Area Sports Round-Up – April 2025

A monthly overview of local sports, featuring area teams and brought to you…

By Zhang Jiuzhou (Julius)

Kia Tigers Roar into 2025: Big Pay Raises, New Faces, and A Stadium Makeover

Gwangju City earlier announced that the renovation of Kia Champions Field would be completed before the start of the 2025 season. However, the actual construction timeline is expected to be delayed, causing inconvenience to baseball fans. The renovation work, originally scheduled to finish before the opening game, is now projected to continue until August, inevitably affecting fans visiting the stadium.

Kia Champions Field, completed in March 2014, is a large multi-purpose facility with a capacity of 20,500 spectators. Since its opening, there have been repeated calls for comprehensive maintenance, as some of the seats in the stands have shown damage and discoloration.

In response, Gwangju City pledged in a press conference last October to conduct a full on-site inspection and implement repairs.

Following last year’s championship victory and as a strong contender for the 2025 title, the Kia Tigers are expected to attract even more fans, aiming for 1.3 million spectators at their home field.

This year, for the first time, the club held its spring training camp in the United States, allowing new foreign players Adam Oller and Patrick Wisdom to benefit from a familiar environment as they adjust to their new team. Both Oller and Wisdom have made an excellent first impression on the coaching staff, players, and management. They entered the spring camp in top condition, demonstrating not only their physical fitness but also their friendly and enthusiastic personalities, which were highly praised.

They’ve also adapted well to Korean food. Reportedly, Wisdom quickly finished the kimchi fried rice prepared by the team for lunch. Oller, known for his healthy eating habits and not being picky, also enjoyed the Korean dishes without hesitation. Wisdom has already decided on a must-try menu item in Korea. He heard that “live octopus” (sannakji, 산낙지) is one of the most challenging dishes for foreigners but is considered a must-eat in Korea. He expressed his determination to take on the challenge.

Kia ace James Naile, now in his second year in Korea, is known as a hanwoo (Korean beef) barbecue enthusiast. After the start of this year’s spring training, Naile took Wisdom out to a Korean restaurant in Irvine to introduce him to Korean cuisine.

With the average annual salary in the 2025 KBO season reaching a historic high, the salary increase among Kia Tigers players has been particularly notable. The total annual salary for Kia players reached 9.423 billion KRW (an average of 177.79 million KRW per player), representing a 25.5 percent increase compared to the previous year – far exceeding the league’s average growth rate of 3.7 percent.

The player with the highest salary increase this season is “superstar” Kim Do-young, whose annual salary rose from 100 million KRW to 500 million KRW, marking a 400 percent increase – the highest raise in the KBO 2025 season. James Naile, who played a key role in last year’s championship series, ranks second among foreign players in terms of salary for 2025, with a total compensation of $1.6 million.

Gwangju FC Responds to Fan Discontent with Strategic Midfield Reinforcement

After hosting two home games, Gwangju FC has faced continued online criticism over ticket price hikes. Fans believe the sharp decline in average attendance compared to the same period last year is due to the increased ticket prices.

The rise in ticket prices was announced in early February when annual season passes went on sale. When the team previously played at the Gwangju Football Stadium, season tickets were highly sought after because they offered priority seating and closer views of the action. However, after relocating to the Gwangju World Cup Stadium, where the viewing distance is greater and more seats remain empty, the value of early reservations has diminished. Despite this, the club has maintained a high pricing policy: 600,000 KRW for premium season passes and 360,000 KRW for regular passes.

In addition, there has been disappointment over the treatment of season ticket holders. The club used oversized boxes to ship tickets and cards, and the apology letters contained typos, raising doubts about the club’s basic operational capabilities.

At the end of February, 954 Gwangju fans traveled to Jeonju for an away game to support the team. However, in the following week’s home game against Anyang, excluding the visiting Anyang supporters, only 2,700 Gwangju fans attended. This shows that the club’s marketing and home game promotions are far from meeting fan expectations. There is still a long way to go to meet the standards of civic pride.

On February 28, Gwangju FC announced the signing of former national team player Ju Se- jong. Ju has played 260 matches in the K-League, scoring 16 goals and providing 30 assists. He also made 27 appearances in Japan’s J-League, adding two assists. Although he is now considered a veteran, his solid fundamentals, wide field vision, midfield control, and set-piece skills are still highly valued.

Ju Se-jong stated, “Gwangju FC is an excellent team. I will do my best on the field to show the fans what they want to see.” The team hopes Ju can be a major asset in strengthening the midfield. With Jeong Ho-yeon transferring abroad, Yu Je-ho out with an injury, and Park Tae-joon set to enlist in the military, Ju’s signing is seen as a stroke of good fortune.

AI Peppers Break Records, But Will Zhang Yu Return?

On February 19, in the fifth round of the 2024– 2025 V-League women’s division, the AI Peppers defeated Jung Kwan Jang’s Red Sparks 3–0 (25– 21, 25–23, 25–13) at Gwangju Peppers Arena. With this victory, the AI Peppers achieved a 10– 19 record and reached 30 points, marking their first-ever double-digit win season in club history. Their goal of reaching 10 wins was achieved even before the fifth round ended.

However, the AI Peppers, who selected top middle blocker Zhang Yu as their number one Asian player pick this season, now face uncertainty about renewing their Asian quota contract. On March 6, the Korea Volleyball Federation (KOVO) announced that a total of only 43 players from 10 countries applied for the 2025 Asian Quota Draft, which closed on February 13. Japan had the largest number with 10 players, followed by Iran and Thailand with six each, Australia and Mongolia with five each, Kazakhstan and the Philippines with four each, and Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia each with one player.

Notably, there were no Chinese players on the list. Reports indicate that Chinese athletes did not register because of the Chinese National Games, which will be held in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in November. The competition, held in China every four years, is considered even more competitive than the Olympics.

An official from the AI Peppers stated, “We confirmed that instructions regarding the National Games were sent to Chinese players and agents.” They added, “Since Zhang Yu can still submit an application up to the day before the draft, we can’t confirm her final decision yet. All possibilities remain open.”