Freer market urged to boost sports industry

Experts say less State control would help to achieve target for expansion

Only by loosening the State sports body's tight grip on the market can China meet its goal of a significant increase in the value of the industry, experts said.

Given the sports industry's late start in China and strict State control on the market, raising the industry's gross value to 5 trillion yuan ($815 billion) by 2025, five times more than now, seemed an unrealistic goal when the State Council unveiled it in October, they said.