Why did the Qingchuan “Baba Basketball Game” become a national model? it’s more than just a basketball game
On the afternoon of January 8, Basketball Park in Qingchuan County, Sichuan Province. The warm sunshine pours on the court with a large panda pattern, outlining the slender shadow of the basketball stand.
On the court, people were in twos and threes, sometimes dribbling and shooting, sometimes studying skills; on the benches on the sidelines, the old people squinted in the sun and chatted about their family affairs; outside the court, the ladies danced to the music. Occasionally, vendors selling roasted sweet potatoes and roasted corns would slowly pass by with their carts, smelling of charcoal fire, everything was leisurely and peaceful.
However, when night fell, the place instantly turned into a noisy arena. The Qingchuan “Baba Basketball Game” started in October 2023. It has held more than 17,600 games, attracting more than 9,600 Chinese and foreign teams to compete, and the number of online and offline spectators exceeded 35 million.
Competition scene (photo by Yan Huailin)
Recently, it was successfully selected as a typical case of national rural public services in 2025. From “field ball” on clay to a phenomenon-level event, from local entertainment to national model, Qingchuan “Baba Basketball Game” has already transcended the scope of sports and has become a new tourist card for “going to Qingchuan to play basketball”.
How did a rural golf course become a public cultural phenomenon that attracted national attention? How can a game carry a weight far beyond sports and even define a small city?
a ball game
Passing on the love of two generations
On the court in Qingchuan, 45-year-old “Old Chen” Chen Genquan and his 17-year-old son “Xiao Chen” Chen Binbin often meet as opponents. His father was a strong player in provincial competitions, and his son grew up listening to his stories. Nowadays, they often belong to different teams and compete under the same lights.
“In the past, at home, I was the father who said ‘I was brave’; on the court, he was the opponent I had to take seriously.” Lao Chen said with a smile. In a village-level game last summer, his son broke through his defense and scored a layup, and then shouted: “Dad, show off your energy to compete in the provincial championship!” At that moment, Lao Chen seemed to see his younger self.
Qingchuan’s basketball bloodline has been flowing for more than a hundred years. From the introduction of basketball in 1921 to the rise of traditional events such as the “Green Bamboo Cup” and “White Dragon Cup” in 1975, basketball culture has been deeply rooted in this land. In the past, people entertained themselves under clay earth trellises, but now more than 20 standardized lighted courts have been built in the county. Even Yan Peng, a member of the Chinese three-person basketball national team, also led his team to participate in the competition. He praised: “The basketball atmosphere here is very good.”
From spontaneous “wild ball” to large-scale and influential brand events, basketball has become a window showing the spiritual outlook of Qingchuan people and the vitality of rural culture.
a tie
Linking local livelihoods with tourists
Lao Chen never thought that basketball would become the closest bond between him and his son, nor did he expect that the stadium at his doorstep would welcome players from all over the world.
Qingchuan’s “Baba Basketball Game” not only attracts teams from across the country, but also attracts the attention of the world. From provincial and municipal teams in Shanghai, Chongqing, and Guangzhou, to basketball enthusiasts from the United States, Spain, Serbia, Croatia and other countries, they have formed teams to come.
Foreign players bring different playing styles and cultures, which is an eye-opener for local players and spectators, and also allows the event to complete a wonderful “reverse drainage”. Players come to play and then become tourists. During the day, they traveled to Tangjiahe and visited the ancient city of Qingxi, and at night they immersed themselves in fierce duels and lively markets. “Playing basketball, enjoying the beautiful scenery, and tasting delicious food” is becoming a unique integrated sports and tourism route.
The fireworks on the sidelines of the game have become a support for local survival.
Opposite the stadium, Li Xiuhua’s cold noodle stall is always the first to set up and the last to close on game nights. “During the peak season, it can sell two to three hundred servings a night, which is much better than setting up a stall at the fair.” There are many stall owners like her: those who sell ice powder, those who sell grilled sausages, those who sell their own Qingchuan black fungus and kiwi fruit… A “Baba Basketball Game” can bring four to five thousand yuan in direct income to surrounding farmers.
a pattern
Activate rural endogenous power
Qingchuan’s “Baba Basketball Game” stands out as a national case because it provides a replicable and sustainable innovative sample of rural public services and governance.
“One person participates, and the whole family will accompany him; one game, multiple days of stay.” The relevant person in charge of the Qingchuan County Culture, Sports, Sports and Tourism Bureau explained the economic logic.
The “1+20+N” model explored by Qingchuan takes the county basketball park as the core and radiates to 20 township demonstration sites, connecting N types of business formats such as B&B, catering, and specialty sales, making the “Baba Basketball Game” a new fulcrum to leverage the county economy. In the first half of 2025, Qingchuan’s A-level tourist attractions received more than 3.43 million tourists and generated comprehensive tourism revenue of nearly 4 billion yuan, both showing significant year-on-year growth.
It proves the feasibility of “low cost, high participation”. There is no need for luxury venues. Simple stadiums renovated using idle vacant land of village collectives cost only 20,000 yuan on average, but they can get everyone moving.
Basketball events not only bring tourism traffic, but also make public services more down-to-earth. The event also gave birth to the innovation of “sports + service”. Services such as health care, agricultural technology guidance, and legal consultation are naturally integrated into mass leisure activities.
Foreign tourists even reached purchase agreements with local farmers after the game, and local companies also promoted e-commerce cooperation during post-game exchanges. Having played together, cooperation becomes smoother. This is the hidden nourishment of the tournament on the county’s business ecology.
The sun sets in the west, dyeing the basketball park with a warm golden color. There were more and more people walking, and the children on the court were called home to eat. The noise and excitement are temporarily stored away, waiting for the light of the next night to ignite it again. (Reporter Qiyuan, Correspondent Yang Du and Yao Yanru)
