The combustion factor is multifaceted and intertwined
For the past three years, the Chinese Super League has been struggling to move forward in the mode of no or few spectators. However, this year, the tournament restarted the home system, the enthusiasm of the fans like a volcanic eruption erupted. The commissioning of the new soccer stadium has attracted fans like a magnet, and they have come to the site to play.
The data reveals that Beijing Guoan and Chengdu Rongcheng led the way with 4.76 million viewers, contributing 24.7% of the audience. Tianjin Jinmen Tigers and Shandong Taishan followed with over 400,000 viewers. Shanghai Shenhua also approached 400,000 viewers. These five clubs have become the "gold medal market" for the 2023 Chinese Super League.
Eight teams, such as Dalian Ren and Qingdao Hainiu, have an attendance of more than 220,000, with an average attendance of more than 15,000 per game. Qingdao Youth Football Stadium, for example, despite being located in the outskirts of the city, has become a popular destination for citizens and tourists on every match day since it went into operation in April this year. Numerous foreign fan groups have come to the stadium, a trend that is gradually becoming fashionable. According to management statistics, the stadium has averaged more than 25,000 spectators this season, and even on weekday evenings, the number of spectators remains impressive.
Young forces flooding the field
Song Wenxiu, 88, a veteran Qingdao fan, has seen the market go through ups and downs, from Hongcheng in the First Division to Tiantai in the Chinese Super League to Chengyang today. From Hongcheng and Yizhong in the First Division, to Tiantai in the Chinese Super League, to Chengyang today, he has seen the teams change, and tickets to the 1995 and 2002 championships were hard to come by. Nowadays, although his health makes it difficult for him to travel long distances, he still visits the stadium many times to feel the youthfulness of the stadium.
This year, new fans from Chengyang and Jiaozhou contributed greatly to the attendance rate, and the influx of young fans injected new vitality into the stadium. In addition, the proportion of female spectators has risen sharply, either as soccer fans, accompanying friends and relatives, players' "fan sisters" or tourists who are checking out the stadium through social media. They added a new dimension to this year's popular stadium.
The atmosphere at the stadium is like a concert.
The North Stand and the East Stand of the Youth Soccer Stadium are in the same color. Fans dressed in orange jerseys expressed their love during halftime, and the post-game chorus and light show, enjoying the joy of soccer while experiencing the beauty of the concert.
It's time to raise the level of competition
With the ebbing of the Golden Resources soccer tide and the departure of foreign aid, the Chinese Super League is in dire need of upgrading its technical and tactical content. In the AFC Champions League, Chinese Super League teams are still passive when facing Japanese, South Korean and even Southeast Asian teams. The gap between the whole and the individual is obvious, especially after adapting to the slow pace of the Chinese Super League, the sudden acceleration of the opponent catches the Chinese Super League team off guard.
For example, Shanghai Seaport lost at home to Thailand's Pathum United in the qualifying round, while Zhejiang lost against Thailand's Buriram United and Japan's Kofu Fung Lam after remaining undefeated in the second half of the season. Wuhan Sanzhen are in a worrying qualifying situation after winning the title last season. Shandong Taishan, despite their excellent performance in the AFC Champions League, were defeated at home by Japan's Yokohama Mariners. The only way for the Chinese Super League teams to win the tournament is to rely on targeted tactics, strong will and outstanding performances from key players.
Improving the pace of play, net game time and spectacle is the next task for the Chinese Super League, where net game time has dropped dramatically in the 2023 season, with video referees and delaying tactics taking up too much time. In the future, it is hoped that more clubs will realize a shift to a faster pace based on intense rivalry, which is not only responsible for Chinese soccer, but also for themselves and their fans.
New season expected to kick off in March
According to the Chinese Football Association (CFA), the schedule for the new domestic three-tier professional league season has been designed to take into account the FIFA and AFC calendars for 2024, which are expected to begin in early March next year. The Chinese Super League season is expected to begin in early March next year, and December 5 is a "make-or-break" date for every team. If a club fails to submit its materials on time, it will lose its qualification for the next season.
The 2023 season of the Chinese Super League did not officially start until April 15 due to delays in access. In order to "rush", the early schedule was too intensive, resulting in too many injuries and illnesses. In contrast, the 2024 Premier League and Tournament League will have plenty of time to prepare. After the 2023 season, most clubs have mature conditions, including venue hardware. They can calmly welcome the new season. We look forward to a more exciting Super League next year.
