Xu Family Village grows collective economy through youth baseball hub
- Xu Family Village has transformed from a traditional agricultural community into a recognized youth baseball hub, growing its collective economy from under one million yuan to ten million...
- Initial resistance from local residents questioned the viability of farming communities engaging in baseball.
- To sustain financial growth, the village economic cooperative established a village revitalization company to manage tourism projects, including kayaking and rural field cooking.
Xu Family Village has transformed from a traditional agricultural community into a recognized youth baseball hub, growing its collective economy from under one million yuan to ten million yuan in four years. Located in Pinghu's east side near urban centers, the village used its geographic proximity to Japanese and Taiwanese enterprises to build the region's first standard youth baseball field on a previously waterlogged, weed-filled plot.
Infrastructure Development and Overcoming Public Skepticism
Initial resistance from local residents questioned the viability of farming communities engaging in baseball. Village officials addressed concerns through daily morning briefings and evening discussions, transforming community complaints into planning sessions. Planners from the China Academy of Art designed the layout after officials studied venue operations in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. By 2018, the village completed the country’s first standard youth rural baseball field through grassroots party member leadership.
Economic Expansion Through Sports Tourism and Tournaments
To sustain financial growth, the village economic cooperative established a village revitalization company to manage tourism projects, including kayaking and rural field cooking. The community partnered with local enterprises to link with baseball brands, developing licensed merchandise and apparel. Xu Family Village hosted over 60 events, including the PONY Baseball Asia-Pacific Championships, national youth tournaments, and the Strait Cup cross-strait university invitational. Twelve commercial ventures, including guesthouses and exhibition centers, established operations in the area, driving total collective revenue to ten million yuan.
Community Wealth Sharing and Cultural Impact
Revenue generated from the sports initiative directly benefited residents via a cooperative equity-sharing model that provided participation dividends. A communal workshop created 295 jobs for older laborers, raising average annual incomes by over 10,000 yuan. The village also collaborated with 11 neighboring towns on shared greenhouse and dock projects, generating annual returns between 200,000 and 700,000 yuan per participating village.