bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sponsorType

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Jonathan White

What’s in a name?
When it comes to Chinese football clubs, apparently too many corporate sponsors.
While it has long been publicised that teams would have to change to “neutral names” by the turn of the year, it had been assumed for just as long that this was a rule that might never be enforced.
Now it seems it will be, albeit not equally across the board.

Fans of 5 clubs (Shanghai Shenhua, Beijing Guoan, Henan Jianye, Tianjin Teda, Zhejiang Greentown) issued a joint declaration protesting against CFA's rigorous corporate-free 'neutral-name' rule. Fans want to keep the names, all of which have been unchanged since the 1990s. pic.twitter.com/Lu2x6WkS28
— Titan Sports Plus (@titan_plus) December 6, 2020

Reports suggest that Shanghai Shenhua will be allowed to keep the Shenhua part of the name. It means “flower of Shanghai”.
That’s fine, with the huge glaring oversight that Shenhua was also the name of the long-forgotten original sponsors.
Fan fury as Chinese Super League clubs told to change names
It had been assumed that Shanghai Shenhua and Beijing Guoan – the old ladies of Chinese football, to borrow the nickname of Italian giants Juventus – would both be allowed to keep their names, meeting “neutrality” requirements on account of their long-standing.
Apparently not. Guoan (“national security”) stems from owners Citic, though it is open to debate whether the club or the supermarket is the better known.
There is likely to be acceptance by the fans in Beijing, though. When the club decided to go to war with Nike and make their own merchandise, much of it was branded as Beijing FC, a name that the club already uses officially in the AFC Champions League.

Guangzhou Evergrande fan sporting a club badge tatto and the name and number of her favourite player, Gao Lin #chinesefootballculture pic.twitter.com/FvMfg89ETR
— Wild East Football (@wildeastfootbal) August 23, 2017

Acceptance is not forthcoming for other fans, though. Tianjin Teda fans – the Teda in question is the Tianjin Economic Development Area – are furious that they will have to change their name and club crest, which has been in place since 1998.
Up and down the league there will have to be changes, from new champions Jiangsu Suning to newly promoted Changchun Yatai.
Since Dalian Wanda in 1994, the formula for naming football clubs in China has overwhelmingly been the name of the city and the name of the owners. That formula has stood firm, despite clubs changing hands and hometowns.
Chinese football’s only female physio on bizarre CSL season
Guangzhou Evergrande – or Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao FC to give them their full name – were the disgraced Guangzhou Pharmaceutical until 2010 when Xu Jiayin came calling.
City rivals R&F were Shenzhen Phoenix until 2011 when they were saved and relocated. There were several iterations in Shenzhen, all of them company names, since they were founded as Shenyang.
Dalian, funded by Wanda Group’s Wang Jianlin, bit the bullet early. In January, their Chinese name changed from Dalian Yifang to Dalian Ren (“people”) in Chinese and they go by Dalian Pro in English.

Guangzhou Evergrande may be renamed as 'Guangzhou'. As per Chinese media, Xu Jiayin has decided to use 'Guangzhou' as the corporate free name. Though the full name would be sth. like 'Guangzhou Football Club', it is likely to be commonly referred to as 'Guangzhou', without FC. pic.twitter.com/QxN3EQu0CO
— Titan Sports Plus (@titan_plus) December 4, 2020

Wang was also ahead of the curve when it came to Chinese ownership of foreign clubs, selling his stake in Atletico Madrid in 2018.
That came ahead of his return to Chinese football ownership. His Dalian Wanda side were dominant in the early days of professional football in the 1990s, while Wanda were also the title sponsors of the league before pulling out after corruption scandals tarnished the domestic game.
Wang returned with interest in recent years, setting up the Wanda Cup in 2017 to give the national team better opposition and then taking over in Dalian.
Party propaganda strange tactic to realise Xi’s World Cup dream
This Chinese Football Association ruling cannot be too detached from the change in government policy regarding football. Clubs – and their owners – are no longer encouraged to throw money at big name foreign signings and vast wage bills.
Instead, there has been a move toward austerity and self-sufficiency, as evidenced by salary caps. It seems the names will be similarly spartan: we are going to see Guangzhou FC take on Beijing FC.
The question is what the new change will mean, apart from club names as uninspired as the new arrivals to the CSL are uninspiring.

