Reporter Chen Yong sent in a report that the 2023 season of the Chinese Super League is in a period of economic transition, where survival and growth have become key topics, a topic that is expected to continue for two to three years. In the competitive arena, the CSL has shown positive momentum, with matches becoming more intense and player commitment increasing. However, due to factors such as capital investment and youth training system, it will take time for the overall level of the Chinese Super League to improve.
Looking ahead, the Chinese Super League has a long and promising road ahead, attracting 4,763,464 fans in the 2023 season. In terms of club markets, Beijing Guoan and Chengdu Rongcheng were hard to find tickets; Tianjin Jinmen Tigers, Shandong Taishan and Shanghai Shenhua had a thriving market, and together with Qingdao Hainiu and Dalian Ren, 13 out of 16 clubs had an average crowd of more than 15,000.
The return of fans heralds the dawn of the Chinese Super League, which has prompted more government attention and support. Indeed, the increase in fans has undoubtedly increased the need for government attention.
Beijing Guoan and Chengdu Rongcheng accounted for nearly a quarter (24.7%) of the total 4.76 million spectator contribution, with Guoan's 15 home matches reaching 656,531 spectators and Rongcheng's 15 matches reaching 520,590 spectators. It is worth mentioning that Rongcheng has yet to hold three matches at the Phoenix Hill professional soccer stadium due to the Universiade, and if all the matches were held there, Rongcheng's spectator figures could be as high as 580,000 people.
Tianjin Jinmen Tigers and Shandong Taishan have home crowds of more than 400,000, while Shanghai Shenhua has close to 400,000. These five clubs constitute the "gold medal market" of the 2023 Chinese Super League. Eight other teams, such as Dalian Ren and Qingdao Hainiu, have an average attendance of more than 15,000 people.
However, teams such as Zhejiang, Cangzhou Lions and Shenzhen had relatively low attendance. Zhejiang's fan base is limited by the fact that the Asian Games tournament has been played in Huzhou; Cangzhou Lions have a lack of fan identification and economic problems after relocating; and Shenzhen has a sparse audience due to locking up a relegation spot early on.
Nonetheless, the market for the 2023 Chinese Super League season is generally stable, with tickets for Beijing Guoan and Chengdu Rongcheng hard to come by. As the season reached its 24th round, some Chengdu fans still complained, "I haven't even grabbed a ticket this year."
Professional soccer stadiums play an important role in boosting the market, with four clubs in the top five gold-medal markets owning professional stadiums, as do Dalian Ren and Qingdao Hainiu. The attractiveness of professional stadiums is also reflected in the fact that the Zimmer Tigers have comparable seat utilization rates in their home stadiums in the main city and new districts.
The return of the fans and the creation of a fan culture is inspiring. The stadium's color unity, such as the green of Beijing Gongtai Stadium and the orange of Jinan Olympic Stadium, brought visual enjoyment to the audience. The professional post-game chorus and light show at Phoenix Hill in Chengdu and the "weareone" thank-you ceremony at Jinan Olympic Stadium gave fans a concert-like experience while enjoying the game.
Feng Wenjing, deputy general manager of the Qingdao Sea Cow business, negotiated with the company at the beginning of the season, and the other party shifted from an initial wait-and-see attitude to a positive attitude at the end of the season due to the nearly 270,000 people who attended the games. These numbers attract potential sponsors.
At the beginning of the season, it was difficult to negotiate sponsors for the Premier League, but by mid-season, potential sponsors began to show interest.
Currently, ticket revenues from Guoan and Rongcheng (including other matches) are satisfactory to the clubs, and are expected to be between $50 million and $80 million for Tianjin Jinmen Tigers, Shandong Taishan, and Shanghai Shenhua.
The economic plight of the Chinese Super League needs reasonable policy support and local government support, but the professional league is ultimately dependent on the market. If the market can grow steadily, the economic plight of the Chinese Super League will get more "internal power".
In fact, the government prefers to support sports that are popular among the people.2024 season, the CFL and CSL clubs need to make improvements in the areas of business plans, commercial restrictions and safety restrictions, and fan services in order to promote the steady development of professional soccer.
On the basis of fans, China's professional soccer will say goodbye to the gold dollar soccer, reduce the dependence on "policy soccer" and "government soccer", and embrace more markets.
