Another distinctive way a city can leave impressions is through hosting big sporting events. Beijing is a fine example in this regard. To this day, many foreign visitors picture the Chinese capital city in their mind with the Bird Nest and the Water Cube, both symbolic stadiums built for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Summer Games.

"Large-scale international sporting events not only bring enormous potential business opportunities to host cities and push them to scale up infrastructure upgrades, but also promote cultural exchange, having a great effect on the cities' development and recognition on the world stage," Jia Kang, former Director of the Research Institute for Fiscal Science of the Ministry of Finance, told news portal Red Star News.

Leaving an impact 

According to 2024 Global Sports City Index, co-published by Shanghai University of Sport and other international academic institutions, Beijing ranked 29th on the list of the top 50 sports cities globally, the highest in China.

A prestigious event that took place in Beijing in 2024 was the World Table Tennis (WTT) China Smash. The 11-day competition, running from September 26 to October 6, was the third and final WTT Grand Smash event of 2024. Beijing has been selected to host the China Smash from 2024 to 2028 at Shougang Park in Shijingshan District, where the 2022 Winter Olympic venue, Big Air Shougang, is located.

The competition generated sponsorship revenue of 25 million yuan ($3.4 million) and its ticket sales reached 60 million yuan ($8.2 million). The sponsorship revenue of the 2025 WTT China Smash is reportedly set to exceed 100 million yuan ($13.6 million).

Organizers in Shijingshan have attempted to integrate the competition with the urban culture of Beijing by hosting a range of distinctive events such as the Xishan Cultural Festival and the Autumn Garden Party, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the seasonal charm of the city. The design of the competition venue incorporated metallurgical industrial elements of the Shougang Park, not only showcasing the distinctive cultural characteristics of the site but also endowing the competition with a blend of historical and modern charm.

The Shougang Park was repurposed from a steel mill that was founded in the 1920s but ceased operations in the early 21st century due to environmental protection concerns. The park has preserved industrial relics, including blast furnaces and cooling towers, and undergone modern-style renovations. Today, it continues to play an important role in the lives of Beijing residents as the venue of product launch ceremonies, fashion shows and sporting events.

"We aim to fully deliver the social and economic benefits of the WTT China Smash to Shijingshan's development and, on this basis, maximize the revitalization of old industrial complexes through sporting events," Wang Qizhi, Vice Mayor of Shijingshan, said at a press conference on January 11.

The Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), China's top-tier men's basketball league with a history of 30 years, also demonstrates how sporting activities can play a role in boosting the sense of community and driving consumption growth.

"When fans think of certain CBA players or teams, they can associate them immediately with the city they represent," Xu Jianbin, head of the Business Operations Department of the CBA, said at the 11th Sports Money Annual Conference held in Beijing on January 7. "The CBA is no longer just a basketball tournament. It is deeply rooted in the cultural life of the cities where its teams are located, becoming a part of the local economy and culture. In the future, we will continue to tap the potential of game-day activities. These should not be limited to the 48 minutes of game, but should also use the two hours before and after the game to showcase elements related to the host city and boost related consumption."

Leading the style 

Major events aside, local governments are stepping up efforts to incorporate sporting activities into communities, greatly enriching residents' daily life and health.

Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province in southwest China, has topped the China Urban Life Sports Index for two years in a row. The host city of the 2023 FISU World University Games launched the Chengdu Greenway Sports Life Carnival, an annual program targeting every resident in Chengdu, in 2021.

From April to October 2024, competitions of sports including basketball, frisbee and cycling were held one after another, encouraging residents to make sport a part of their daily routines. According to official statistics, the program involved more than 2 million people throughout the year, with more than 30,000 households participating in more than one event.

The Village Super League (VSL) is a soccer tournament held among multiple villages in Rongjiang County, Guizhou Province in southwest China, which began in the 1990s. In recent years, it has gone viral online due to its down-to-earth style and lively atmosphere.

In 2024, the VSL achieved a new record in participation, with the number of participating teams increasing from 20 to 62 and the number of players up from 600 to over 1,800. At the same time, the game has also incorporated rich cultural elements of the ethnic groups that live in the region. 

During breaks in matches, spectators enjoy dancing and singing performances by cheerleading teams dressed in traditional ethnic attire. Additionally, the representatives of each participating village bring local specialty foods to share with spectators. Inspired by the VSL, competitions of multiple sports traditional to the region's ethnic groups have also been launched.

"In addition to the regular competitions, we will hold more events in 2025, such as the VSL National Championship, which will include more villages nationwide, the Intangible Cultural Heritage Friendship Cup that features local cuisines and crafts, and the first Women's VSL Tournament," Wang Yongjie, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the Rongjiang County Committee of the Communist Party of China, said at the opening ceremony of the 2025 VSL on January 4. "Furthermore, we will collaborate with countries and regions in Africa, Europe and the Americas to promote the tournament overseas."

Copyedited by G.P. Wilson 

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