Goyang Jumpers lose Carrot as KBL calls in debts

Basketball

Published: 22 Mar. 2023, 16:50 Updated: 22 Mar. 2023, 17:57

Goyang Jumpers lose Carrot as KBL calls in debts

The Goyang Carrot Jumpers celebrate during a KBL game against Wonju DB Promy at Goyang Gymnasium in Goyang, Gyeonggi on Jan. 19. [NEWS1]

The recently renamed Goyang Carrot Jumpers — now possibly called the Goyang Day One Jumpers — might not be eligible for the 2022-23 KBL playoffs despite being guaranteed a top-six finish in the regular season due to unpaid membership fees.

The Jumpers have yet to pay the remaining 1 billion won ($760,000) of the 1.5 billion won membership fees to the KBL, nonpayment of which could result in the team ceding their playoff spot to whoever finished below them on the table.

The Goyang club, formerly the Goyang Orion Orions, was renamed last August after being bought by Day One Asset Management. Unusually for a Korean owner, Day One opted to sell the naming rights to Carrot Insurance, and the Goyang Carrot Jumpers were born.

The Jumpers are now guaranteed to finish this season within fifth or sixth place, guaranteeing a spot in the playoffs — but only if they pay those fees. If they finish the season in fifth without paying the remaining fee, the six-place team will take their spot instead, with the seventh-place team also advancing to the six-team playoffs.

The latest the Jumpers can pay the remaining fee is March 31 — two days after the end of the regular season.

The owner of the Goyang Carrot Jumpers, Hur Jae, waves the Jumpers' flag at the team's inauguration ceremony at Goyang Gymnasium in Goyang, Gyeonggi on Aug. 25, 2022. [YONHAP]

This is not the first time the Goyang side have faced an issue with the membership fee. Before the season kicked off on Oct. 15, 2022, they were on the verge of missing the entire season for not paying the first part of the membership fee worth 500 million won until Oct. 12 last year.

The Jumpers' financial problems stem from former parent company Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, whom they parted ways with last month. Shipbuilding company DSME is also facing financial difficulties.

Those financial difficulties only worsened on Tuesday when the team announced that it was parting ways with sponsor Carrot Insurance. The termination of the deal — for unclear reasons, although possibly because Day One Asset Management is looking for a larger sponsor or a company interested in buying a stake of the team — means that Carrot will be removed from the team name.

Until a new sponsor is found, the team will reportedly be called the Goyang Day One Jumpers.

Although the Jumpers are guaranteed a spot in the playoffs, if they can afford it, the KBL season isn't over quite yet. As of press time, the Goyang team was set to face the Seoul SK Knights at Jamsil Students' Gymnasium in Songpa District, southern Seoul on Wednesday evening.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]