The 2024 Asian baseball playoffs feature dramatic matchups between teams owned by major tech companies. In Japan, the Fukuoka Soft Bank Hawks face the Yokohama De NA Baystars in the Japan Series rematch of 2024, where De NA ended a 26-year championship drought. The KBO championship features Kia Tigers against Samsung Lions, followed by the Korean Series versus KT Wiz, with Kia sweeping LG Twins in the preliminary playoff. Meanwhile, the CPBL sees the Wei Chuan Dragons one win away from the title against CT BC Brothers in Taipei Dome.
Unlike North American MLB teams, these Asian franchises carry corporate names reflecting their tech-heavy ownership. Soft Bank Group invests globally in technology, while De NA provides mobile and entertainment services. In South Korea, Samsung leads in chips and smartphones, and KT operates as a telecom giant. Taiwanese Wei Chuan is part of Ting Hsin International Group, known for Master Kong instant noodles, while CT BC Financial Holding manages private banking.
Technology is transforming baseball beyond ownership, with high-definition cameras and tracking systems replacing human umpires. MLB fully adopted the automated ball-strike system this season, KBO implemented it in 2024, and CPBL is considering adoption while NPB has no set timeline.
Source: Financial Times Companies · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing