"Otani There? Looks Meager" Koceok Dome's Fame Compared with US and Japan Stadiums [Curiosity Lab]

MLB Seoul Opening Game Announced at Seoul Gocheok Dome
Relatively Smaller Compared to Japanese and American Domes
Seoul City Promotes MLB-Grade 'Jamsil Dome' Project

Editor's NoteThis is a corner that explains issues encountered in daily life or suddenly becoming a hot topic in an easy and entertaining way.

"Is Otani going there?", "They play baseball there?", "Taiwan Dome is better."

On the 20th, the day of the first game of the 2024 Major League Baseball (MLB) Seoul Opening Series, overseas baseball fans' reactions upon seeing Gocheok Dome (officially named Gocheok Sky Dome) with the naked eye were like this. The size of Gocheok Dome, as seen in baseball games and photos, seemed 'meager' compared to their home dome stadiums.

MLB Opening Game Created Buzz, but Gocheok Dome Size Disappoints

On the 20th, at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, the opening game of the 2024 Major League Baseball (MLB) regular season was held between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres. In the top of the 3rd inning with two outs, Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers is hitting a single.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Gocheok Dome consists of 2 basement floors and 4 above-ground floors. It has 16,670 seats, a height of 67.59 meters, and a total floor area of 83,623㎡ (building area 30,000㎡). Even if seats are added inside the stadium, the maximum capacity is about 25,000 seats. Since 35,000 people gathered for Big Bang's 10th anniversary concert, including seats and standing room, this is probably the maximum capacity.

Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. It is a dome stadium with a maximum capacity of 25,000 seats.
[Photo by Hyunmin Kim]

On the other hand, Taiwan's Taipei Dome, which broke ground in 2012, can accommodate over 40,000 people for baseball games and up to 58,000 for concerts. The stadium infrastructure in 'baseball-advanced' countries like Japan and the United States far surpasses this. This is why Gocheok Dome inevitably looks relatively modest in the eyes of foreign fans.

Including Japan's Semi-Open Dome, There Are 6 Dome Stadiums... Easily Accommodating 40,000

Japan's five major domes. From the top: Tokyo Dome, Sapporo Dome, Kyocera Dome, Vantelin Dome, PayPay Dome. The last photo shows the interior during a concert. [Image source: Japan Tourism Official Website]

Japan started with Tokyo Dome in 1989, followed by Fukuoka Dome in 1993, Osaka Dome and Nagoya Dome in 1997, and Sapporo Dome in 2002. These are commonly called Japan's five major domes.

The sixth dome, Seibu Dome in Saitama (officially named MetLife Stadium), was remodeled in 1999. Seibu Dome has a semi-open roof, differing from typical dome stadiums. Regardless of size, Japanese dome stadiums have a significant difference in capacity compared to Gocheok Dome.

Seibu Dome. [Image source=Saitama Prefecture official website]

Tokyo Dome, Japan's first all-weather multipurpose stadium, has a capacity of 55,000 for concerts and 46,000 for baseball. It hosts numerous festivals and concerts and is one of Tokyo's top buildings. Sapporo Dome can accommodate over 50,000 for concerts and over 40,000 for baseball. Osaka Dome (55,000 for concerts, 36,000 for baseball), Nagoya Dome (50,000, 36,000), Fukuoka Dome (54,200, 38,000), and Seibu Dome (33,000, 33,000) follow.

One Fully Enclosed Dome and Seven Retractable Roofs in the U.S.... Top-Level Facility Sizes

Let's turn our attention to the baseball homeland, the United States. MLB has 30 teams, all owning their own stadiums. Most are open-air (without roofs) like ours. There is only one fully enclosed dome, and seven have retractable roofs.

The only fully enclosed dome in MLB is Tropicana Field in Tampa Bay. Located in St. Petersburg, Florida, Tropicana Field opened in 1990 and can accommodate 25,000 people. This stadium also hosts events such as soccer, tennis, and hockey. The seven retractable roof stadiums are Globe Life Field, LoanDepot Park, American Family Field, Minute Maid Park, T-Mobile Park, Chase Field, and Rogers Centre.

Globe Life Field, established in Arlington, Texas, USA. Home stadium of the Texas Rangers. [Image source: Arlington official website]

The most recent, Globe Life Field, built in 2020 in Arlington, Texas, is home to the Texas Rangers. Arlington experiences frequent rain and high temperatures, making a retractable roof advantageous.

LoanDepot Park, built in 2012 in Miami, Florida, is home to the Miami Marlins and accommodates 36,742 people. It was designed with the latest methods and cost over $603 million (about 808.3 billion KRW) to build.

American Family Field, opened in 2001 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has a fan-shaped roof that can open and close within 10 minutes. It is home to the Milwaukee Brewers and has over 41,000 seats. Minute Maid Park, home to the Houston Astros in Texas, accommodates 41,000 people. T-Mobile Park in Seattle, Washington, home to the Seattle Mariners, can hold about 48,000 people.

Chase Field, Arizona. [Image source=BEMO]

Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona, home to the Arizona Diamondbacks, has a roof that opens or closes within 5 minutes.

The roof of Chase Field closes within 5 minutes when the temperature rises. [Image source: University of Arizona official website]

This is because the area is known for its heat. The seating capacity is 48,000. Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada, opened in 1989 and is home to the Toronto Blue Jays. The stadium seats about 50,000.

Jamsil Dome Stadium Comparable to MLB... Expected in 10 Years

Seoul City is planning to build a state-of-the-art dome stadium in Jamsil comparable to MLB stadiums. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon announced this plan during his visit to Toronto's Rogers Centre last September.

A bird's-eye view of the Jamsil Sports and MICE complex development project planned on a scale comparable to MLB. [Image source=Seoul City]

This is part of the 'Jamsil Sports & MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) Complex Development Project,' which is being carried out with private investment. It is planned as a fully enclosed structure, not retractable, with a capacity of over 30,000, making it the largest in Korea capable of hosting international games. The city plans to introduce various premium seats reflecting the latest trends, such as a 360-degree open concourse circulating around the infield and outfield (a corridor connected to the spectator seats), skyboxes, field boxes, and family zones.

The Jamsil Dome Stadium will be built on the site of the current Jamsil Baseball Stadium after demolition. According to the city's plan, games will be held at the existing Jamsil Baseball Stadium until the 2025 season, with construction starting in 2026 and completion targeted by the end of 2031.