With the opening of the 2026 pro baseball season, banks are also heating up their 'baseball marketing'. Lenders are rolling out packaged offerings that combine deposits, cards and digital content, intensifying competition to win customers by linking finance with sports.

As the 2026 KBO League season opens, major banks are launching specialised products aimed at baseball fans, the financial industry said on March 30. They range from savings accounts with interest rates tied to a supported team’s performance to bundles that include viewing perks and participatory services.

Shinhan Bank, the league’s title sponsor, is taking the most aggressive steps. It launched the '2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League Savings' product and is promoting interest-rate benefits linked to supported team performance.

The product offers a maximum annual rate of 5.0 percent, made up of a base annual rate of 2.5 percent plus preferential rates of up to 2.5 percentage points. The rate changes depending on whether the team advances to the postseason or wins the Korean Series, and participation in digital services is also reflected in the rate.

Shinhan Bank’s delivery app 'Ttaenggyeoyo' is also running an event through this month that provides daily discount benefits worth 100,000,000 won. It strengthened customer benefits to match the opening-season period when delivery demand rises. Customers can receive, on a first-come, first-served basis, a 3,000 won coupon and a 1,000 won coupon usable on orders of at least 15,000 won. A total of 80,000 coupons are available each day, including 10,000 3,000 won coupons and 70,000 1,000 won coupons.

It also reinforced customer-participation content beyond financial products. Shinhan Bank introduced 'SOL Fantasy Baseball', where users build teams based on baseball data, and revamped its 'Ssolyagu' platform with features including quizzes and game-outcome predictions.

A Shinhan Bank official described it as a service designed to let customers experience baseball and financial benefits together on a digital platform.

NH Nonghyup Bank also introduced a high-rate product. It launched the 'NC Dinos Wipungdangdang Savings' linked to the NC Dinos and offered a maximum annual rate of 7.0 percent. The base annual rate is 2.3 percent, with additional preferential rates depending on team performance and participation in a prediction event. It was launched as a non-face-to-face-only product, also improving accessibility.

Ties with hometown clubs stand out more at regional lenders. BNK Busan Bank launched the 'BNK Autumn Baseball Deposits and Savings' based on the Lotte Giants and has continued the product for 20 years.

This year, it expanded subscription limits and preferential rates to boost competitiveness. The deposit subscription limit was raised to 500,000,000 won from 100,000,000 won, and the preferential rate was increased to up to 0.80 percentage point. For savings accounts, it also increased the sales limit and interest-rate benefits at the same time.

Gwangju Bank sought differentiation with a card product instead of a savings account. It launched the 'Kia Champions Check Card' in collaboration with the KIA Tigers, combining game-watching and everyday spending benefits.

Benefits apply across the entire game-viewing process, including up to a 3,500 won discount on ticket bookings and 10 percent cashback on spending inside the stadium. The card can be issued from age 12 and up, also targeting younger fans.

By contrast, iM Bank, which last year drove the shortest-term buzz by launching the 'Serious About Baseball' short-term savings product for fans of the Samsung Lions, KT Wiz, SSG Landers and Kiwoom Heroes, plans not to launch related deposit products this year.

Banks’ baseball marketing is expanding beyond simple events into products that incorporate sports elements into their structure. It is analysed as a strategy to attract new customers by promoting team-linked rates, viewing benefits and preferential conditions.

A financial industry official said, "Pro baseball is effective content for attracting new customers and expanding deposit and savings subscriptions, based on a highly loyal fan base." The official added, "Marketing that combines sports and finance will continue to expand."