Soccer-Maligned China league enjoys income, spectator lift

By Nick Mulvenney

BEIJING, Nov 12 (Reuters) - The Chinese Super League (CSL) has reported healthy sponsorship income and the best crowd figures in its six-year history.

With a string of top government officials calling for soccer reform [nSP459954] and daily local media reports about a major police investigation into match-fixing, the figures are a rare bit of good news for the CSL.

Sponsorship for the recently completed 2009 season was worth an estimated 150 million yuan ($21.97 million) and the combined audience for matches was 160 million fans, CSL media officer Liu Zhujia told Reuters.

"The CSL is still the most popular (Chinese sports) league in terms of spectators and television viewers," Lu Feng, manager of the CSL's commercial arm, told the Shenzhen Economics Daily.

"The average number of spectators at each game this season was 16,300. It's the biggest number in the league's history. It's a remarkable number and our sponsors are very satisfied."

The CSL's first sponsor, Siemens, departed abruptly after one scandal-ridden season and there was no replacement for 2005.

SUPPORTIVE EDITORIAL

British company Iphox came on board on the eve of the 2006 season but that partnership ended in court. Kingway, a domestic brewery, were sponsors for 2007 and 2008.