Exploring the Path of Commercialization of Sports Events to Enable the Development of Local Economy

A Case Study Based on WTT (World Table Tennis)

Abstract

In the context of globalized sports industry development, commercialization of sports events has become the mainstream of today's sports event development, a multidimensional industry integrating economic, cultural and social values. This paper focuses on the commercialization practice model of the World Table Tennis Team (WTT), exploring its innovative business model and impact on the local economy through multiple analytical frameworks. The WTT has increased spectator participation through tournament structuring (e.g., tiered tournaments, increased mixed doubles and doubles cross-country teams), star player meet-and-greet, and diversified revenue streams (e.g., tickets, peripherals), which have brought about significant short-term economic gains. In the case of the Chongqing WTT 2024, for example, the data proves that it has been instrumental in promoting significant growth in regional tourism as well as services such as food and beverage, with tournament-related industries generating more than 180 million RMB in local revenue. However, the current problem of over-commercialization highlights the issue of conflict between the profit-making purpose of the business and the competitive nature of the event. This study emphasizes the linkage between balancing the commercialization of sports and the protection of athletes' rights and interests, to effectively achieve a sustainable effect between economic value creation and competitive sportsmanship.