New league a hit with fans, businesses

The Guangdong City Football Super League, or Yuechao, a new soccer tournament spanning 21 cities across Guangdong province, has drawn strong interest among fans and growing commercial attention from businesses.

The opening match kicked off on Saturday at Yuexiushan Stadium in Guangzhou, the provincial capital, with nearly 12,000 fans filling the stands.

On Sunday, the remaining first-round matches were held across nine cities in the province, with eight stadiums each attracting more than 10,000 spectators, according to media reports.

The tournament's popularity has extended beyond the stadiums. Before the competition began, organizers signed sponsorship agreements with dozens of companies in Shenzhen and across Guangdong.

The sponsor lineup includes major industry players and well-known local firms, forming a strong commercial roster, with Shenzhen Grandsun Electronic Co serving as the league's title sponsor.

As one of the province's leading amateur soccer competitions, the tournament has established a multitiered sponsorship structure, including title sponsor, strategic partners, official sponsors, suppliers and micro-enterprise supporters, according to organizers.

Previously released information showed the title sponsorship is priced at 30 million yuan ($4.39 million), while strategic partnerships are priced at 8 million yuan, each with exclusive rights within their respective industries.

In addition, the league has introduced a support program for small and micro-enterprises, priced at 50,000 yuan, which carries no exclusivity rights and is limited to commercial development rights in home team cities.

"The league has built a clearly tiered partnership structure, bringing in leading local technology manufacturers while also opening opportunities for small and micro enterprises," said Chen Xuhui, chairman of Guangdong Sports Development Corporation.

Lei Jianjun, deputy director of the Guangdong Sports City League Organizing Committee, said more than 80 companies of varying sizes have joined sponsorship arrangements at the city level.

He added that fan engagement has also grown quickly, with the official ticketing mini-program attracting more than 30,000 registered users on its first day. As of Monday, registrations had surpassed 72,000.

"Supporting the soccer tournament is like supporting a significant family event, and we hope to leverage the platform to enhance our brand and the reputation of Guangdong manufacturing, helping Guangdong products reach global markets," said Qiao Yunxiu, deputy general manager of Shenzhen Grandsun Electronic Co.

The Shenzhen-based company, which markets its Cleer smart audio brand, focuses on research, development and manufacturing of professional audio products, smart headphones, speakers and other intelligent devices.

The company has also outlined business plans including creating a unique intellectual property identity around the tournament, launching a goal reward program, and extending the IP into local dining, cultural and tourism consumption scenarios.

"It's not just about placing a logo around the soccer fields, it's about embedding the brand into the entire chain of fans' eating, drinking, playing and entertainment experiences," said Wu Haiquan, chairman of Shenzhen Grandsun Electronic Co.