Baseball Money Maker: Home Run Marketing
- The popularity of Korean professional baseball is spurring financial institutions to launch products tied to team performance and fan engagement.
- The 2025 professional baseball regular season opened March 22 and 23, with all five stadiums selling out.
- Shinhan Bank has been the title sponsor of the KBO League for eight years.
KBO League Drives Financial Sector Marketing with Team-Specific Products
Table of Contents
- KBO League Drives Financial Sector Marketing with Team-Specific Products
- KBO League: How Baseball Drives Financial Sector Marketing
- KBO League and Financial Partnerships: A Winning Combination
- How is the KBO League driving financial sector marketing?
- Shinhan Bank’s Long-Standing Sponsorship
- What financial products are linked to KBO teams?
- Examples of Team-Specific Financial Products
- What are the benefits of these products for fans?
- What is the impact of these KBO-related financial products?
- Historical data sales of professional baseball deposits and savings
- What do experts say about the growth of financial sports marketing?
- Conclusion
The popularity of Korean professional baseball is spurring financial institutions to launch products tied to team performance and fan engagement.
The 2025 professional baseball regular season opened March 22 and 23, with all five stadiums selling out. According to the Korea Baseball Commission (KBO), the 2025 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League opening tickets were sold out nationwide.The league achieved a record of 10 million spectators last year and is building on that momentum.
Shinhan Bank’s Long-Standing Sponsorship
Shinhan Bank has been the title sponsor of the KBO League for eight years. The sponsorship includes names such as ‘Shinhan Bank MYCAR KBO’ (2018-2019), ‘Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League’ (2020-2023), and ‘Shinhan SOL BANK KBO League’ (2024 and 2025).
The KBO estimates Shinhan Bank’s sponsorship generated an annual average of ₩260 billion in media exposure from 2018-2023, a period that included the COVID-19 pandemic. The KBO receives between ₩8 billion and ₩10 billion annually from Shinhan Bank for the title sponsorship.
Shinhan Bank previously offered a ‘Shinhan Professional Baseball Example and Savings’ product, featuring preferential interest rates based on a selected team’s performance. This year, the bank launched ‘Sol Baseball Plus’ content on its digital platform, ‘Sol Baseball,’ offering baseball-related quizzes, game predictions, MVP selection, and all-star fan voting with cash rewards.
Local Banks Tie Products to Popular Teams
Financial products linked to popular local teams, nicknamed ‘Ki Ki -gi’ (Kia, Lotte, Samsung), are gaining traction.
Gwangju bank announced on January 17 it would sell the ‘KIA Tigers V13 Championship Example and Savings,’ tied to the Kia Tigers’ performance. The deposit offers a maximum annual rate of 3.15% (basic 2.90% per year) with potential preferential interest rates up to 0.25 percentage points based on the team’s performance:
- 0.10 percentage points for a regular season win.
- 0.05 percentage points for entering the postseason.
- 0.10 percentage points for winning the Korean Series.
The KIA Tigers Winner’s Subcommittee offers a preferential rate (up to 0.25 percentage points) with the same conditions as the deposit, offering a maximum annual rate of 4.05% (basic 2.80%). The product guarantees the event preferential interest rate conditions. Last season, Kim Do-young nearly achieved a ’40-40′ season, hitting 38 home runs and stealing 40 bases.
On March 24, KIA Tigers released the ‘Kia Champions Card,’ offering discounts on home game admission and cashback at team stores and stadium facilities.
BNK Busan Bank launched the ‘Lotte Giants’ Victory Precision and Savings’ product on March 21, aiming to capitalize on fan enthusiasm. the product, sold for 19 years since its initial launch in 2007, was reorganized from the existing BNK Autumn Baseball Funds. The reorganization addresses the fact that Lotte Giants have not reached the postseason since 2017, limiting customer benefits.
The reorganized ‘Lotte Giants Victory Prize and Savings’ will provide an interest rate of 2.50% per year,with preferential rates of 0.05 percentage points for 80 wins and an additional 0.05 percentage points for every 20 wins thereafter.
The autumn baseball deposit and savings were not meaningful because Lotte could not always play autumn baseball.
DGB Daegu Bank also launched ‘Special DGB Home Run Savings’ products, offering preferential interest rates based on the Samsung Lions’ performance last year. IM Bank (Daegu Bank) plans to release Samsung Lions-related savings products in April.
Expert Predicts Growth in Financial Sports Marketing
As domestic professional baseball’s popularity is expected to increase this year, the financial sector’s baseball-related products and marketing are also attracting attention.
Shinhan Bank’s sales of professional baseball deposits and savings reached meaningful numbers annually until last year. Since its launch in 2018, the product saw 125,774 accounts opened in 2018 (approximately ₩2 trillion), 122,680 in 2019, 122,817 in 2020 (approximately ₩3 trillion), and 55,331 in 2020 (approximately ₩1.5 trillion). Sales decreased in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and reduced league play.
Gwangju Bank reported that the KIA Tigers’ 12th Korean Series win led to 111,369 ‘KIA Tigers championship deposit’ accounts (approximately ₩300 billion) and 19,090 ‘KIA Tigers’ championship deposit’ accounts (approximately ₩69 billion).
Experts are optimistic about financial products and marketing related to professional baseball and predict future growth.
As the Korean sports industry is further activated, the marketing of sports-related products will become more diverse and more effective.
