The Farglory Group on Saturday said it is confident that the Taipei Dome would host at least 35 professional baseball games next year.
Company spokesperson Hsia Chih-hsien (夏至賢) said that if their calculations are accurate and the organizers of next year’s World Masters Games follow their event schedule, Farglory is confident the Taipei Dome would hold at least 35 games during the Chinese Professional Baseball League’s (CPBL) 2025 season.
Farglory, which owns and manages the venue, made the statement in response to an outcry from fans and the CPBL over the company’s apparent initial statement that the number of games at the Taipei Dome would be cut from 38 this year to 20 for the upcoming season.
Photo: Chen Chih-chu, Taipei Times
During a video conference with team managers on Thursday, the CPBL discussed Farglory’s decision and said that, due to scheduling conflicts, the venue would only host the league’s two season openers and six three-game weekend series.
The company attributed the reduction to the Taipei City Government’s plan to use the Taipei Dome as a venue for next year's World Masters Games, which would make the facility unavailable from April 23 to May 28.
Following the announcements, the CPBL and many baseball fans made their displeasure public.
A fan at the Taipei Dome on Saturday made his dismay known in the form of a poster at Taiwan’s warm-up exhibition game with the Czech Republic for the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s upcoming Premier12 baseball tournament.
The poster read “Taipei Dome is a baseball stadium,” which the fan explained was his way of reminding unspecified people that the venue was built first and foremost to showcase baseball.
Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said separately on Saturday that the dome was erected to host sports events, especially baseball.
Chiang said he had tasked Taipei’s Department of Sports to mediate between Farglory and the CPBL to ensure all parties fulfill the terms of their contracts.
According to CPBL president Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌), the league submitted a schedule to the dome in September.
The league’s intention is to have at least 36 regular-season games at the Taipei Dome next year after considering the dome’s need for other commercial performances, Tsai said, adding that the venue’s owner should confirm its calendar as soon as possible.
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