Guangzhou R&F is the 1st CSL club posting in social media to collect corporate-free 'neutral' names from fan for their new club name. What could be Guangzhou R&F's new name? We have 3 Chinese-minded choices. Please leave your suggestions(brainstorm!) through tweeting this vote.
— Titan Sports Plus (@titan_plus) December 1, 2020

Why would a company want to invest without the name recognition that has so long gone with that?
We might well see money drop out of the CSL because of that so what is the priority?
Company names do not seem to be an issue for K-League sides Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors or Suwon Samsung Bluewings.
Can European and Chinese football clubs both win in China?
Neutral names are the ideal but there are bigger issues now – not least how easily and often clubs move around the country.
Sure, it is annoying that they change their name with each new owner – and the reasons for the clubs changing hands can be even more frustrating – but it is nothing compared to moving thousands of kilometres. That needs to be stopped more than company names, especially the older ones.
It is hard to see a short-term positive for changing names. Angering the fans who have stood by clubs for years risks alienating support bases, while companies pulling out could be disastrous.
As well-meaning as this might be in the long term, it’s not going to improve anything on or off the pitch and surely that is the name of the game?


Team bus of CSL leaders Beijing Guoan seized over debt issues, players forced to hire bikes

Fans in China voice anger as club play hours after striker Boupendza’s death

Footballer dead in China after fall from building, Gabon FA says

Hong Kong star Shinichi Chan Shanghai Shenhua’s hero with winner deep into stoppage time

Chinese Super League

Chinese Super League club name change rule missing the bigger picture

Jiangsu Suning players celebrate with the Chinese Super League trophy after winning the 2020 title. The club is one of many who will need to change their name to drop their corporate sponsor. Photo: Xinhua

Fan fury as Chinese Super League clubs told to change names

Shanghai SIPG and Jiangsu Suning are among the clubs who will be forced to change their name. Image: SCMP Sport

Hulk time ‘over’ at Shanghai SIPG as Porto, Palmeiras and another Chinese Super League side wait in the wings

Hulk of Shanghai SIPG celebrates his goal against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in the AFC Champions League 2020. Photo: Xinhua

Chinese Super League referee Shen Yinhao defends academic plagiarism after angry Shandong Luneng fans report him

Referee Shen Yinhao (centre) reacts during the Chinese Super League match between Shandong Luneng and Beijing Guoan. Photo: Xinhua

(201017) -- SUZHOU, Oct. 17, 2020 (Xinhua) -- Referees are escorted away after the 15th round match between Shandong Luneng and Beijing Guoan at 2020 season Chinese Football Association Super League (CSL) Suzhou Division in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, Oct. 17, 2020. (Xinhua/Xu Chang)

Chinese Super League referees sent to women’s league after criticism

Referee Zhang Lei warns Beijing Guoan players in their Chinese Super League match against Shanghai SIPG. Photos: Xinhua

(200925) -- SUZHOU, Sept. 25, 2020 (Xinhua) -- Referee Zhang Lei (front) talk to players of two teams during the 13th round match between Shanghai SIPG and Beijing Sinobo Guoan at the postponed 2020 season Chinese Football Association Super League (CSL) Suzhou Division in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, Sept. 25, 2020. (Xinhua/Ji Chunpeng)

(200925) -- SUZHOU, Sept. 25, 2020 (Xinhua) -- Viera (4th L) of Beijing Sinobo Guoan talks with referees after the 13th round match between Shanghai SIPG and Beijing Sinobo Guoan at the postponed 2020 season Chinese Football Association Super League (CSL) Suzhou Division in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, Sept. 25, 2020. (Xinhua/Ji Chunpeng)

Sport

Football

China


New rule banning sponsors from club names risks seeing financial support flood out of the domestic game
While it is well-meaning, ‘neutral’ names are not the top priority for football in the country and risks angering fans



New rule banning sponsors from club names might be well-meaning, but it risks seeing financial support flood out of the domestic game and alienating fans.


AFC Champions League

Expresses the views, ideas and conclusions of the author. (Eg. Enough of Crazy Rich Asians, think of crazy poor Hongkongers.)


Column

The East Stand

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}The East Stand | Chinese Super League club name change rule missing the bigger picture

The East Stand | Chinese Super League club name change rule missing the bigger picture