CPBL Cheerleaders and Cheering Culture: Why Taiwan's Ballparks Are the Loudest in Baseball
Every CPBL team has its own cheerleading squad and a song for every batter, sung from the first pitch to the last out. Inside Taiwan's cheering culture and how its cheerleaders became famous abroad.
The first thing most people notice at a CPBL game is not the game but the sound. Drums, horns and tens of thousands of fans chanting in unison carry on from the first inning to the last out. Cheering culture is one of the most distinctive and appealing parts of Taiwanese baseball.
A song for every batter
Each team's cheering section leads the crowd. A cheer leader stands at the front of the stands and directs the fans in time with the drums, and every batter has a personal song and chant. Fans know who is coming to the plate from the first few notes.
Home and visiting fans usually sit along opposite baselines. When their team bats they cheer; when it is in the field they go quiet, so the two sides almost play a second game in the stands. Thunder sticks and team towels are standard equipment for many fans.
The six cheerleading squads
Cheerleaders are central to the experience, and every team has its own squad: the CTBC Brothers' Passion Sisters, the Uni-President Lions' Uni-Girls, the Rakuten Monkeys' Rakuten Girls, the Fubon Guardians' Fubon Angels, the Wei Chuan Dragons' Dragon Beauties and the TSG Hawks' Wing Stars.
They lead dance routines from the edge of the field, keep the energy high and interact with fans on social media. Many members have huge followings and have drawn people who never watched baseball into the ballpark.
A culture that travels
In recent years the popularity of CPBL cheerleaders has spread to Japan and South Korea, and several members have been invited to events and shows abroad. Korean cheerleaders have also joined CPBL squads, so the two countries' cheering cultures now borrow from each other. Beyond baseball, cheering has become part of what Taiwan shares with the world.
How it differs from Japan and Korea
In Japan, cheering is mostly led by fan groups in the outfield using instruments and group singing. In Korea, a cheer leader and cheerleaders on a stage in the stands lead the whole crowd. The CPBL blends both styles and adds its own energy and chants set to Taiwanese pop songs.
Tips for your first game
At your first CPBL game, choose infield seats near the cheering section and join in with the chants and dances; that is the best way to feel the atmosphere. Arrive early to catch batting practice and the cheerleaders' pregame show.
Where the songs come from
Many CPBL cheering songs are adapted from pop hits, old favourites and even cartoon theme tunes, with the player's name and a chant added. A good cheer has to be simple and rhythmic, so that someone at their first game can sing along after hearing it twice.
Teams and their cheering sections write new songs for new players every season, and now and then a cheer becomes popular well beyond the ballpark and turns into a shared language among fans. For the players, hearing a whole stadium sing for them is the best encouragement there is.
Players often say the cheering lifts them in tight moments. A batter stepping in with the bases loaded hears thousands of voices singing his name, and a pitcher on the road knows exactly how loud the home crowd will be if he falls behind. Whatever the score, the songs go on, which is why many fans say a CPBL game is worth going to even if you do not follow the standings.
For Baseball Dream owners
Cheering culture makes one thing clear: fans come to the ballpark not only to watch, but to take part. In Baseball Dream, your team's popularity, fan count and home atmosphere also affect attendance and revenue. Giving fans a reason to come back again and again is one of the most important parts of running a club.