On January 3rd, Beijing time, Guangzhou men's basketball team lost at the bottom of the standings, but the fans were boiling! Despite having the worst record and cheering the loudest, they suffered an overtime defeat against a weak opponent, yet managed to sell out all their tickets, with spectators focusing on the sidelines rather than the players.
The CBA witnessed a match between two underperforming teams, with Guangzhou ultimately losing to Jiangsu, who had already suffered nine consecutive defeats. The game was a display of poor skills, with both teams making numerous mistakes and tactical levels being very low.
Despite this, Guangzhou still managed to win in terms of attendance, as even when playing against Jiangsu, their stadium was packed. Fans came to support them, even though they were facing the second-worst team in the CBA. However, it seems that the fans were not there just for the players on the court, but for the excitement on the sidelines. This is because Guangzhou boasts the league's top-tier spectator seats.
During this particular game, two special guests arrived at the Guangzhou sideline: Guo Ailun and Ding Yanyuhang, who were watching together for the first time. This was a significant reason for the fans' enthusiasm. Although their performance on the court may be lacking, their sideline seats are luxurious, and their cheering squad is impressive.
The two were seen chatting happily, with Ding whispering something to Guo, causing him to laugh heartily. It doesn't matter if they can't win on the court or if their home games are average; fans are willing to come and support them because of these two top CBA superstars.
One is a former MVP and the most popular player, while the other is known as Asia's best guard and a top internet celebrity in the league. If both were at their peak, Guangzhou could have secured the championship this season. Even if they are only at 70-80% of their peak abilities, just by sitting on the sidelines, they ensure ticket sales, and fans are willing to pay for it. Guangzhou has relied on these signings to soar this year.
There were doubts before: "Are you, Guo Ailun, with your 6 million super salary, coming to Guangzhou to retire? Ding Yanyuhang can't play anymore, so why did he come to Guangzhou? Is it also to retire?" However, the question is, what if they don't play? What if Guangzhou only wins six games this year? They don't need to play; they just need to help sell tickets and gain fan support.
Just by selling tickets, jerseys, and the attention they bring, it's enough to cover their salaries. Moreover, after signing them for this season, regardless of other factors, one thing is guaranteed: Guangzhou will not lose money this year. Since they knew they couldn't win the championship anyway, isn't it better to focus on making money?