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As KBO clubs chase a trophy, fans chase trinkets with exclusive merch and menus the new hot tickets

Published: 14 Apr. 2026, 15:28 Updated: 14 Apr. 2026, 16:02

Spectators watch a baseball game between the SSG Landers and LG Twins at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in southern Seoul on April 12. [NEWS1]

Baseball today is not confined to the field — it has now seeped into merchandise, stadium-exclusive menus and everyday culture.

The retail industry’s baseball-themed marketing has been intensifying in response to demand, with the country expecting to see a record 13 million spectators during the ongoing 2026 KBO season.

“The baseball fan base has expanded to include women in their 20s and 30s, who monetarily contribute greatly to the sport, as well as families,” a retail industry source said on Monday. “[Baseball-related] consumption, once largely limited to stadiums, now extends to diverse aspects of everyday life.”

The economic impact of professional baseball-related consumer spending reached around 1.11 trillion won ($748 million) a year, the Hyundai Research Institute said. The number of women spectators also surpassed that of men, jumping from 42.1 percent in 2017 to 56.7 percent last year, according to a survey from the Korea Professional Sports Association.

As a result of this shift, merchandise has become a significant driver behind retail profit, as baseball fans no longer passively watch the game but actively engage with the sport by collecting relevant goods.

Lotte Giants merchandise store in Lotte World Tower in Jamsil, southern Seoul [LOTTE DEPARTMENT STORE]

As distribution channels for baseball-related products have expanded to include online platforms, department stores, cafes and convenience stores, the range of such items has done the same: Beyond water bottles decorated with a team’s logo, fans can now buy umbrellas, plushies, key chains, hand towels, clothes and other goods associated with their favorite team or player.

Live commerce platform CJ OnStyle’s baseball collection for all 10 teams in the KBO sold a cumulative 25,000 units within four days of its release as of Sunday. CJ OnStyle created the merch in collaboration with the KBO and sells it on its mobile application. Orders received on Thursday, the day of the collection’s launch, exceeded the sales target by 333 percent, and some items sold out within a minute.

A merchandise store for the Busan-based Lotte Giants opened on the third floor of Lotte World Mall in Songpa District, southern Seoul, on Saturday. It drew a massive number of visitors, with people having to wait in line to enter. The store was previously available only at the Lotte Giants’ home, Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan.

KBO's team-branded tumblers made by Starbucks Korea [STARBUCKS KOREA]

The convenience store chain Emart24 opened an SSG Landers-themed pop-up event at its Trend Lab in Seongsu-dong in eastern Seoul last month. The pop-up has already seen a shortage of signed uniforms and hats. Both the SSG Landers and Emart24 are affiliated with the retail giant Shinsegae.

The food and dining industry is also paying attention to baseball fans.

Theborn Korea, a food franchise company that operates inside baseball stadiums, has expanded its menu to offer more easy-to-eat items, such as snacks and meat skewers, during games.

Meanwhile, convenience stores near the stadiums are increasing their inventories of bottled water and beer to meet demand.

Outside of stadiums, Kyochon F&B, the operator of the major fried chicken franchise Kyochon Chicken, introduced a “baseball cheering set” on its app. Fans who order this meal are entered into a lottery to win tickets to the LG Twins’ and Hanwha Eagles’ home games.

Baseball-themed goods sold at CJ OnStyle [CJ ONSTYLE]

Lotte Wellfood, a confectionery company, presented new packaging designs for its products — such as Pepero, a thin, crunchy, chocolate-dipped pocky stick, and its cone-shaped corn-flavored snacks — to represent KBO teams.

“As both consumer preferences for purchases that carry personal meaning and the number of baseball fans increase, baseball-related consumption has integrated into everyday life,” said Lee Eun-hee, an emeritus professor of consumer studies at Inha University.

TheBorn Korea's menu only available in baseball stadiums [THEBORN KOREA]

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY LIM SUN-YOUNG [[email protected]]