ABSTRACT
This chapter uses the development of Chinese professional football as a case to demonstrate how sport has been interwoven with social and economic development in contemporary China. By reviewing the historical background of the rise of professional sport, the commercialisation process of professional football and the status quo of the professional football industry in China, the authors argue that for China, football is not just an economic booster but also an indicator of social development. The contemporary party-state has reanimated football as a vehicle for its nation-building projects. A flourishing domestic football industry, combined with internationally competitive performance, has a role to play in the New Era (post-socialism) through the promotion of domestic consumption, civic participation, cultural engagement and national pride. However, the process of China’s football reform still lags far behind the transformation and development of Chinese society. Achieving China’s Football Dream needs an intensified marketisation of football, greater autonomy for sports organisations and less governmental control, permitting the market to play the predominant role in determining resource allocation.
