"MLB Deficit Exceeds 3 Trillion Won"…COVID-19 World Series

Record High Debt Expected
No Home Stadium, Lowest Viewership

On the 20th (local time), at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, USA, during Game 1 of the Major League Baseball World Series (WS) between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Tampa Bay Rays, a female baseball fan is watching the game wearing a cowboy hat with the American flag pattern and a mask for COVID-19 prevention. (Arlington AP=Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] Rob Manfred, Commissioner of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States, predicted that the 30 MLB teams will incur losses exceeding 3 trillion won this year.

In an interview with the American sports economic magazine Sportico on the 27th (Korean time), Commissioner Manfred estimated the total losses of MLB teams this year to be between 800 million dollars (3.164 trillion won) and 3 billion dollars (3.39 trillion won). He stated, "MLB teams will carry the highest level of debt in history," adding, "The 30 teams already have debts amounting to about 8.3 billion dollars."

Amid the global economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the sports market, including MLB, has also suffered significant damage. Although the MLB World Series, where the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays face off, is approaching the final stages to determine the champion, the atmosphere in terms of popularity does not feel like previous years.

The stands are noticeably empty. As part of COVID-19 prevention measures, the MLB office is holding the World Series at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, a neutral location instead of the home stadiums of the two teams. Although paid spectators are allowed, attendance is limited to about 11,500 people, approximately 30% of the stadium's capacity (around 40,000).

With the regular season shortened from the usual 162 games per team to 60 games this year, the opening day delayed by about four months compared to previous years, and continued games without spectators, baseball fans' interest has declined. According to a U.S. viewership survey agency, the number of viewers for Game 1 of the World Series was 9.195 million, marking the lowest figure in history.

Commissioner Manfred added, "It will be very difficult to endure games without spectators next season as well," and said, "The fact that each team has managed to hold on until now is close to a miracle."