Sports are good economic, as well as healthy, option

Sports are no longer merely a means to keep people healthy, but increasingly appreciated as a means to boost the economy, given its significant contribution to consumption in Shanghai.

A number of recent events lend credence to the observation that "one sports event could lead to a run on a city."

Take the 2025 Formula One Chinese Grand Prix, held March 21-23 in Jiading District, which spurred both consumption and foot traffic. The event drew a record 220,000 spectators, with international attendees making up 15 percent of them, 60 percent of which explicitly came to the city for the race.

Another event, the 2025 Longines Global Champions Tour Shanghai, attracted more than 30,000 people to the Juss International Equestrian Centre in Pudong during the May Day holiday.

With several world-class competition brands established over the past three decades, ranging from tennis, equestrian and auto race, to marathon and golf, Shanghai has become a global sports event hub with diverse sporting cultures and international influence.

One student from Nepal even told Shanghai Daily that she chose to study at Shanghai New York University four years ago because the city hosts the F1 race.

These events brought in revenues not only from tickets, but also related spending, such as transportation, hotels, restaurants and shopping.

Shanghai hosted 178 sports events last year, which generated 11.378 billion yuan (US$1.58 billion) of direct economic returns, according to a report released by the Shanghai Sport Bureau. In comparison, 163 sports events were held in Shanghai with about 6 billion yuan of economic returns in 2019, indicating increasing public willingness to spend in the sports industry.

This trend has drawn attention from the local political advisory body which has launched a special project to conduct in-depth research into the issue to draw up suggestions for the city's 15th Five Year Plan (2026-2030).

Wang Renwei, a member of the Shanghai Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and a former sports editor, said Shanghai has advantages in the relatively higher commercial value in the events it hosts.

"Some events have been well established," he said. "For instance, the lottery success rate for Shanghai Marathon remained relatively low, suggesting it is highly sought after."

Wang also suggested Shanghai should pay more attention to the branding of its own sports competition. For instance, in view of the fact that squash will soon be an Olympic event, the city could think of burnishing its own brand in this category.

Yang Yang, a multiple gold medalist at Olympic Games, cited the importance of improving China's capacity in making high-end sports-related products, such as helmets for cyclists.

Yang made history at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics by winning China's first gold medal in the women's 500-meter short track speed skating final, and remains active in various areas. She is a member of the national political advisory body and also served as vice-president of the World Anti-Doping Agency since 2020.

Increasing household spending on sports

Meanwhile, political advisers also learned that local residents are more willing to spend on sports, either for themselves or their families.

According to Yu Shiping, an official from Shanghai Sport Bureau, in 2024 an average resident in the city spent a total of 4,362 yuan, a growth of 6.4 percent over the previous year, which accounts for about 8.3 percent of the per capita disposable income.

There are also demographic trends.

"For those born since the 1980s, they are spending more on services, in hiring coaches or accessing training, while those older tend to spend more on physical items, such as sports goods and attire," said Yu.

Yu added that the higher percentage in term of services is generally indicative of quality development.

The ratio for the city, at about 50 percent, already represents major progress from that a few years ago, according to Yu. Specifically, this usually occur in the purchase of membership fees, training, and, especially for the young people, sports travel to other cities or abroad.

Interestingly, having more kids could have a significant bearing on sports consumption.

"From our findings in recent years, it is found that children tend to spend more than adults, probably due to parents' willingness to pay for sports-related training for their kids," Yu said.

"If you investigate a little, it is easy to see that, for those born since 1980s, those with kids are spending far more than those without, hence another vociferous advocacy for encouraging people to have more kids."

Tao Luna, former shooting champion, proposed that more competitive events be sponsored at community level, as parents-kids fun events, or community sports meet.

Tao, a famous markswoman who won the first gold medal for China at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, is now in charge of a shooting and archery center under municipal sports administration.

She said, according to professional estimates, providing sport fun events could boost foot traffic in commercial circles by 10 to 20 percent.

Tao also cites other benefits of sports, particularly for young people, for its benefit in fostering resilience, perseverance, and concentration, qualities indispensable for success in any endeavor.

Yet, there is more to do to promote sports for public health.

Wang Hailong, general manager of Shangti Health Technology (Shanghai) Company, which specializes in chronic diseases intervention, said that although 4,667 people in Yangpu District are recommended for free chronic disease intervention at Shangti venues, only 1,333 people actually showed up, according to Shangti's survey in 2024.

"A lion's share of fitness clients bent on reducing their weight should have been those with chronic diseases, but as a matter of fact, 90 percent of those frequenting wellness facilities are those in perfect health," Wang said.

Wang added that 70 percent of our medical care covers chronic disease, a formidable percentage that could be curtailed through medical insurance, in light of practice in Japan and the US, where those with serious health issues need to pay more for their insurance.

Wang suggested to introduce a compulsory health insurance similar to motor vehicles, with incentives for those who, through active intervention, have successfully reversed an unhealthy condition.