Dancing terra-cotta figures, flying dragons and more than 40,000 fans there for the launch
The Chinese Super League kicked off in this northwest city yesterday with dancing terra-cotta figures, flying dragon kites and, against all odds, an enormous crowd.
A total of 41,000 fans turned out, according to an official count by the organisers, at Xi'an's Coca Cola stadium to be entertained by a traditional Chinese-style opening ceremony before being treated to a boring 1-1 draw between International Xi'an and Shanghai Liancheng.
But apart from the match itself, which was affected by gusting winds as well as a bumpy ground, the turnout was a relief for the Chinese Football Association, which has spent most of the past two years coping with one crisis after another.
The average crowd for the domestic top-flight league hit the rock-bottom at 10,500 per game last season.
That made Xi'an a smart choice of venue to open the season - also to woo the newly signed title sponsor to the league. The city, a long-time capital of the ancient Chinese empire, has recently been known for its soccer fever.