The recently completed Group B of the Opening Round of the WBSC Premier12 2024 presented by RAXUS was a huge success both on and off the field.
Record breaking numbers of fans attending the 15 games while even more experienced a six-day extravaganza of baseball festivities across the island.
With all Chinese Taipei games held in the Taipei Dome, which was hosting its highest-standard international tournament in its young history, in addition to a much-anticipated Japan-Korea game, more than 180,000 fans turned out to enjoy the Opening Round Group B action.
Besides the fans providing an amazing atmosphere at the Taipei Dome, local governments also held outdoor watch parties for fans who could not purchase tickets. In New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Taichung, Yunlin, Kaohsiung, Pintung, and the east coast city Hualian, fans turned out to watch parties in city hall plazas and malls. New Taipei City even held a watch party at the annual Christmas Fairs. An estimated crowd of 20,000 participated in the 25 watch parties all over the island.
VIEshow, one of the largest cinema chains in Taiwan, also brought baseball games to the cinema. Seven selected cinemas throughout Taiwan showed all five Chinese Taipei games. An estimated 17,500 “moviegoers” watched the Chinese Taipei games in the cinema throughout the Opening Round with popcorn, hotdogs, sodas, and cheering sticks in their hands to enjoy the games as if they were in the stadiums.
The games are also enjoying great success in the ratings with local broadcasters VideoLand Sports, EBC, and ELTA. Chinese Taipei games were No. 1 in TV ratings, starting with the second game, when Chinese Taipei played against the Dominican Republic. The Chinese Taipei and Australia game, in which a victory (along with a Japan win) would ensure a berth to the Super Round, was the most popular among all games in the Opening Round Group B in Taiwan.
In addition to the success in attendance and viewership, Chinese Taipei players also received some good news as a result of their victories during the Opening Round. CTBA President Jefferey Koo Jr. announced that for every win Chinese Taipei collected during the Premier12, he would hand out NTD 10 million ($300,000) as a bonus to the team. Koo also added that if Chinese Taipei wins the Premier12, an additional NTD 30 million ($1m) will be provided as a team bonus.
Chinese Taipei players will also have the opportunity to receive a government bonus. Per the Sports Administration, each player will receive NTD 7 million ($216,000) if Chinese Taipei wins the championship, NTD 5 million ($154,000) for second place, and NTD 3 million ($92,000) for third place.
