Ulsan to launch its own KBO Futures League team

Baseball fans in Ulsan will have their own home team to cheer for starting in the 2026 season, with the club set to compete in the second-tier KBO Futures League.

A view of Ulsan Munsu Baseball Stadium [ULSAN METROPOLITAN CITY]

Baseball fans in Ulsan will have their own home team to cheer for starting in the 2026 season, with the club set to compete in the second-tier KBO Futures League.

Ulsan, the only metropolitan city in Korea without a baseball team, confirmed on Saturday that the city will host the “Ulsan Whales” starting this year. The team roster has yet to be unveiled.

The coastal city's move marks the first time any local government has formed a team for the Futures League.

The team name is the result of a naming contest that was open to the public. Out of 9,176 participants, 4,772 voted for “Ulsan Whales.”

“Whales convey strength and dynamism, which matches Ulsan’s image as an industrial and maritime city, and the name is easy to use in terms of branding purposes,” an Ulsan official said.

Ulsan plans to finalize the team logo and uniform design and hold an official team launch ceremony later this month. After receiving approval from the KBO, the Ulsan Whales will officially join the Futures League in March.

The club will launch with about 50 members, including 35 players, coaches and front-office staff. The Ulsan Sports Council recently appointed former Doosan Bears coach Jang Won-jin as manager and former head of the Lotte Giants management support team Kim Dong-ji as general manager.

A view of Ulsan Munsu Baseball Stadium [ULSAN METROPOLITAN CITY]

The team plans to finalize its roster through open tryouts scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.

“Although this is a new team, we intend to build a championship-caliber roster,” Ulsan Mayor Kim Doo-gyeom said.

The home stadium will be Ulsan Munsu Baseball Stadium. Ulsan will invest 5 billion to 6 billion won ($3.4 million to $4.1 million) in launching and operating the team in its first year and plans to run the club directly for three years before transitioning to a joint management model involving the city and a parent company.

Ulsan also plans to expand stadium seating to 20,000 and construct a nearby youth hostel as part of a broader plan to strengthen its baseball infrastructure.

“In an era of 12 million professional baseball spectators, Ulsan should no longer remain on the sidelines,” Mayor Kim said. “We will use the launch of this baseball team as an opportunity to elevate leisure culture, the local economy and the city’s brand.”

Ulsan has long seen large crowds heading to the Giants' games in Busan, signaling strong demand for baseball.

With the addition of the Whales, the Futures League will expand from 11 to 12 teams. The league will run from March to October.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY KIM YOUN-HO [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]