The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), a WBSC Associate Member, announced that the top professional sports league in the country is targeting an early May start, with teams ready to play pre-season games as early as Tuesday, 21 April.
"Obviously, these scenarios will be feasible only if we have dramatically fewer confirmed cases in the coming days," commented KBO Secretary-General Ryu Dae-hwan at the end of an emergency Executive Committee meeting. "If we see an increase in cases a couple of days leading up to April 21, we'll postpone the preseason."
KBO, who will monitor potential COVID-19 symptoms experienced by players, coaches, officials and other personnel through a mobile app, also announced that masks will be mandatory in all areas of the venues except for players on the ground and in the dugout during game action.
The Republic of Korea and its government have been hailed in the media as having implemented one of the most effective and timely responses to the coronavirus outbreak, which has opened up the possibility for KBO to explore the opening of its regular season as early as May.
Taiwan's top-tier league, the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL), is set to become the first professional baseball league to open its 2020 regular season, with an 11 April Opening Day.
Photo courtesy KBO
