Decathlon stores in Chongqing see a continued rise in sports equipment sales. (Photo/Decathlon)
Chongqing - "Last night, I tried to book a badminton court at midnight but missed out as they sold out in a minute," said Liao Yunyun from Chongqing on Tuesday.
As the city's sports venues are in high demand, the trend extends to sports equipment, with a sharp rise in consumption due to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Meanwhile, Spending on niche sports like archery and tennis has surged since July.
Boom in sports equipment sales
"Since the Olympic Games, sales of badminton, table tennis, and tennis gear have nearly tripled," said Zhang Qiang, owner of a sports store in Chongqing, on Monday.
Zhang noted that badminton prices have also risen significantly, with cheaper options costing tens of yuan and premium ones over 100 yuan ($13.99) per tube, each containing 12 shuttlecocks. He attributed the sudden increase in market demand to this.
Not only are small stores experiencing this boom, but large chain stores are seeing higher-than-expected sales as well.
"Since August, sales at Chongqing stores have increased by 18 percent compared to the same period last year, surpassing early predictions," Chongqing Daily cited a representative from Decathlon in Chongqing as saying, adding that road bike sales have surged by 190 percent, table tennis equipment by 119 percent, and tennis gear by 53 percent.
Online sales are also booming. According to Chinese online discounter Pinduoduo, sales of badminton and billiards equipment in July this year saw triple-digit growth rates, reflecting a rapid increase.
"Home fitness equipment is also highly popular, especially yoga gear and small and medium-sized fitness equipment," said a Pinduoduo representative. Since July, sales of yoga mats have grown nearly 30 percent month-over-month, with yoga resistance bands and dumbbells following closely behind as consumer demand accelerates, as the representative explained.
Book well in advance for badminton and tennis courts
With the Olympic Games, tennis has emerged as one of the popular sports in China. Meituan data showed that tennis experience sessions and training packages have been in high demand since July, with group-buy orders for tennis-related activities up 172 percent year-on-year.
"Tennis courts at Shizishan Sports Park are open for booking at midnight every day. Previously, only weekends were in high demand, but now even weekday slots are quickly booked," said a Chongqing resident named Li. He noted that more people around him have started taking an interest in tennis due to the Olympics.
"Since Chinese players reached the semifinals, our booking volume has increased by 30 percent, and inquiries have also risen significantly. After Zheng Qinwen's victory, we experienced a peak in bookings and inquiries," said an operator of a tennis facility in Chongqing.
The operator stated that capitalizing on the Olympic momentum, the tennis market in Chongqing is thriving, and they plan to expand their tennis training facilities in the city.
Tennis is rapidly growing in Chongqing, while badminton and table tennis, with their strong existing popularity, face severe court shortages.
"Evenings are particularly busy; it's almost impossible to book a court from 6 to 9 pm, although mornings and afternoons are relatively easier," a staff member at a badminton center in Chongqing said and further revealed that badminton courts have been very popular recently, with some popular evening slots often fully booked a day in advance.
Meituan data unveiled that since July, orders for badminton have increased by 90 percent year-on-year, with Chongqing's growth rate ranking among the highest in the country.
Chongqing in top five for archery group-buy order growth
The Olympics have also boosted enthusiasm for emerging sports in Chongqing.
This year, searches for "breakdancing" on Meituan have surged by 107.8 percent year-on-year, with related guides increasing by 150 percent. Since July, group-buy orders for breakdancing in Chengdu, Shanghai, and Chongqing have seen some of the highest growth rates in the country.
Archery has also gained significant traction in Chongqing. Meituan data showed that since July, searches for "archery ranges" have grown by 40 percent year-on-year, with Chongqing ranking among the top five nationwide for growth in archery-related group-buy orders.
People are learning archery in the archery range. (Photo/Jiang Zhi)
Based on past experience, August is typically a slow season for archery in Chongqing due to the heat. However, this year, driven by the Olympics, there has been a surge in archery learning, with many consumers using group-buy platforms to purchase lessons, Jiang Zhi, a coach for the Yuanshi Archery Club in Chongqing, said.
Jiang explained that equipment costs for systematic archery training range from several thousand to over ten thousand yuan, with individual lessons priced at around 260 yuan each. Annual expenses can total nearly 20,000 yuan.
"Archery is a niche sport with high entry barriers and specific venue requirements," Jiang said, adding that the Olympics have created a surge in interest in Chongqing, but he hopes that after the initial excitement fades, more people will come to genuinely appreciate this niche sport.
The Chinese version of this report was contributed by Qiu Xiaoya, a reporter from Chongqing Daily.
(Qi Xiaofang, as an intern, also contributed to this report.)