The professional baseball season kicks off on Saturday with over 700 games in store.

Marking the 40th anniversary of the domestic Korea Baseball Organization(KBO) League this year, ten teams will each play 144 games for a league total of 720 matchups.

NC Dinos and SSG Landers will face off in the opening game at 2 p.m. on Saturday in Changwon.

Baseball commentators believe six out of the ten clubs are stronger than the others, pointing to NC, SSG, kt wiz, LG Twins, Samsung Lions and KIA Tigers.

The ten teams have prepared various events for the league kickoff in line with relaxed quarantine measures to foster a festive mood for spectators.

The new president of the Korea Baseball Organization Heo Koo-youn has stressed fan-centered service and strict punishment for players' deviant behavior such as game-fixing, DUI, drug and sex offenses.

The pledge is viewed as an effort to regain trust from fans as some athletes came under fire last year for violating quarantine guidelines.