Basketball events further sports and tourism integration in NE China city

CHANGCHUN, China, June 24 (Xinhua) -- In recent days, the 2024 Liaoyuan Township Basketball Super League caught the attention of many locals and tourists in Liaoyuan City, northeast China's Jilin Province.

The league kicked off at a newly opened basketball theme park a few days ago, with thousands of people flocking to the venue on opening night. Ignited by live performances and fierce competition, the atmosphere on the courts was filled with enthusiasm and excitement.

Lasting for over 100 days and ending in September, the league attracts over 700 players from more than 50 teams across the province. Most of the matches are free to watch.

On the opening night, many internet-famous basketball players showcased their skills in an exhibition match. Guo Ailun, a star player from CBA's Liaoning team, was also invited as a special guest and interacted with fans.

"Not only can we watch high-level basketball matches live, but we can also see star players like Guo Ailun who can only be seen on TV usually. It feels very exciting and thrilling," said Qi Xinyu, a Liaoyuan local citizen.

This year, the Liaoyuan Township Basketball Super League has witnessed more participants and a larger scale. "Apart from townships, we encourage institutions, enterprises, and clubs to participate in the event as well," said Li Yuping, director of the Liaoyuan Sports Bureau.

Moreover, the basketball theme park where the event is held has been renovated and upgraded. The color selection and creative designs at the venue are very eye-catching.

With a wide range of high-quality facilities, the basketball theme park provides a better experience for players. The courts use special materials that meet Olympic standards. At the venue, many basketball enthusiasts were training, and some locals were taking photos.

In addition, a series of basketball events are planned to be held in the theme park which caters to the needs of basketball enthusiasts from all age groups in Liaoyuan and even northeast China, aiming for multi-level sustainable development.

The opening ceremony attracted many basketball lovers from the surrounding areas and even outside the province. Liu Changming, a basketball enthusiast from Meihekou, Jilin, said, "I like playing basketball very much. I know Liaoyuan has been building a basketball theme park. I hope to have the opportunity to play basketball here someday."

In recent years, Liaoyuan has held a series of sports events and will host the 20th Jilin Provincial Games in 2026. Meanwhile, Liaoyuan continues to enhance the integration of sports and tourism through sports events.

For example, the basketball theme park has become a popular destination with rich entertainment resources and convenient transportation. Liaoyuan has made great strides to create a new batch of cultural tourism projects.

"We hope to take the opportunity of the 2024 Liaoyuan Township Basketball Super League to drive tourism and consumption. Through these sports events, we are trying to push forward the development of the sports economy and attract more tourists to our city," Li Yuping said.