Economic ladder

The sponsorship frenzy is a clear expression of Jiangsu's wealth, according to many netizens.

In 2024, the province's GDP exceeded 13.7 trillion yuan, ranking first nationwide. Each of its 13 cities has strong economies. At the top, are five "trillion-yuan cities", with Suzhou leading the pack with over 2.67 trillion yuan in 2024 GDP, followed by Nanjing, Wuxi, Nantong, and Changzhou.

Xuzhou is just a step back at 900 billion yuan, while even Lianyungang, at the bottom of the economic ladder, had an annual GDP of 466.3 billion yuan last year.

"For football projects, social and cultural support is crucial, including economic support," Huang Haiyan, dean of the School of Management at Beijing Sport University, told the 21st Century Business Herald.

He pointed out that the sponsorship fees for the league in Jiangsu have gone through three stages starting with local support, followed by national awareness of the league, and, finally, a premium competition, with its commercial value experiencing exponential growth.

High economic development and strong consumer power in Jiangsu are also among the factors that have contributed to the high commercial value of the league.

On Saturday, the match between Nanjing and Suzhou took place at the Nanjing Olympic Sports Center Stadium.

The two cities have long exchanged barbs and jokes over which one is the "true capital" of Jiangsu. Despite Nanjing's provincial capital status, Suzhou's higher GDP has fueled a "capital city dispute" meme.

"We can't lose to Suzhou, no matter what," vowed Nanjing fans.