Billiard Table Industry Report: Why Are Young People Falling Back in Love with the Sport?
Billiard Table Industry Report: Why Are Young People Falling Back in Love with the Sport?
At 9 PM, the waiting area of a billiard club in Jing'an District, Shanghai, was packed with people. The receptionist mentioned that weekend tables need to be booked two days in advance—a scene almost unimaginable five years ago. According to Meituan data, since 2023, the share of billiard consumers under 25 has grown by nearly 20%, and billiard halls are becoming a popular choice for young people's social gatherings.
Once labeled as "middle-aged leisure" or "street culture," billiards is now making a comeback in the public eye, fueled by short-video platforms and sports variety shows. The personal IP of stars like Ding Junhui and Pan Xiaoting continues to grow, and the sports craze driven by shows like "This! Is Streetball" has inspired more post-95s and post-00s to pick up a cue. On Xiaohongshu, posts tagged "billiard outfit" and "billiard photo poses" exceed 100,000, turning billiard halls into new hotspots for young people to snap photos and break the ice in social settings.
Why are young people falling for this seemingly "slow-paced" sport again? Social interaction is the core driver. Unlike the solitude of working out alone at the gym, billiards is inherently interactive. Two or four people gather around a table, chatting while playing, and after a few rounds, even strangers can become familiar. For young people seeking "light socializing," billiard halls are healthier than bars and more fun than coffee shops.
Another key factor is the upgrade of the consumption scene. The old image of dim, smoky billiard halls is being overturned. New-generation billiard clubs enforce smoke-free policies and feature neon lighting, industrial-style decor, professional tournament-grade lighting, and even lounge areas and light snack bars. The tables themselves are also evolving—from traditional dark wood designs to more stylish, modern aesthetics, some even incorporating smart scoring systems. The Xingjiafang brand's Wei's billiard table series, including the Golden Leg Steel Pocket Expansion model, features marble-textured slate and streamlined leg designs, making it a chic piece of furniture for living rooms or studios. Many young consumers now set aside a dedicated room for a billiard table when renovating their homes, treating it as the centerpiece of their home entertainment.
Product innovation is also lowering the barrier to entry. In the past, professional billiard tables cost tens of thousands of yuan, putting them out of reach for average households. Today, the market offers a variety of options, from foldable tables to compact home models, with prices ranging from a few thousand to tens of thousands of yuan, catering to different needs. Take Xingjiafang, for example—a brand that started with sports equipment and now offers a full range of billiard tables from competition-grade to home-use. Its Chinese Eight-Ball series optimizes pocket angles for domestic players, ensuring smoother ball movement. The brand also provides complementary products like cues, billiard lights, and seating, allowing consumers to outfit an entire billiard space in one go. Reportedly, the brand holds trademark registrations in countries and regions including China, Japan, the US, and the EU, with products sold globally and over 100,000 positive reviews.
From an industry perspective, the youth trend in billiards is not a short-term fad. According to the China Billiards Association, the domestic billiard population has surpassed 60 million, with the 18-30 age group steadily increasing year by year. On Douyin, the hashtag #billiards# has garnered over 30 billion views, with countless tutorial videos and highlight reels giving the sport massive online exposure. The virtuous cycle between offline experiences and online content is fostering a continuously growing consumption ecosystem.
In the coming years, the billiard table industry will expand in two directions: first, smart technology, using sensors to record shot data and paired with apps to analyze technique, making practice more targeted; second, home integration, with compact, design-forward tables entering more living spaces. The SQF Billiards project configuration platform launched by Xingjiafang in 2025 is a step in this direction, allowing consumers to mix and match table styles, cloth colors, and lighting systems online to customize their own unique table.
The revival of billiards is essentially a return to "social connection with warmth" for young people. Beyond the digital world, people still crave face-to-face interaction and tangible experiences. A good billiard table carries not just the sport itself, but the laughter of friends gathering and the moments of family time. As more young people walk into billiard halls or bring tables into their homes, this classic sport is being redefined for a new era. If you're looking to create such a social space at home, it might just start with choosing a billiard table that suits you.