Decentralization policy in K League

The decentralization policy in the K League was an effort by the Korea Professional Football League and South Korean Government[1] in 1995 in order to spread football popularity in the provinces (except Seoul) by compulsory[2] relocating top division professional football clubs away from Seoul.[3][4] Partially motivated by its bid for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, the league succeeded in its policy as the Yukong Elephants, Ilhwa Chunma, and the LG Cheetahs moved to Bucheon, Cheonan, and Anyang respectively in 1996.

Overview

By 1995, there have been three professional football clubs based in Seoul: Ilhwa Chunma, LG Cheetahs and Yukong Elephants. Korea Professional Football League wanted to spread football popularity nationally and secure football-specific stadiums for bidding of 2002 FIFA World Cup. In order to achieve this goal, Korea Professional Football League and Blue House[5][6] forced all three clubs in Seoul to move to other cities. The intention was to compensate for the decreased number of home cities under the new system.[7]

This was not proceeded smoothly with the affected clubs.[8] K League offered them a condition that they can move back to Seoul. If a club among them build a football-specific stadium in Seoul, the club will get the priority to return to Seoul. Then all three clubs agreed to move.[9]

Relocation details

This policy brought resistances from each clubs. In October 1995, Yukong threatened K League that they will dissolve the club if they have to move out of Seoul.[10]

In November 1995, K League announced that if the clubs don't accept the decision, they will be excluded from the K League.[11] Once the plan was announced,[12] many city governments hoped to attract these clubs.[9]

Yukong Elephants

Yukong Elephants took the city of Bucheon's offer of a new 20,000-seater Bucheon Stadium with another football-specific stadium facilitated two training fields.

The club decided to use Seoul Mokdong Stadium as their temporary home ground until the construction of Bucheon Stadium to be completed. The club changed its name to Bucheon Yukong as a part of the policy on January 4, 1996.[9]

Ilhwa Chunma

For Ilhwa Chunma, the city of Cheonan offered a deal for the club. The City of Cheonan promised the club that the 1.2 billion KRW refurbishment of Cheonan Oryong Stadium into a football-specific stadium with another sports complex in Baekseok-dong, Cheonan, to be built by 2001. The club accepted the offer, moved to Cheonan[13] and changed its name to Cheonan Ilhwa Chunma as a part of the policy on 29 March 1996.[9]

LG Cheetahs

LG Cheetahs was the last franchise that moved out from Seoul.[14] The club was regarding to move to Changwon as well, but decided to move to Anyang due to the popularity of soccer in the region and the local characteristics.[14] Also the club changed its name to Anyang LG Cheetahs as a part of the policy on 26 April 1996.[9]

Aftermath

From 1996, K League started Complete Home and Away system (Single City) as a result.[7]

After the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Korea Football Association needed to pay Seoul Metropolitan Government 25 billion KRW as their share of the construction of Seoul World Cup Stadium.[15] KFA wanted to find a new club in Seoul and let the club to pay the whole share, but it didn't happen.[16] Seoul Metropolitan Government understood that potential investment on a new Seoul club had not made due to the amount of the share, they agreed to cut 10 billion KRW in the way of sponsoring the new team with the same amount of money.[17] Also, KFA agreed to pay 10 billion KRW of their share to reduce the burden to a new Seoul club, leaving only 5 billion KRW to pay.[17]

In the meantime, Anyang LG Cheetahs declared their interest in moving to Seoul and Seoul Metropolitan Government welcomed it, though KFA prioritized the foundation of a new club.[18]

But many candidate companies (including KT Corporation and Kumho Asiana Group), which received proposal from KFA and K League, refused to found a new Seoul-based club.

On 6 February 2004, K League committee officially allowed the existing K League club's move to Seoul and sent relocation proposal to all K League clubs.[19] Korea Football Association declared that if an existing club wants to move to Seoul, they need to pay 15 billion won, due to the KFA's 10 billion KRW offer was only under the condition of foundation of a new club.[20]

11 February 2004, Busan I'Cons declared their interest in being a new Seoul club.[21]

A few days later, KFA cut the share to pay to a half, 7.5 billion KRW, with a prospect of a new Seoul club in future to pay the other half.[22]

On 10 March 2004, Busan I'Cons officially retreated their interest and Anyang LG Cheetahs declared to be the new Seoul football club.[23]

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References
  1. K League 30th Anniversary. Seoul, South Korea: K League. 2013. p. 307. ISBN 978-89-963178-4-5.
  2. "The Sports Business in The Pacific Rim: Economics and Policy".
  3. "스카이박스 - 축구와 야구의 차이, 그리고 연고의식" (in Korean). XSPORTS NEWS. March 16, 2009.
  4. "서울 연고 이랜드프로축구단 출범…FC서울과 '투톱'" (in Korean). Korea Economic Daily. May 1, 2014.
  5. "일화 유공 LG, 내년에 서울연고 없어" (in Korean). Monthly Football. December 1995.
  6. Lee, Young-kyu (1995-11-06). "서울 한지붕 세가족 일화 LG 유공 "내년엔 모두 서울 떠난다"" [Seoul Family Ilhwa, LG, Yukong "All Leaving Seoul Next Year"]. Sports Seoul. p. 6.
  7. Lee, Young Hoon (2014). The Sports Business in The Pacific Rim: Economics and Policy. Springer. pp. 63–64. ISBN 9783319100371.
  8. "Naver News Library - 일화·LG·유공"서울 포기못해"" [Ilhwa, LG, Yukong,"Can't give up Seoul"]. The Hankyoreh. 1995-12-13. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
  9. K League 30th Anniversary. Seoul, South Korea: K League. 2013. p. 178. ISBN 978-89-963178-4-5.
  10. "줏대없는 프로연맹 이사회" (in Korean). Sport Seoul. October 22, 1995.
  11. "프로축구 지역연고 먼길인가" (in Korean). The Hankyoreh. November 9, 1995.
  12. "The Sports Business in The Pacific Rim: Economics and Policy".
  13. "FIFA Classic Football Clubs - Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma". FIFA.com.
  14. "프로축구 안양LG에 새둥지". The Dong-a Ilbo.
  15. "서울 프로축구팀 창단의 조건" (in Korean). Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  16. "[프로축구]서울FC가 보고 싶다" (in Korean). Retrieved 2017-03-03.
  17. "<프로축구 서울연고팀 창단 '급물살'>" (in Korean). Retrieved 2017-03-03.
  18. "[프로축구]해법 못찾는 서울축구팀" (in Korean). Retrieved 2017-03-03.
  19. "프로축구 지방구단 서울입성 길열렸다" (in Korean). Retrieved 2017-03-03.
  20. "축구협, 안양 엘지 서울입성 '태클'" (in Korean). Retrieved 2017-03-03.
  21. "부산 아이콘스도 서울로 연고 이전 신청" (in Korean). Retrieved 2017-03-03.
  22. "프로축구연맹 "서울입성 75억만 내라"" (in Korean). Retrieved 2017-03-03.
  23. "프로축구 부산, 연고지 잔류..LG 서울 입성" (in Korean). Retrieved 2017-03-03.
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