As night falls, the Xishi Basketball Center in Zhuji, Zhejiang, shines brightly. Not long ago, the Asian qualifiers for the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup were held here, drawing fans from all over and bringing bustling business to nearby shops.
Just across the street from the arena, a long queue forms outside Jiandong Noodle House. The 53-year-old owner, Bian Jiandong, is busy cooking noodles at the stove, with sizzling sounds and bowls of specialty noodles being served continuously. The shop is known for Ciwu Daman noodles, a local Zhuji specialty, and many fans stop by to enjoy the food before or after games. "On match days, we serve over 400 bowls a day, with revenue about three times the usual," Bian says. He prepares ingredients based on the game schedule, and his business has been thriving over the years.
A visitor from Chifeng, Inner Mongolia, Mr. Zhao, came with his wife to watch the games and picked up some local goods. "We bought over 200 pairs of thick socks to give as gifts back home—very practical," Zhao says. They also selected pearls at the East China International Jewelry City to bring a taste of Zhuji's specialty products back with them. Many visitors follow the pattern of sightseeing by day and watching basketball by night. In recent years, Zhuji has launched a three-day, two-night "Beautiful Zhuji" classic itinerary, channeling the influx of event-goers into the entire "food, lodging, transport, tourism, shopping, and entertainment" chain.
Basketball has deep roots in Zhuji. In the early 20th century, local modern schools already introduced the sport. Zhuji was among the first batch of "National Basketball Cities." In 2026, the fourth Xishi "Village BA" tournament featured 348 village teams and over 5,000 players, spanning 102 days with 882 thrilling games, setting two Guinness World Records for the most teams and the most games in a single season among county-level city basketball leagues. Zhuji's basketball games come in various formats: by region, there are "County BA" and "Village BA"; by industry, "School BA" and "Silver BA"; and by sector, "Pearl BA" and "Sock BA"—across more than 2,200 courts, each with its own lively scene. These grassroots tournaments have cultivated a loyal fan base and laid a solid foundation for using basketball to create consumer scenarios and expand the scale of sports consumption.
At the Datang Sock Market, a pair of basketball socks printed with the "Village BA" logo has become a hot seller. Xu Zhongfu, chairman of a local sock company, says many tourists buy the product specifically as a souvenir from the games. The homegrown basketball events have boosted the company's annual sales by about 30 percent. As tournaments multiply, business models are evolving. At the nearby Seafood Palace Restaurant, owner Zhou Yufeng has developed a "game service playbook"—before every local match, the restaurant prepares nutritious meals, offering players high-protein, low-fat pre-game dishes. "We've been in business for nearly a decade, and now we're part of the event's logistical support," Zhou says.
In recent years, Zhuji has pursued an integrated approach to culture, commerce, tourism, and sports, deeply linking events with local features like Xishi's hometown, pearls, and socks, and developing customized "follow the game to travel" routes. Gao Song, member of the Standing Committee of the Zhuji Municipal Party Committee and Deputy Mayor, says, "We uphold the 'all industries plus tourism' concept, using ticket-stub economy and consumption discount policies to turn event traffic into development gains. The evidence shows that sports driving traffic, industry boosting income, and tourism enhancing quality—this path works."
As the final whistle blows, the crowd at Xishi Basketball Center pours out, gradually flowing into the surrounding streets and shops. The passion for basketball is igniting a new wave of consumer activity.