A football tournament in east China's Jiangsu Province has ignited sports fever while generating substantial economic spillover effects across catering, tourism and related sectors.
The "Su Super League," an amateur city-derby tournament featuring 13 teams - each representing a city in Jiangsu Province - has captured the collective imagination of around 195,700 live spectators, with online viewership soaring into the hundreds of millions. Its attendance has even surpassed that of some established professional leagues.
The tournament draws its rosters from all walks of life - high schoolers, couriers, IT workers, and more.
The league's unique format has turned matches into celebrations of regional pride.
On June 1, the atmosphere reached fever pitch as 15,669 rain-soaked fans packed Wutaishan Stadium in the provincial capital Nanjing City to watch the home team edge out Wuxi in a 1-0 thriller.
"Although we're braving the rain and the pitch is quite wet today, we're still very happy to come to Nanjing's Wutaishan Stadium to cheer for Team Wuxi ," said a fan from Wuxi.
What sets this tournament apart is how it extends beyond sport.
Each match ticket doubles as a passport to explore host cities, offering discounts at local restaurants and cultural sites.
This clever integration of football and tourism has produced tangible results.
UnionPay data shows six host cities saw a 12.94-percent surge in visitor spending during the three-day Dragon Boat Festival holiday which ended on June 2.
Since its kickoff on May 10, the league has drawn over 180,000 spectators through just three rounds of matches, according to Jiangsu Sports Bureau. The success reflects Jiangsu's broader strategy of using sports as an economic catalyst.
The province has already taken advantage of 50 sports events that have collectively drew 2.17 million tourists and generated 1.57 billion yuan (about 218 million U.S. dollars) in consumer spending in the first four months of this year.
"The sports event economy has brought new business opportunities, driving development across the entire industrial chain including sports manufacturing, sports tourism, sports training, and related sectors," said Wu Xiang, deputy director of Sports Industry Guidance Center under Jiangsu Sports Bureau.
Jiangsu's amateur football league ignites football fever, boosts regional economy
The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.
In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.
"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.
Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.
The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."
Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.
President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.
Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.
Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.
The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.
Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests
