1️⃣ Exhibit Name
“Let’s Go to the Playoffs!” Sign (Taiwan)
A hopeful sign reading “進季後賽！” (“Make the playoffs!”). Appears late in the season when the team is contending. Often includes the year.
2️⃣ Collection & Image
Figure 1. “Let’s Go to the Playoffs!” Sign – Camera Photo Style
A fan holding a sign reading “進季後賽！” with the current year (e.g., 2024), waving it during a critical late‑season game.
3️⃣ Gallery Location
Fan Culture Wing › Signs Hall › Taiwan Gallery
4️⃣ Exhibit Background
The “Let’s Go to the Playoffs!” sign (進季後賽！) is a hopeful, late‑season fan sign that appears when a CPBL team is in contention for a playoff berth. The phrase “進季後賽” (jìn jì hòu sài) means “Make the playoffs” or “Enter the postseason.” The sign often includes the current year (e.g., “進季後賽！2024”) and may be decorated with team colors, stars, or a drawing of the Taiwan Series trophy. Unlike victory signs (celebrating what already happened) or encouragement signs (supporting a losing team), this sign expresses anticipation and collective desire. It appears only in the final weeks of the regular season, when every game matters. The tradition emerged in the 2000s as CPBL’s playoff format became more competitive; fans wanted a visual way to rally for a postseason push.
5️⃣ Period & Location
- Period: 2000s – present
- Location: Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) stadiums during September and October (late season)
6️⃣ Material & Dimensions
- Material: Cardboard, foam board, cloth banner – often large to be seen on television
- Dimensions: Typically 18″ × 24″ (45 cm × 60 cm) or larger
- Lettering: Bold red or black Chinese characters, often with the year in large numbers
Figure 2. “Let’s Go to the Playoffs!” Sign – Silk Screen Printing Style
A bold, flat‑color serigraph (silkscreen print) of the sign, with clean edges, limited color palette, and slight registration offset, evoking the look of a mass‑produced fan poster.
7️⃣ Narrative Story
The Meaning of “進季後賽”
Unlike American signs that might say “Go to Playoffs!” or “Postseason Bound,” the Chinese phrase carries a sense of urgent striving – it is a request, a cheer, and a command all at once. Fans shout it, hold it up, and share it on social media. The sign turns a statistical possibility (the team’s magic number) into a visible, emotional goal.
The Yearly Ritual
Every September, CPBL fans who support contending teams start making “進季後賽” signs. The year is always included – “進季後賽！2019,” “進季後賽！2022,” etc. After the team clinches, the signs are often updated with “We made it!” (“進了！”) or saved for next season. A fan in Taichung has kept a collection of “進季後賽” signs from 2014 to 2023, each with a different year – a personal timeline of hope.
The 2020 Rakuten Monkeys Miracle
In the 2020 season, the Rakuten Monkeys were 5 games out of first place with 15 games left. Fans brought “進季後賽！” signs to every game. The team won 12 of their last 15 games, clinched a playoff spot on the final day, and fans held up their signs as the players celebrated. The moment became legendary – the sign as a talisman of belief.
Social Media Hashtag
The sign has spawned a popular hashtag #進季後賽 on Facebook and Instagram. Fans post photos of their signs with the team’s record and remaining games. During the 2023 season, the hashtag trended for two weeks as the Uni‑Lions and Fubon Guardians battled for the last playoff spot.
Think About It
- How does the “Let’s Go to the Playoffs!” sign differ from a general team spirit sign? What specific moment does it target?
- Why do fans include the year on the sign? What does that say about the ephemeral nature of hope?
- How does the sign turn a mathematical concept (playoff odds) into an emotional, visual rallying point?
Figure 3. “Let’s Go to the Playoffs!” Sign – Stone Carving Style
A permanent stone relief carving of the hopeful sign, transforming a temporary fan sign into a monumental sculpture of enduring desire.
8️⃣ Current Status & Applications
- Status: The “Let’s Go to the Playoffs!” sign appears every September in CPBL stadiums for contending teams.
- Applications: Teams have distributed official “進季後賽” towels and fans create digital versions for profile pictures during playoff pushes.
- Suggested companion exhibits: Display alongside “Chia You” encouragement sign and “An la!” hit cheer sign.
9️⃣ Significance & Educational Value
- Significance: The sign represents anticipatory fandom – the collective hope before success is achieved. It turns the abstract idea of “making the playoffs” into a visible, urgent goal.
- Educational value: Encourages visitors to consider how hope and desire are expressed visually in sports, and how time (the year, the remaining games) shapes fan behavior.
🔟 References
- Late‑season fan signs in CPBL. Taiwan Baseball Culture Journal, 2019.
- 2020 Rakuten Monkeys playoff miracle. United Daily News, 2020.
- #進季後賽 hashtag analysis. China Times, 2023.
- Fan sign traditions in September. Rakuten Monkeys official fan magazine, 2021.