Chengdu, the hibiscus city, is becoming a soccer hotspot with its unique charm. A Tuesday night match between Chengdu Rongcheng and Shanghai Shenhua not only set a new attendance record for the Phoenix Hill Professional Soccer Stadium, but also witnessed the fire of soccer in Chengdu.
Long queues lined up at the gate under the nearest viaduct leading to the stadium from 5 p.m., with nearly two kilometers of traffic bearing witness to the heat of the big game. And a police crackdown on scalpers outside the stadium gates has become an iconic scene in Chengdu's Rongcheng home this season...
In the stands, the blue away fans contrasted with the red home fans, whose "Chengdu Rising" chants and post-game "concert" revelry constituted a unique landscape at Phoenix Hill Stadium.
The resurgence of the gold medal market in Chengdu is the perfect combination of professional fans and internet celebrities. Here, soccer is not only a sport, but also a culture and a spiritual heritage.
Soccer, does it need the added weight of internet celebrity? Soccer, should it remain pure? In the new era, how should we publicize Chinese soccer? These questions are answered in the slogans of Chengdu fans.
"The Concert" provokes thought.
For the final three games of last year's season, Phoenix Hill Stadium welcomed home team Chengdu Rongcheng for the first time, and attendance of over 90,000 greatly exceeded expectations.
Concerts in the stadium have become a new attraction this season after a good game. However, the Blades fans in the North Stand sparked controversy when they refused to join in the chorus during a 3-2 win over the Manatees.
The Blades fan organization believes that love songs that have nothing to do with soccer Watching Meteor Shower with you does not fit its values, nevertheless, they respect the way other fans watch the game.
The incident caused a lively debate in fan circles across the country, with some arguing that the club was beneficially exploring the idea, while others felt it was inappropriate to bring a popular song onto the pitch.
Compromise and move forward together
In the face of the controversy, the Hibiscus club communicated with the Blades fan organization and made some compromises. In subsequent matches, the club chose songs related to the city and soccer themes, and Blades fans rejoined the chorus.
This event demonstrates the mutual understanding and respect between fans and clubs, and provides a lesson for the soccer market in other cities.
Internet celebrities hit new landmarks
The match between Rongcheng and Shenhua attracted a large number of Shenhua fans to the away stadium, and they even included an 80-year-old man, which shows the attraction of the city and the soccer stadium to foreign fans.
Chengdu, the food capital, has been one of the most popular tourist cities among internet celebrities. And the Phoenix Hill professional soccer stadium has become a new landmark for internet celebrities to visit.
Before and after each game, social media is flooded with photos and videos of the "Phoenix Hill Professional Soccer Stadium", and many young people organize groups to visit the stadium.
Inviting fans back to the stadium
At this stage, there is nothing more important than inviting the fans back to the ground. The Blades in the North Stand, the "Sichuan Fans Association" in the South Stand, and the spectators in the Community Chest area all energized the stadium.
A Shenhua fan said that Chengdu and Phoenix Hill both did a great job, showing a unique charm in both fan culture and internet celebrity culture.
Chengdu soccer, with its unique charm, is attracting more and more people's attention, and is becoming an important carrier for the promotion of Chinese soccer in the new era.
