Description
"Oh...." The 11,271 Busan fans sighed and booed at the moment.
On the 3rd, the fourth round of the 2023-24 professional basketball championship match between KCC in Busan and KT in Suwon was held at Busan Sajik Gymnasium. It was the championship match, with the best box office performance and a heated competition in every game, but there was also a moment of sighing and booing.
What follows after the warm-up time before the match ends is the introduction of the team. With colorful lighting, the home team players stand proudly on the court amid cheers from their fans. Then comes the introduction time of coaches and coaches. That's how all preparations for the match are finished.
The last step is to introduce the referees who are responsible for the game. It is time to receive applause, if not ordinary cheers. However, 11,271 fans at the Busan Sajik Gymnasium on Thursday were different.On the day, the KBL referee team assigned judges Yun Ho-young, Kim Do-myung and Shin Dong-han. Fans lamented and booed at the Busan Sajik Gymnasium when Yoon Ho-young, who was the first in line, was called. The following referees were Kim Do-myung and Shin Dong-han.
It was unusual. The scene also showed that the KBL referees' credibility was at rock bottom. It was shocking to see so many sighs and jeers even when the chief referee representing the KBL referees came forward.
The KBL set a judgment standard close to soft calls throughout the regular league. As they entered the playoffs, they suddenly made a hard call without explaining in advance. As a result, UFC-class hand-to-hand combat continued from the playoff of the 6th round between KT and Hyundai Mobis, and in the process, there were many trash talking that was close to abusive language.
Players as well as leaders were confused about the change in hard calls. Nevertheless, if the referees had set a clear standard, they could have brought order to order, but there was no explanation other than, "Please play fair."
As hard calls continued throughout the playoffs and the championship game, hand-checking, which was avoided as much as possible in the regular league, also became generous. Players who quickly adapted and utilized these standards performed better than expected, and those who suffered from them did not only express their official position, but also expressed considerable dissatisfaction.
This process is not something that fans do not know. Therefore, it is no coincidence that the same reaction as in the third round was made. It can't be a coincidence that 11,271 fans lamented and booed all at once.
Against this backdrop, the KBL referee should feel ashamed about the heated competition between KCC and KT. Will they be able to use the fans' harsh reaction in the third game as an opportunity to reform the referee's image? There is still a chance.
BY: 스포츠토토