He added, Sports-related financial instruments have a marketing effect in which consumers’ positive emotions and cheering minds of sports are converted into products and companies. We hope that a variety of creative sports-related products in Korea, such as the U.S. and Europe, will be introduced, so that the virtuous cycle of continuous value between companies, consumers and sports industries will occur.
KBO League: How Baseball Drives Financial Sector Marketing
The popularity of Korean professional baseball is spurring financial institutions to launch products tied to team performance and fan engagement.
The 2025 professional baseball regular season opened March 22 and 23, with all five stadiums selling out. According to the Korea Baseball Commission (KBO), the 2025 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League opening tickets were sold out nationwide. The league achieved a record of 10 million spectators last year and is building on that momentum.
KBO League and Financial Partnerships: A Winning Combination
The Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) League is experiencing a surge in popularity, and financial institutions are capitalizing on this trend by offering products linked to team performance and enhancing fan engagement. This article explores how these partnerships benefit both the league and the financial sector.
How is the KBO League driving financial sector marketing?
The KBO League is driving financial sector marketing by leveraging its massive fan base and the emotional connection fans have with their teams. This includes:
- Team-Specific Products: Banks are launching savings accounts and credit cards tied to the performance of specific KBO teams.
- Preferential Interest Rates and Benefits: These products frequently enough offer preferential interest rates or special benefits based on a team’s wins, postseason appearances, or championship victories.
- Fan Engagement: Financial institutions are also using digital platforms, such as “Sol Baseball,” to offer baseball-related quizzes, game predictions, and fan voting, rewarding users with cash prizes.
Shinhan Bank’s Long-Standing Sponsorship
Shinhan Bank has been the title sponsor of the KBO League for eight years, with the sponsorship including names such as ‘Shinhan Bank MYCAR KBO’ (2018-2019), ‘shinhan Bank SOL KBO League’ (2020-2023), and ‘Shinhan SOL BANK KBO League’ (2024 and 2025). The KBO estimates Shinhan Bank’s sponsorship generated an annual average of ₩260 billion in media exposure from 2018-2023, a period that included the COVID-19 pandemic, and the KBO receives between ₩8 billion and ₩10 billion annually from Shinhan Bank for the title sponsorship.
Shinhan Bank previously offered a ‘Shinhan Professional baseball Example and Savings’ product,featuring preferential interest rates based on a selected team’s performance. This year, the bank launched ‘Sol Baseball Plus’ content on its digital platform, ‘Sol Baseball,’ offering baseball-related quizzes, game predictions, MVP selection, and all-star fan voting with cash rewards.
What financial products are linked to KBO teams?
several financial institutions are offering products linked to specific KBO teams, particularly those known for their popularity, such as the “Ki Ki -gi” teams (Kia Tigers, Lotte giants, and Samsung Lions). These products are designed to leverage fan loyalty and reward them based on their team’s success.
Examples of Team-Specific Financial Products
- KIA Tigers: Launched the ‘KIA Tigers V13 Championship Example and Savings’ and the ‘Kia Champions Card,’ offering discounts on home games and cashback. Deposits offer a maximum annual rate of 3.15% with preferential rates based on team performance:
- 0.10 percentage points for a regular season win.
- 0.05 percentage points for entering the postseason.
- 0.10 percentage points for winning the Korean Series.
- Lotte Giants: BNK Busan Bank launched the ‘Lotte Giants’ victory Precision and Savings’ product and providing an interest rate of 2.50% per year,with preferential rates of 0.05 percentage points for 80 wins and an additional 0.05 percentage points for every 20 wins thereafter.
- Samsung Lions: DGB Daegu Bank launched ‘Special DGB Home Run Savings’ products, with preferential interest rates based on the Samsung Lions’ performance last year. IM Bank (Daegu Bank) plans to release Samsung Lions-related savings products in April.
What are the benefits of these products for fans?
These financial products offer fans the following benefits:
- Higher Interest Rates: Possibility to earn higher interest rates.
- exclusive Rewards: Discounts on game tickets, cashback on team merchandise, and other team-related benefits.
- Enhanced Fan Experience: Interactive content like quizzes and prediction games.
These financial products have a significant impact on the KBO league.
- Increased Revenue: The KBO League benefits from title sponsorships and marketing partnerships.
- Enhanced Fan Engagement: Creative methods that help fans stay connected and engaged.
- Increased Brand Visibility: Increased financial products boost brand recognition for teams and financial institutions.
Historical data sales of professional baseball deposits and savings
Shinhan Bank’s sales of professional baseball deposits and savings reached meaningful numbers annually until last year. the product saw sales over the years
| Year | accounts Opened | Approximate Value (KRW) |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 125,774 | ₩2 trillion |
| 2019 | 122,680 | N/A |
| 2020 | 122,817 | ₩3 trillion |
| 2021 | 55,331 | ₩1.5 trillion |
What do experts say about the growth of financial sports marketing?
Experts like Lee Chae-ho, a professor of business management at Dongguk University, are optimistic about the growth of financial products and marketing related to professional baseball. He notes that as the Korean sports industry further expands, the marketing of sports-related products will become more diverse and effective.He also emphasizes the marketing effect of these instruments, where fans’ positive emotions and support for sports teams translate into product sales and company growth.
as the Korean sports industry is further activated, the marketing of sports-related products will become more diverse and more effective.Lee Chae-ho, professor of business administration at Dongguk University
Conclusion
The KBO League’s strong fan base is driving innovation in the financial sector, with team-specific products creating a win-win for financial institutions, fans, and the league itself. With continued growth and strategic partnerships, the future of financial sports marketing in Korea looks promising.