How international sports leagues like the NBA and Champions League continue to soar in popularity in China
In 2014, the State Council issued the “Several Opinions on Accelerating the Development of the Sports Industry and Promoting Sports Consumption”, and various provinces and cities have issued plans for the development of the sports industry, aiming to reach ¥5 trillion RMB in 2025. Policy development becomes the most direct incentive to the development of […]
Turning “tiger moms” into soccer moms: How to tap into China’s youth sports market
Up until late August 2021, most Chinese students’ after school hours were spent bent over the books at tutoring classes. This was largely due to the academic pressure created by an exam-oriented learning culture and parents’ well intentions to set their children up for success. However, with the signing of the Double Reduction policy in […]
The strategy behind the colossal rise of Decathlon in China
Decathlon is both a manufacturer and retailer of sportswear and sports equipment based in France. Shipping worldwide, it is the largest sporting goods retailer in the world with 1,696 stores in 59 countries as of December 2020. Among them, China represents a massive market for the company. Present in China since 2003, Decathlon had 313 […]
Survey on fitness beliefs and exercise habits in China
The scale of the Chinese sports and fitness industry is exploding. According to data compiled by the Chinese General Administration of Sports, from 2016 to 2025, the number of athletically engaged people in China will grow by 39%, from 360 million to 500 million. Not only will there be more athletes and fitness fans, but […]
Chinese netizens reflections on the Tokyo 2020 Olympics: National pride is alive and well
Whether China won 38 or 42 gold medals, the Tokyo 2020 Olympics caused a rise of netizens commentary on Chinese social media. Through social media listening we gained a deeper understanding China’s national pride, but also openness and appreciation of other cultures. Here are the main takeaways from social listening regarding Chinese netizens reflections on […]
ANTA’s evolution & revitalization: From near collapse to becoming a national brand with international assets
ANTA is often called the “Nike in China”, but the story of Anta is more than just that. It was founded in 1991 and listed in the HK stock exchange in 2007. But until around 2016, the revenue had grown stagnant, and like many Chinese brands at the time, the brand was burdened by the reputation of being […]
The sports and fitness market in China: China’s fitness appetite is growing as fitness becomes the new lifestyle
The sports and fitness market in China has seen exponential growth, from about 500 gyms in 2001 to approximately 49,860 fitness clubs by the end of 2019 in mainland China. According to a report released by the National Bureau of statistics, almost 400 million people have actively taken part in exercises regularly in 2019 signaling […]
The sportswear market in China: Domestic brands on the rise but still dominated by Nike and Adidas
Benefiting from the growing health awareness among the middle class, the sportswear market in China is rising steadily. The retail value of the sportswear market in China reached CNY316.6 billion in 2019 with current value growth of 17%. While the big names Nike and Adidas have been dominating the market with over 40% market share, […]
Out-of-home entertainment in China is becoming both more active and more high-tech
With the growing middle class in China comes a greater emphasis on the quality of life. Families are willing to spend more money on leisure time to unwind from work and school. According to iResearch, the market size of out-of-home entertainment in China has a steady growth rate at around 15% in the past years, […]
Chinese reactions to Kobe Bryant’s death show influence has no boundaries
When news of the NBA legend Kobe Bryant’s death broke on Sunday, January 27th, 2020, his death was mourned around the world, especially in China. Chinese reactions to Kobe Bryant’s death shows how he was beloved to the nation. The hashtag about Kobe Bryant’s death (#科比去世#) on Sina Weibo had accumulated about 6.5 billion views […]