After the passage of Typhoon Kanun, the sixth typhoon to cross the Korean Peninsula in a precise vertical line, the country is bathed in strong sunshine as if it had never rained.

The scorching heat has cooled off as the autumn festival, which marks the end of summer and the beginning of fall, has passed, but it’s still hot.

The KBO League, which was hit by a typhoon, was also on fire. The teams managed to get through the weekend of Nov. 11-12 without a hitch, reigniting the race for the second half of the standings. With no major rain forecast for the foreseeable future, the league is expected to gain momentum in the final stretch.

But it’s also the time of year when KBO stadium officials start to worry. The grounds are starting to show scars from the alternating heat and rain throughout July.

This was evident in the outfield of Busan’s Sajik Stadium, where the KIA Tigers and Lotte Giants played on Nov. 11-12. The dirt floor was exposed in various places among the green grass. Sajik Stadium, which opened in 1986 and has a long history, has been criticized for its deterioration, but Lotte, the home team, has invested in improving the ground conditions several times. However, in the long rainy season and scorching heat, these efforts seem to be in vain. Not only Busan, but all other stadiums, except for the Gocheok Sky Dome, which has artificial turf and is immune to the effects of the weather, are not free from grounds management problems.

The weather in Korea is a challenging condition for ground grass to grow year-round. Especially in the summer, prolonged periods of rain can leave waterlogged turf that quickly burns out in the scorching heat. The turf on most fields is Kentucky bluegrass, a winter-hardy grass that is particularly vulnerable to high temperatures and humidity, so it’s not uncommon to see “dirt” after the rainy season.

This condition not only increases the risk of injury to players, but it can also affect overall performance, which is why stadium management teams across the country are scrambling to reduce ground temperatures and promote grass growth during the summer months. This is compounded by the fact that the region has been experiencing heavy rainfall and heat waves in the summer due to abnormally high temperatures for several years.

The KBO League’s fervor, fueled by the rise of popular teams and fierce mid-table battles, has continued into the second half of the season. Teams are also working hard to optimize their ground conditions, as the best fans are the best fans. This year, however, the weather is not immune. 스포츠토토