Football coach Pan Xin was impressed by the vibrant atmosphere at the Jiangsu City Football League’s opening match a month ago, but admits to being surprised it has persisted.
The game drew a large crowd – including senior provincial officials – with cheerleaders adding a dash of colour, and was broadcast live by state media, he said.
“It felt like a great start to the event, but I didn’t anticipate such a lasting impact,” said Pan, who coaches a youth football team in Danyang, Jiangsu province.
Over the past month, the grass roots football league – known colloquially as the Su Super League – has attracted millions of online viewers and thousands of fans to stadiums, sparking a consumption boom in products ranging from match tickets to local specialities.
Chinese soccer fans, repeatedly disappointed by the men’s national football team, which was knocked out of the Asian qualifiers for next year’s World Cup after losing to Indonesia earlier this month, are showing unprecedented enthusiasm for the amateur tournament in the east coast province.
Featuring 13 city-based teams with players from diverse backgrounds, the league has become a commercial juggernaut, with the rekindled passion boosting consumption.
