High-End Basketball Academy ‘Ye You Yi Ke Qiu’ Shuts Down in Hangzhou, Leaving Parents Seeking Refunds
A high-end youth basketball training center in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, known as “Ye You Yi Ke Qiu” (也有一颗球), has abruptly ceased operations, prompting affected parents to seek legal recourse and refunds. According to reports from the local program 1818 Golden Eye (1818黄金眼), the institution closed without prior notice, leaving numerous families with prepaid tuition fees for services that are no longer being provided.
Sudden Closure of the ‘Hermès of Interest Classes’
Parents have described the basketball academy as the “Hermès of interest classes,” a reference to its premium positioning and high tuition costs within the Hangzhou youth sports market. The sudden disappearance of the facility has left families unable to access the premises or contact management to recover their investments.
According to 1818 Golden Eye, multiple parents reported arriving at the training center only to find the doors locked and the staff gone. The lack of communication regarding the closure has intensified the urgency for those who purchased long-term training packages, which often range from several thousand to tens of thousands of yuan depending on the course duration and level of coaching.
Parental Response and Efforts for Recourse
Affected families have organized to demand transparency and the return of their funds. The primary grievance centers on the “disappearing act” of the academy’s operators, who allegedly stopped responding to messages and phone calls shortly before the physical closure of the site.
Parents interviewed by local media expressed a sense of betrayal, noting that the prestige and high price point of the “Ye You Yi Ke Qiu” brand led them to believe the institution was financially stable and reputable. Many are now coordinating through social media groups to file collective reports with local market supervision authorities and public security bureaus in Hangzhou.
The Trend of Pre-paid Course Risks in Chinese Youth Sports
This incident highlights a recurring vulnerability in the Chinese private education and sports training sector: the reliance on large, upfront prepaid deposits. When an institution faces liquidity issues or decides to exit the market, these deposits often become unsecured liabilities, leaving consumers with little leverage for recovery.
To combat this, Chinese regulators have previously introduced measures to limit the duration of prepaid contracts and encourage the use of escrow accounts for tuition. However, high-end “boutique” academies often operate on a model of exclusivity that can mask underlying financial instability until a total collapse occurs.
Next Steps for Affected Families
The affected parents are currently in the process of gathering contract documentation and payment receipts to present to the Hangzhou authorities. The next confirmed action involves the formal filing of complaints with the local Consumer Council and the potential initiation of civil lawsuits against the company’s legal representatives.
For those tracking the recovery of funds or seeking updates on the legal proceedings against the academy, official notices from the Hangzhou Market Supervision Bureau are the primary source for verified developments.
