The Shanghai sports industry generated an output of 316.9 billion yuan ($44.8 billion), with an added value exceeding 100 billion yuan, accounting for 1.9 percent of the city's GDP in 2024, according to data released at the 2025 Shanghai Sports Show, a three-day event that kicked off on Thursday at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center.

The expo showcased a robust growth in sports consumption, with upgrades across events, fitness, equipment, and technology. During the consumption festival from May to Nov, local sports merchants experienced a 13.89 percent year-on-year transaction increase. Twenty innovative projects and scenario-based consumption practices with demonstrated industry significance, including the Rolex Shanghai Masters and Volvo China Open, stood out as typical cases of the 2025 Shanghai Sports Consumption Festival.

A standout event, the sports trend culture festival of Jing'an district, entered its second year, spanning the National Day holiday and "Double 11" shopping spree. This 23-day event, held over seven weekends, featured music, exhibitions, pet activities, outdoor sports, and fashion — drawing participation from sports fashion brands and manufacturers.

"We aim to explore new business formats and content, gain insights for the upgrading of next year's trend festival, and further build a high-quality display platform through visiting the sports show," Ma Jiabin, director of the Jing'an District Sports Bureau, said. 

The expo, covering 50,000 square meters, attracted global brands like Nike, Hoka, Brooks, and Chinese brands such as Li-Ning and UTO. A special "Shanghai Marathon Zone" offered runners one-stop equipment services and an immersive experience area showcasing the marathon's history and culture.

"I once participated in the FINA Swimming World Cup held in Shanghai," Chinese swimmer Tang Qianting said, sharing her insights at the expo. "The venue facilities, sports equipment arrangement, and support services were all impressive. Such events and the expo can promote mutual development and improvement."