The grass issue eventually becomes a cost/management dilemma...There is no dramatic reversal without recognition of 'professional football value'

The grass issue eventually becomes a cost/management dilemma...There is no dramatic reversal without recognition of 'professional football value'

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"You can change your mind and reduce the number of games in the cold winter and hot summer."

"Can't we replace Hyochang Stadium, which is an artificial turf?"

"The cost is 15 billion won, and we need to hold a public hearing to see if we should do this for one or two games."

On the 5th, Han Kook-young, chairman of the Seoul Metropolitan Facilities Management Corporation, spoke in such a strong tone about the recent controversy over grass at the Seoul World Cup Stadium. It can be seen as a statement by Han, a former public servant of the Seoul Metropolitan Government who served as the head of the facility management, but it shocked the soccer workers. This is the stern reality of domestic professional soccer and Korean soccer.

The quickest way to improve grass in soccer fields is through investment. Japan, which significantly increased infrastructure for soccer stadiums around the same time as Korea, has devoted its heart and soul to grass management system from design. Saitama Stadium has been built and equipped with a water-cooling and heating system on its ground to manage grass in a healthy manner.

Basically, the dilemma of the management entity exists first in the domestic environment. Most teams' stadium owners, including Seoul, are public institutions such as the Korea Facilities Management Corporation. Soccer teams rent and use them. The average number of business days a season is about 20. From the standpoint of the Korea Facilities Management Corporation, which also requires profits from the rental business, it can be interpreted as "a customer staying at a hotel for 20 nights out of 365 days a year is asking for a better mattress right away." Han's remarks are in the same vein.

It also reflects the characteristics of the organization of civil servants. In a society where rotation is dominated, it is not easy for managers and practitioners to suddenly make large-scale investments in items that did not exist before. There should be an external shock wave or a big justification.

Those in the soccer community know that FC Seoul's replacement of its home stadium, Hyochang Stadium, is not realistic. Starting with parking problems, there are no facilities suitable for the operation of games. In addition, the Korea Professional Football Association established guidelines for stadium facilities late last year. The stadium rating system will be operated from 2027, but it cannot be consistent with the plan.

In this regard, it is necessary to actively communicate the product value of soccer with local governments as there are limitations in the number of business days. The Seoul World Cup Stadium alone is called a sacred place for Korean soccer as a landmark representing Seoul. Jeonbuk Province, which is a candidate for the 2036 Summer Olympics in Korea, can increase its usefulness and gain international attention through cooperation with the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

Gwangju FC last year has been actively improving and maintaining its grass problems since it was pointed out by AFC ahead of its participation in the AFC Champions League Elite (ACLE). It is the first time since its foundation that it has been active on the Asian stage, and they have formed a consensus that the stadium environment, which will look like "Gwangju's face," should be maintained in good condition. 먹튀검증

The grass should be resolved from a long-term perspective anyway. It seems important for the professional soccer federation and even the Korea Football Association to actively communicate with the stadium management entities.