over the weekend for two weeks from the 20th.
It is the first exhibition game in 14 years. KBL has introduced exhibition games since 1997, the first year of professional basketball. As the voices of the field complained of the burden of physical strength grew, it was suspended after the 1999-2000 season. Public opinion has risen that professional basketball should be promoted even in the offseason. Exhibition games were held from the 2003-2004 season to the 2011-2012 season. Since 2012, the exhibition game has disappeared again as both professional and amateur teams have started the professional and amateur cup competition.
Variables occurred ahead of the new season. Unlike previous years, the opening of the 2025-2026 season has been moved to early October. The KBL received a complaint from each club that the `league schedule is tight.' In order to increase the interval between game days, the opening point was pulled for about two weeks. There was a situation in which the schedule for the league and the cup competition overlapped. In the last three years, all of the cup competitions were held in early October. In the end, KBL decided to hold an exhibition game instead of a cup competition. Two games per team will be played at home and away. However, Busan KCC was forced to not play its home games due to the schedule of the 106th National Sports Festival. Instead, Changwon LG will play at home twice on the 21st and 27th.
Through exhibition games, each club will not only check their performance, check their respective stadiums, but also catch their fans' hearts. Unlike the cup competition, exhibition games are played at home. In other words, it is possible to touch with home fans. In fact, Seoul SK and Ulsan Hyundai Mobis plan to hold a season opening ceremony after exhibition games at home. LG will also hold a ceremony after the game on the 27th. The fans responded enthusiastically. LG has already sold nearly 2,900 tickets for the KCC match to be held at Changwon Gymnasium on the 21st. More than 1,400 tickets were sold immediately after the Ulsan Hyundai Mobis-KCC match opened on the 20th. Tickets for the SK-Seoul Samsung match were also reportedly sold quickly on the 21st.
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| 헨리 엘런슨. Photo courtesy = Wonju DB |
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There are plenty of things to see. In particular, there are many changes this season. As many as five of the 10 teams have changed their head coaches. Hyundai Mobis' Yang Dong-geun, Moon Kyung-eun's kt, Anyang's Jeonggwanjang Yoo Do-hoon, Goyang Sono Sono, and KCC coach Lee Sang-min have taken the helm. There was also a lot of movement of ace players. Kim Sun-hyung (SK→kt), Lee Jung-hyun (Samsung→DB), Heo Hoon (kt→KCC), and Kim Nak-hyun (Daegu Korea Gas Corporation → SK) moved their teams one after another. Attention is focusing on what they will look like in the new team. However, Heo Hoon is unlikely to play in the exhibition game due to his injury. A KCC official said, `Heo Hoon is preparing to return to the opening game.' Attention is also drawn to the new foreign player taking off the veil. Former NBA players Henry Ellenson (DB) and Derek Williams (kt) are drawing high expectations. Ra Gun-ah (Korea Gas Corporation), who returned to the Korean stage for the first time in a long time, is also drawing attention.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
