Bigger 'China Swing' brings net gains

A fitting addition

The Suzhou Open was launched just one day after China's central government issued a set of guidelines on Thursday aimed at unleashing the consumption potential in sports-related businesses to drive the high-quality development of the sports industry.

At the core of the 20-measure guideline, which was issued by the State Council, is a desire to diversify and expand the supply of sporting events as an entertainment product for consumers who are not necessarily sports fans.

Tourism, accommodation, sales of club merchandise and youth training in relevant sports are among areas where consumption potential could be further tapped with the hosting of more sports events, according to the guideline.

Specific proposals also include the development of the outdoor sports industry, boosting the snow-and-ice economy around operations of mountain resorts and indoor rinks and upgrading the manufacturing sector of sporting goods.

China plans to cultivate a number of sports enterprises and sporting events with global influence, build a full-fledged sports industry worth 7 trillion yuan (about $985 billion) by 2030, per the guideline.

The new guideline reflects the country's goal to leverage sports events as a driver of economic growth in a variety of businesses, and the increasing number of pro tennis events being held in China, for instance, is setting an example, according to Bai Xilin, director of the tennis administration center under the General Administration of Sport of China.

"The more tournaments being hosted, the bigger the slice of the pie," Bai said at a recent media event to reveal a series of measures to promote the "China Swing" as a whole.

"Week in, week out, tennis tournaments will help generate revenues from ticket sales, retail, catering and tourism, among other businesses, from one city to another."

All of the tournaments to be held in China over the next two months are expected to attract a total of one million spectators, generating a collective revenue of over 2 billion yuan, according to an estimate by the center.