The fans have finally spoken out against the last-minute actions of Day One Sports.
Kim Kang-sun, Han Ho-bin, Jeon Sung-hyun, Lee Jung-hyun, and representatives of the team released a statement at a press conference organized by Gyeonggi Goyang’s Byeong Hong at the National Assembly Communication Center on the 14th.
“We held the press conference to publicize the injustice of the players who have been suffering from wage arrears for five months due to Day One’s inadequate management,” Hong said. The press conference was followed by a statement from a representative of the players, who revealed that he has been a longtime fan of Day One since his days as an Orion player.
Day One was a mess from the start. It took over Orion and went through the process of creating a club, but in June last year, the approval was withheld due to the lack of data such as funds, sponsors, and club management plans submitted during the new member application process. Even though the special membership fee of 1.5 billion won was considered to be paid in installments, it could not be resolved properly until the end of the season, and it was only at the last minute that the team decided whether to participate in the playoffs.
After the KBL’s inexplicable approval of Day One’s membership, everything we feared exploded. Our suppliers, restaurants, hospitals, front of house, managers, coaches, and players were months behind on their payments. Many vendors have not received a dime since the start of the season. Even the buyout payment to Orion is still outstanding. 안전놀이터
Coach Kim Seung-ki and the rest of the D.A.Y.O.N. team managed to make it to the top four despite the difficulties. The fans’ generous gifts and the players’ dedication made this possible, but the people who should be helping them, such as Heo Jae and Park No-ha, have not resolved the issue at all.
Day One will be kicked out of the KBL if it fails to implement concrete measures to pay the players’ wages and plan for future operations by the 15th. The KBL will hold a board meeting on the morning of the 16th to consider the club’s status.
At this point, basketball officials believe that Day One will not be able to resolve the issue at all. The promised 15 days are now one day away. With billions of dollars owed to the team, partners, and acquisitions, it’s only fair to assume that Day One will be unable to resolve the situation.