Climbing, skateboarding and other "Olympics-bound" sports welcome spring, extreme sports may trigger a new consumption wave

"How can the middle class spend a high-end holiday? See which extreme sport suits you."

This is a travel advertisement for the National Day holiday. According to reporters,against the backdrop of widespread consumption upgrades, extreme sports in China have gradually shifted from a fringe activity to a popular trend.During the National Day holiday, many chose to participate in the Weihai Triathlon, the Chicago Marathon, or go diving in Southeast Asia.

Meanwhile, the initial selection trials for the Hubei Province Extreme Sports Cross-discipline and Multi-event Talent Search program — “I Want to Go to the Olympics” — were held on October 9 at the Hubei Olympic Sports Center. It is understood that with climbing, surfing, skateboarding, and BMX becoming new events in the Tokyo Olympics, China's sports authorities are gradually expanding their cross-discipline and multi-event talent scouting efforts.

A person in charge of the Beijing Extreme Sports Association told reporters that as niche extreme sports become Olympic events, it gives these sports greater legitimacy. More and more sports companies are trying their hand in the field of extreme sports, and capital is also taking notice, eager to get involved.

"With the rise of sports consumption upgrades among Chinese people, in addition to skiing and marathons, industries such as triathlon, climbing, and surfing have also become new hot spots," industry insiders analyzed.Exercise is not just about health, but also a new lifestyle." he added further.

Extreme Sports in the Era of Consumption Upgrades

A person in charge of the Beijing Extreme Sports Association told reporters that there are many types of extreme sports, such as parkour, skateboarding, BMX cycling, extreme inline skating, speed climbing, extreme fitness, and more than 20 other disciplines.The inherent appeal, novelty, and challenge of extreme sports, along with the rise of post-90s and post-00s generations and the broader consumption upgrade trend, are attracting an increasing number of participants.

Han Yuanyuan is a white-collar worker at a state-owned enterprise in Beijing and an extreme sports enthusiast. The activities she enjoys include triathlon, marathon, mountain biking, and climbing.

According to her, mountain biking currently has a sizable fan base, and triathlon is also being explored by more and more people. Climbing remains a niche hobby, and the number of climbing gyms is only growing naturally, as climbing venues require large spaces and have slow returns on investment.

Another Beijing-based climbing enthusiast, Dong Bin, holds a different view. He said climbing is indeed a niche sport, but it’s easy to get hooked after just a couple of tries. He climbs every Friday. He noted that two years ago there were very few climbing gyms in Beijing, but their numbers have grown rapidly, including at some universities. Many talented climbers are emerging from universities, and now even a significant number of primary and secondary school students are joining climbing training programs.

In Han Yuanyuan’s opinion, compared to climbing, triathlon is the most expensive, but participation is also growing.

Triathlon combines three long-established sports — swimming, cycling, and running — into one outdoor sporting event. During the National Day holiday, the 2017 Weihai Triathlon World Cup and Weihai Super Triathlon Series attracted 1,328 athletes from 34 countries and regions who successfully completed the races.

On October 10, a staff member of the organizing committee told reporters that as more Chinese people are paying attention to triathlon, Weihai has this year launched its own independently branded Super Triathlon Series for the first time, adding competitions at the super triathlon distance.

The super triathlon distance requires athletes to swim 3 kilometers, cycle 100 kilometers, and run 25 kilometers off-road, totaling 128 kilometers, with a cut-off time of 12 hours.

A person in charge of the Beijing Outdoor Sports Association said that exercise is no longer just a method of training for health purposes, but also reflects a new way of life. Traditional fitness methods can no longer meet people’s increasingly diverse fitness needs. As a new, youthful, and exciting sport, extreme sports are capturing more and more attention.

"Olympics-bound" = Spring?

In 2017, climbing became one of nineteen mass-participation events at the Tianjin National Games. Industry insiders said that after climbing was included in the National Games, more clubs began offering the sport and enthusiasm grew across various regions.

Official news from 2016 showed that the 2020 Tokyo Olympics would introduce four new events — climbing, surfing, skateboarding, and BMX. To prepare for the Olympics, the General Administration of Sport of China decided to scout national team athletes through cross-discipline and multi-event selections both domestically and internationally. In the past month, multiple provinces across the country have begun recommending and selecting outstanding athletes province-wide.

What new changes will the Olympics bring to niche extreme sports? A person in charge of the Beijing Extreme Sports Association said,The inclusion of extreme sports in the Olympics is a sign that niche sports are gradually stepping onto the main stage.Extreme sports are not just a type of physical activity, but also a lifestyle attitude and a cultural phenomenon emerging during the process of consumption upgrades.

He also stated that the inclusion of extreme sports in the Olympics is recognition of the sports themselves, and alsorecognition of the practitioners’ work. At the same time, it means that parents who oppose their children's participation in extreme sports and those who are averse to street culture may have a change of heart. He emphasized that the inclusion of extreme sports in the Olympicshas a significant promoting effect on the development of extreme sports.

        Wang Yuxiong, deputy dean of the School of Sports Economics and Management at Central University of Finance and Economics, said that it is relatively difficult to popularize niche sports. It is still hard to say how much the inclusion of niche sports in the Olympics can promote their growth. “But one thing is certain: once these sports become official events, increased national attention willinevitably drive growth in related industrial chains such as talent training and equipment.”

        In addition, consumers who watch Olympic events will become more familiar with and engaged in the corresponding sports, which are allpotential consumer groups to be cultivated.

        In his view, some niche sports have certain requirements for geographical infrastructure and cannot be carried out everywhere — surfing is a case in point. Wang Yuxiong suggested that some regions could combine extreme sports with tourism,developing local characteristic sports tourism projectsto meet the current needs of upgraded tourism and sports consumption.

        As for how the niche sports industry can make money, he said businesses can achieve substantial profitability by refining operations within niche sport communities,building strong user stickiness— for example, organizing small-scale competitions or outdoor tours.

        Regarding government policy support, the head of the Beijing Extreme Sports Association said that such assistance varies by region. Southern areas tend to place relatively more emphasis on the development of extreme sports, with some cities having built or being in the process of constructing extreme sports parks, or integrating extreme sports into sports town projects. However, this is far from being a key focus of support. In northern regions, possibly due to climate factors, street sports are still somewhat limited during winter.

Author: Zhou Hui

Source: 21st Century Business Herald