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Shinsegae Group E-Mart acquired SK Wyverns, a professional baseball team, and is a hot topic.

Questions are being asked about why Shinsegae, which has recently organized businesses that are not profitable, is taking over a professional baseball team, and why SK sold a prestigious club.



This is Han Ji-yeon.



<Reporter> It is known that



Shinsegae Group has been pursuing the acquisition of a professional baseball team three years ago under the strong will of Vice Chairman Jeong Yong-jin.



An official in the baseball world said, "Shinsegae has already tried to take over three other teams, and it was the fourth time to contact SK to achieve its will."



It attracts thick baseball fans to Shinsegae customers, and



[Shinsegae Group official: The distribution business is rapidly changing online.

Professional baseball fans are more active online and mobile users.

Therefore, there may be some synergy (I decided.)] It



is expected to introduce a new business model linking distribution and professional sports.



Vice Chairman Jung Yong-jin said, "The competition in the distribution industry will be a theme park or a baseball field."



However, in the market atmosphere that concerns about the acquisition of a pro baseball team that is less profitable due to the burden of the sale price of KRW 135.2 billion, the stock prices of E-Mart and Shinsegae fell 4.9% and 2.75%, respectively.



[Jung-Hyun Wi/Professor of Business Administration at Chung-Ang University: In the past, professional baseball overwhelmingly secured a fandom, but now, the fact that there are many competitive cultures and sports has a lot less impact than in the past.]



SK Group's sale of baseball

teams is

also This is an unexpected reaction.



SK said that it was a massive decision for social development under the judgment that "distribution companies can better operate the baseball team."



Some analysts say that the need for baseball teams to promote the domestic market has declined as SK's main focus has shifted to the semiconductor bio field.



(Video editing: Commissioner Yang)