Media Focus
Xu Baoqi: Each preparation for A Game is Like Playing A “Must-win” Battle
by Zhang Jian, Dalian Daily
Cleaning staff’s effort in wiping up every seat in the stadium before and after each game.
Have you ever thought all 61000 seats must be cleaned up one day before a game? Have you ever thought the lawn needs mowing every three days and watering every day? Have you ever thought an alternative scheme has to be worked out to ensure the smooth proceeding of a game? Have you ever thought of the anti-corruption fighting to prevent a public performance from degenerating into a personal show when you get lost in the wonderful performance? Have you ever thought of someone who doesn’t go home until finishing his work in the stadium for seven consistent days? Xu Baoqi, supervisor of equipment operation department of the stadium in Dalian Lingnan Sports Center Management Incorporated Company, is the backstage charger for securing the smooth running of a game .
The stadium is set up for holding football matches or concerts. With the largest number of audience in the sports center, the preparation for the facilities needed in the stadium is a heavy task before each large performance or match. Giving hand gestures, Xu Baoqi, who is in charge of supervision, coordination and spot dispatching, introduced his responsibilities to us: To make a stage on the lawn, we need stuff of approximately 30 containers, it involves a lot of jobs to find them; We must guide trucks away from the plastic field in case it deforms. To prevent grass from drooping in the summer, we have to make stage four hours before the performance; when 8000 workers make a stage together, security job is needed while the lawn should be kept in perfect condition. Inspect each cable carefully and make sure it is safety and intact; Light effect is supposed to be tuned in line with the requirement; Examine batteries of each wireless microphone in case of bad contact; Emergency practice in Firefighting, elevators, heating, electrics must be rehearsed in advance……Such are Xu Baoqi’s responsibilities, to foresee all problems that probably arise and cope with them. He is the busiest at the beginning of events and performance a week before and it’s common for him to sleep in the company then. “I answered at least 50-60 calls a day, dealing with all problems from different parts. My brain ran quickly and I was really strained at that time.” Remembering the preparation phase, he can’t help to speak quickly, nervousness showing on his face. He relaxes only when games or performances end and all of the audience leave the stadium.
