(Yicai) Jan. 28 -- Global sportswear brand Adidas has become a sponsor of Jiangsu province’s city amateur football league, highlighting the growing commercial appeal of regional football events in China.

Adidas’ name appeared on the list of commercial partners released yesterday by the event’s organizing committee. The company has yet to disclose the value of the sponsorship. However, sources familiar with the matter said Adidas invested a total of CNY21 million (USD2.9 million), including CNY8 million (USD1.1 million) in cash and equipment worth CNY1 million for each of the 13 participating teams, securing exclusive equipment sponsorship rights for the league.

As of press time, Yicai had not received confirmation from Adidas regarding the reported amount. If verified, industry insiders view the deal as a reassessment by a global sports brand of the value of China’s regional sports intellectual property.

Launched in May last year, the Jiangsu Football City League is an amateur competition among the province’s major cities, with all 13 forming teams under a “one city, one team” model. The league quickly gained popularity, attracting widespread attention from fans, the public, and the media. The inaugural final held last November set an attendance record for amateur football events in China.

Beyond igniting public enthusiasm for football, the league has boosted cultural, tourism, commercial, and sports-related consumption in participating cities, rapidly emerging as a phenomenon in China’s amateur football scene.

Commenting on the sponsorship, Adidas said it aims to deepen its presence in China’s local football market by leveraging its world-class football resources to support mass-participation events and promote the high-quality development of China’s sports industry.

Industry insiders told Yicai that Adidas values the league’s broad public participation and extensive reach—often referred to as the “Jiangsu Super League.” Sponsorship offers the brand a platform to connect directly with grassroots fans and build closer emotional ties with Chinese consumers.

The same sources noted that China’s football market draws its core potential from more than 200 million football enthusiasts and steadily rising sports consumption. Continued investment by international giants such as Adidas and Nike in Chinese football events further reflects the sector’s growing commercial value.

Editors: Tang Shihua, Emmi Laine