NEWDIN Contents’ STRIKEZONE: International Screen Baseball Tournament ‘WBSC Virtual Cup’ World Finals Aired on SBS Sports Channel

• The ‘WBSC Virtual Cup,’ held to crown the world’s first screen baseball champion, makes its first broadcast on the SBS Sports channel
• -Vivid on-site footage capturing the fierce competition and behind-the-scenes stories of players from Korea, the United States, Japan, and Mexico through the World Finals

NEWDIN Contents (CEO Hong Jin-pyo) announced that the ‘WBSC Virtual Cup,’ an international screen baseball tournament held with the WBSC (World Baseball Softball Confederation) and supported by the technology of STRIKEZONE, NEWDIN Contents’ screen baseball brand, will air on the SBS Sports channel at 9:00 p.m. on the 3rd.

The WBSC Virtual Cup is an international screen baseball tournament jointly held by the WBSC and STRIKEZONE to broaden the base of baseball through esports. This tournament in particular drew attention as sports figures and talented players from across various fields around the world competed fiercely for the title of screen baseball champion. Through this broadcast, the on-site story capturing the entire process—from the start of the tournament to the announcement of the winning team and the awards ceremony—will be revealed for the first time.

The total prize money was USD 10,000 (approximately KRW 13 million), and the winner was determined through the Opening Round (qualifiers) by country, followed by the Super Round (regional finals) and the World Finals. The tournament records of all teams and players, including the final champions, are honored by being recorded on the official WBSC website alongside the records of famous baseball players.

The Opening Round was held at STRIKEZONE simulator batting stations in four countries—Korea, the United States, Japan, and Mexico—with a total of 8,146 participants adding to the excitement of the tournament. A total of 12 teams—the 9 teams that advanced through the Super Round, the main qualifying tournament, plus 3 wildcard teams—advanced to the World Finals held at the STRIKEZONE Bundang Yatap venue.

All World Finals qualifiers, comprising the Super Round winners from each regional branch around the world and the wildcard selected teams, received support benefits from sponsor GolfBallPark, including the tournament’s official jersey uniform and GoldBallPark bats, as well as transportation, accommodation, and meal expenses.

As a world tournament held in Korea, the home country of screen baseball, interest in the domestic qualifiers was also intense. Kim Cheong-yong, the ace of Inha University who gained attention on ‘The Strongest Baseball,’ recorded the No. 1 overall score in the main round, raising expectations of whether he would carry that momentum into the final, while Kim Jung-hwa, a musical actress of the SBO Women’s Celebrity Baseball Club, and cheerleader Jung Da-hye also competed as wildcards, showing their passion for baseball.

The global STRIKEZONE batting stations also drew attention, made up of skilled baseball players. From the United States, the ‘Bash Brothers’ team, who displayed exceptional physiques and batting skills, advanced to the World Finals. From Mexico, the ‘Tacos al Pastor’ team, made up of young-blooded players including a former U-12 national team member, broke through roughly 4-to-1 competition in the fierce Opening Round to take part in the Super Round and secure a spot in the World Finals. Japan’s ‘Nishiuchi (西内)’, a youth team, banded together to demonstrate their skills and reached the World Finals despite a relatively young average age of 14.5 years.

A NEWDIN Contents official commented, “Amid fair competition among formidable baseball stars from around the world, unforgettable moments unfolded at the World Finals and left a deep impression,” adding, “We hope you will witness the vivid on-site footage that marked the first prelude to the world’s first screen baseball tournament through the broadcast.”

Meanwhile, the ‘WBSC Virtual Cup,’ held at STRIKEZONE batting stations around the world, can be watched on the SBS Sports channel at 9:00 p.m. on Monday the 3rd.