Professional basketball has suffered its first-ever franchise expulsion. Goyang Day One, a team struggling with financial difficulties, has been disqualified.
The KBL held a board meeting on the 16th and made the final decision to expel the team. KBL President Kim Hee-ok said, “In accordance with the provisions of the KBL’s bylaws, we have expelled Day One Sports as a member organization. This is because it was finally confirmed that they have no intention and ability to operate the club normally.” This is the first time a team has been expelled from the KBL since the league’s inception.
Dayone Sports joined the KBL ahead of the 2022-2023 season with the acquisition of the Goyang Orion, but the team floundered after just one season. The team’s creditworthiness was questioned from the time it was approved to join the league, but parent company Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering acted as an “insurance policy” and allowed the team to enter the KBL. However, shortly after the start of the season, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering went into receivership, and financial issues such as delayed payment of membership fees and unpaid player wages recurred throughout the season.
In response, the KBL demanded that the team pay all overdue wages, pay off its debts, and provide a detailed plan for future operations. The deadline was the last 15 days. Day One was ultimately unable to respond to the demands and was expelled.
Immediately, the players were left without a team. The KBL prioritized the relief of the players as its first priority. It decided to look for a buyer first. “We will actively discuss follow-up measures, including the search for a new buyer, with the city of Busan, which has expressed a strong desire to attract a men’s professional basketball team,” the KBL said.
If a new buyer is not found, a special draft will be held for 18 players from Day One. The date is tentatively set for July 21. The team will have at least a month to find a new buyer so they can start preparing for next season. If the special draft is held as a last resort, the KBL will play next season with a nine-team system.
The Day One players visited the KBL today and met with the organization’s president Kim Hee-ok. The players are in arrears on their salaries, but the club itself has disappeared. The KBL, which suspended the club, will pay them first from June 1 and then return the money in an appropriate manner. The KBL will also provide emergency living funds.
In addition to the players, Day One has not been able to pay the wages of its home game management staff and has not paid the purchase price to Orion. This is why no one is willing to take on the debt. There are many issues that need to be addressed in terms of financial responsibility.
The KBL plans to hold Day One Sports CEO Park No-ha and owner and sporting director Heo Jae administratively and legally responsible for the situation. The players are also preparing to take legal action against the executives. “I think it’s right to take legal action to get the money we owe,” said captain Kim Kang-sun.토토사이트
Day One’s acquisition of the basketball team was planned by CEO Park No-ha with Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Chairman Kim Yong-bin, and was completed by hiring “basketball president” Heo Jae, who last coached the national team at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games, as CEO. The fact that the biggest star in Korean basketball was willing to put his honor on the line to be the face of the organization was one of the motivations behind the KBL’s initial lack of validation.
Even when the team’s management plan was met with skepticism, Heo focused on emotional appeals, saying, “Please trust us,” and “We will show you results rather than words.” As a result, it became difficult for Heo to escape responsibility for the KBL and its players.