Chinese Olympians Get A Taste Of Fame
Commercialization of Sports in China is Unavoidable
Twenty years ago, before the rise of China’s market economy, the Chinese hockey team didn’t stand to win prize money or sponsorships. Competitions were for the glory of the country, not the kind of fame lavished on athletes in the West. Today, with the Olympic Games in Beijing less than four months away, the team is sponsored by Nike. It has an expert coach from South Korea, expensive protective equipment made by a U.S. firm and access to a professional psychologist through the state sports administration.
Attitudes about sports in China have undergone a dramatic shift from the days when the government focused on collective gain rather than individual accomplishment. Those changes have helped foster the development of a new kind of athlete, one whose sacrifices result in fame and fortune — and, if the athlete has a distinct personality, national celebrity.
The shift spans the panorama of Chinese sport. Tennis players who once barely eked out a living can now earn as much as $100,000 a year. Even the lowliest college team is part of a tiered economic system of sponsorships, incentives and bonuses. In Beijing, the University of Aeronautics and Astronautics track team is sponsored by a tire company. One distance runner said he stands to receive a bonus of more than $14,000 if he wins at the national level.
“Before, our policy killed the personalities of athletes. The government didn’t promote fame or self-interest,” said Jin Shan, director of the Sports Culture Research Center at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences. “China was so weak in its economy and politics that sports were used to enhance the people’s confidence. Now it’s not necessary to use sports to build a strong image of China overseas. Sports will be commercialized in the future, and more stars will be generated, just like in the U.S.”
