Goals ahead

As outlined in China's 13th five-year (2016-20) sports development plan, which was issued last year, the number of people who exercise with moderate intensity at least once a week is expected to reach 700 million - half the total population - by 2020.

The five-year plan amplifies every aspect of the country's sports ambition in mass fitness, professional league reform and Olympic programs, as well as the general sports industry.

The country also aims to increase the per-capita sports venue area to 1.8 square meters by 2020, up almost 15 percent from the figure of 1.57 sq m in 2015. China had built more than 1.88 million sports venues covering over 2.1 billion sq m by the end of 2015. Total production value of the nation's sporting industry is projected to reach 5 trillion yuan by 2025, when it is expected to account for about 1 percent of GDP compared to 0.8 percent in 2015, according to the State Council.

To reach those goals, industry experts are pushing for the current consumption pattern, which relies heavily on sporting goods manufacturing and sales, to mimic the models of developed sporting powers such as the United States.

"Compared with the industry in the US, the consumption of intangible products, such as ticketing of pro league games, fitness guidance and services, has been not yet fully developed in our country," said Lin Xianpeng, a sports industry researcher at Beijing Sport University.

With a growing number of domestic and international sporting events held annually, related businesses, including club merchandising, onsite catering, sales of sporting goods and trading in media rights, will embrace a golden opportunity to mature, added Lin.

sunxiaochen@chinadaily.com.cn