Samsung Sports Teams Make a Comeback After Years of Struggles

Samsung Sports Teams have announced their revival after nearly a decade of struggles. Unlike the past, when the group built a dynasty through substantial investments, this resurgence is attributed to the 'power of leadership.' Long-trusted managers and newly hired coaches with championship experience have brought the teams back to prominence.

The Samsung Lions baseball team clinched the Korean Series championship on November 8, marking their first title in 12 years. On the same day, Suwon Samsung secured promotion to K League 1 after three years in K League 2. They are also poised to win the regular season title with just one match remaining. Meanwhile, the Seoul Samsung Thunders basketball team set a record for the most consecutive wins at the start of the season with nine victories.

◆ 'First Place Principle' Established the Dynasty

From the late 1990s to the mid-2010s, Samsung Sports Teams were the dominant force in South Korean professional sports. The late Chairman Lee Kun-hee's emphasis on the 'first place principle' was reflected in the management of the sports teams. With the group's full support, they aggressively pursued star players. A notable example was the acquisition of free agents Shin Jung-soo and Park Jin-man by the Samsung Lions in the winter of 2004, costing a total of 13.5 billion won.

This bold investment paid off, as the Samsung Lions won consecutive Korean Series titles in 2005 and 2006. Under manager Ryu Jung-il, they achieved an unprecedented four consecutive championships from 2011 to 2014, totaling seven Korean Series titles by 2014.

Founded in 1995, Suwon Samsung, under the leadership of its first manager Kim Ho, won back-to-back K League titles in 1998 and 1999, as well as two championships in the Asian Club Championship, the predecessor to the AFC Champions League. During the tenure of manager Cha Bum-kun from 2004 to 2008, they added two more league titles, bringing their total to four. They also lifted the Korean FA Cup trophy in 2002, 2009, 2010, 2016, and 2019.

The Seoul Samsung Thunders achieved their first unified championship in the 2000-2001 season under manager Kim Dong-gwang, winning both the regular season and championship series. In the 2005-2006 season, under manager Ahn Joon-ho, they became the first team in professional basketball history to win the playoffs without a loss.

◆ Reduced Investment and Performance Decline After Transition to Cheil Worldwide

However, from 2014 to 2016, the management of the sports teams shifted to Cheil Worldwide, an advertising subsidiary, leading to a drastic change in direction. The transition began with the soccer team, followed by basketball, volleyball, and baseball, moving from reliance on the group's support to a self-sustaining 'cost efficiency' model. Following the 2016 political scandal, the group's support for sports sponsorship became even more conservative.

The reduction in investment is evident in the numbers. The Samsung Lions had the highest average salary in the league at 158.76 million won in 2015, just before the transition, but by 2020, they had dropped to eighth place in salary rankings. Player operating costs decreased from over 37 billion won in 2017 to 23.7 billion won in 2020. Key players like Park Suk-min, Choi Hyung-woo, and Cha Woo-chan left as free agents. Suwon Samsung faced similar challenges, dropping from the highest average salary of 29.249 million won per player in 2013 to sixth place in 2023 with a total salary expenditure of 10.68 billion won.

In response, Samsung Sports Teams shifted their focus to self-sustainability, moving away from the strategy of acquiring stars at high costs to emphasize marketing revenue, youth development, and cost efficiency. However, the immediate results were disappointing. The Samsung Lions finished ninth in both 2016 and 2017 and failed to reach the postseason for five consecutive seasons until rebounding to second place in 2021. They then fell to seventh in 2022 and eighth in 2023. Their average regular season ranking dropped from 2.1 in the ten years before the transition (2006-2015) to 7.1 in the eight years after (2016-2023).

Suwon Samsung finished last in K League 1 in 2023, marking their first relegation in history. In 2024, they placed sixth in K League 2 and did not qualify for the playoffs. Last year, they faced disappointment in the promotion playoffs. The Seoul Samsung Thunders have not reached the playoffs since the 2016-2017 season, experiencing nine consecutive seasons without postseason appearances and enduring five consecutive last-place finishes from 2021 to 2022.

◆ Leadership Choices Drive the Revival of the Renowned Teams

The four teams found their path to revival through leadership. The Samsung Lions have placed strong trust in manager Park Jin-man, who has led the team since 2022. Both Suwon Samsung and Seoul Samsung Thunders appointed managers with championship experience, resulting in immediate success in baseball, soccer, and basketball this year.

Under Park Jin-man, the Samsung Lions finished as runners-up in the 2024 Korean Series and reached the postseason in 2023, finishing fourth in the regular season. This year, they ended the regular season in second place and defied expectations in the Korean Series, defeating the regular season champion KT Wiz with a 4-1 series victory. Park's flexible pitching strategies and bold decisions during critical moments proved decisive. He utilized starting pitchers in relief roles and surprised opponents with unconventional choices, such as starting rookie pitchers.

The team's commitment to player development also supported Park's strategies. After a series of injuries in the 2023 season, the Samsung Lions invested around 2 billion won to upgrade their Futures training facility, expanding their weight training area and treatment rooms. Homegrown talents like Lee Jae-hyun, Kim Young-woong, and Kim Ji-chan emerged as key contributors to the championship.

Suwon Samsung also experienced a turnaround after hiring manager Lee Jung-hyo, who led Gwangju FC to victory in K League 2 in 2022 and a third-place finish in K League 1 in 2023. Their solid defense, allowing only 25 goals in 30 matches (0.83 goals per game), was a key factor in their promotion.

Similarly, the Seoul Samsung Thunders transformed after appointing manager Kim Sang-sik, who guided Anyang KGC to a unified championship in the 2022-2023 season. With a focus on teamwork and a motion offense, combined with strong performances from foreign players, they achieved nine consecutive wins at the start of the season and became the first team in professional basketball history to win all first-round playoff games, securing their position at the top of the standings.

* This article has been translated by AI.