Doing It the Chinese Way: The Politically-led Commercialization of Professional Football in China

Abstract

This article analyzes the differences in the commercialization patterns of professional football between Western countries and China. Based on a literature review, it is concluded that the Chinese commercialization of football needs to be systematically compared with the Western structures of the process to derive a coherent framework for a better understanding of the phenomenon. This comparison is achieved by performing an institutional analysis based on a heterodox socioeconomic approach to commercialization as an organizational change process. Among other factors, the similarities and differences between the politically-led logic and media-driven logic of football commercialization are identified. The result is a model of a comparative framework of commercialization processes of professional football in Western countries and China. The theoretical and management implications of this model highlight that the Chinese case needs to be assessed with special consideration of the policy context. The model moreover unveils promising directions for future research.

独具中国特色的方式：职业足球商业化进程的政治主导逻辑

本文围绕中西方职业足球商业化的异同展开研究。基于文献综述得出, 中国职业足球商业化是一个非常复杂的过程。中西方职业足球商业化差异的对比研究将会进一步加深学界对上述复杂过程的理解。本研究将商业化进程视为一个组织变革的过程, 借助社会经济路径展开制度分析。中国职业足球商业化进程的”政治主导逻辑”和西方职业足球商业化进程的”媒体主导逻辑”二者之间的异同得以彰显。本研究进一步提出了职业足球在西方国家和中国的商业化进程对比模型。该对比模型强调在理论与实践层面, 中国职业足球的商业化进程需要重点考虑政策背景。该模型同时为未来相关研究指明了方向。

Keywords:

• China
• soccer
• governance
• commercialization
• Westernization

关键词:

• 中国；足球；治理；商业化；西方化

Acknowledgement

The authors are grateful to the editors of the special issue for supporting a shift in the approach and focus in an earlier draft as well as for their helpful suggestions and timely management of the review process. We also thank the anonymous reviewers for their favorable and constructive feedback. The title of the article is inspired by the excellent song ‘The Chinese Way’ (1983) of the British fusion band Level 42.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Yang Ma

Yang Ma is an associate professor in sport governance at the Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, People’s Republic of China. He obtained the doctoral degree at the University of Bayreuth, Germany. His research interests reside in sport governance in China in general and Chinese football governance in particular.

Markus Kurscheidt

Markus Kurscheidt is a full professor of sport economics and chairs the Department of Sport Governance and Event Management at the University of Bayreuth, Germany. He is the head of the renowned BSc and MSc programs in Sport, Business & Law and is the vice-president of the International Association of Sports Economists (IASE). His research interests reside in sport economics, international sport governance and fan culture.