In order to make sports consumption as one of the primary drivers of the economy, experts have advised the Chinese government to focus on sports entertainment in order to achieve and maintain sustainable growth, China Daily reported.
China’s sports industry currently relies heavily on manufacturing sports equipment and sportswear.
Sports participation is on the incline, but members of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference believe China should tap into fun and fitness in sports.
“The public demand for sports-related consumption has escalated from only purchasing sports goods to a diversified package that includes hiring trainers, booking venues, and signing up for events, while the supply of these services and products lags behind,” said Ma Jilong, one of the members of the committee and the former director of the sport ministry’s sports equipment department.
Meanwhile, Duan Shijie stressed the importance of organizing accessible events that will entice the Chinese people to join sports activities.
“Hosting major events and building giant stadiums helps boost the nation’s morale but works little on improving people’s fitness as most of the venues were not designed for mass fitness use,” Duan said.
“In contrast, the surging demand for marathons has underlined the lack of small-scale but entry-level sporting events for people to participate in.”
China has seen an increase in marathon events held across the country. Last year, almost 400 marathons were held, which attracted over 2.8 million participants, according to data from the Chinese Athletic Association.
Liu Xiang, former Olympic champion hurdler, added that events like marathons should add services, such as post-race recovery sessions, health checks, and jogging training.
“Sports consumption for normal people is not just about buying sneakers or outfits. To participate in a race, to watch a professional game with beers and popcorn on hand . . . there are always more ways where you can spend some money,” Liu said, according to China Daily.