Rebirth of the Industrial Tycoon - Vol 2 Chapter 539
Chapter 539 Poison
“Boss, I’m afraid it’s not very optimistic about signing Vince Carter.” James Bond sighed a little helplessly, and then said: “I have contacted Vince Carter’s economic man, and he gave us a price. Not interested.”
“Why? Do you dislike our offer too low, or are there other competitors?” Li Weidong asked. ”
“Both. Carter’s agent said that our offer is too low, and he thinks Carter can receive a better offer.” James Bond continued:
“The attitude of Carter’s agent makes me a little bit suspicious, so I inquired through the relationship, and there are indeed other brands that have contacted Carter. Including Nike and Adidas, but the highest price is currently Puma!
Puma has always hoped to make a difference in the basketball shoe market. They also want to replicate Nike’s success in signing Jordan, so they have been paying attention to the NCAA star players.
It is said that Puma is very optimistic about Vince Carter and is willing to give Carter a big contract, and Carter’s agent is also trying to help Carter win a top rookie endorsement. ”
“Rookie’s top endorsement? About what contract is it?” Li Weidong asked.
“It should be a contract like Iverson, 50 million dollars in 10 years.” James Bond replied.
After Iverson secured the top pick, Reebok offered him a ten-year endorsement contract of 50 million US dollars, which was also the ceiling of rookie players at that time.
It wasn’t until LeBron James appeared that the rookie ceiling was broken.
At that time, Nike’s offer to James was 90 million US dollars, and Reebok was 115 million US dollars. Although Reebok gave more money, James still chose Nike.
Hearing the price of 50 million US dollars, Li Weidong smiled bitterly and shook his head, and then said, “We can’t afford this price.”
“Boss, what should we do? