South Korea's baseball league season is underway after five-week delay, but with no fans in attendance, masks on the umpires and virtual cheerleaders.
With virtully no live sport taking place in the world right now, much attention is now falling on South Korea's big hitters.
Adam Reed reports.
There's a kid in a bubble, coaches and umpires in masks, and no fans in the bleachers -- just pictures of fans.
It’s a whole new ball game in South Korea, as baseball season gets underway, after a five-week delay.
And with almost no live sport taking place anywhere in the world, even U.S. and Japanese networks have agreed deals to broadcast Korean baseball to fill their own empty schedules.
Fans were able to have some interaction though, following along with the cheer squad on the big screens.
Jung Young-suk is the head of the SK Wyverns team cheerleaders: (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) HEAD OF SK WYVERNS CHEERING SQUAD, JUNG YOUNG-SUK, SAYING:"It (cheering) creates the atmosphere and feeling of realness for the players so they can keep their rhythm (while playing).
Even though fans can't come to the stadium, they can relieve stress or quench their thirst for baseball” Even the traditional first pitch had a new look.
Instead of the usual throw, a boy in a giant clear baseball walked towards the catcher in what was described as a socially distant first pitch for South Korean club KT Wiz on Tuesday (May 5).
And those pictures of mask-wearing fans in some seats also came with a slogan saying "Fans, we're waiting for you."
There may not be fans in these stands to watch this South Korean baseball team due to the coronavirus pandemic. Buzz60’s Mercer..
