Abstract

After two decades of quick paced economic reform and social change, the ruling Communist Party elite have sought to utilize the notion of the “China Dream” to reassert their position as the country's political and cultural center. Coupled with the historical narrative of the “Road to Rejuvenation”, the “China Dream” represents a new state ideology that seeks to reassert China as one of the dominant world powers. The world of modern international sports displays similar themes, as the athletes individual gain brought great joy and prestige to their home nation or region”. The relationship between private investment and state control within the sport of Football consequently sets the stage for an interesting comparison of Chinese Football and Chinese society as a whole. With twenty-first century China sitting at a proverbial crossroad, the study of physical culture (Tiyu) will help illuminate the negotiation between state planning and the free market, while also connecting the world of football to particular themes like nationalism, consumerism, education, identity, etc. Thus, the study of football development from a top down and bottom up approach would allow one to understand the complexities of sponsorship and commercialism in an era of change and cultural diversification. Ultimately, this study brings forward a story of complicated and interwoven economic and cultural linkages that transcend the concepts of nation to deliver a truly global story of football within reform-era China.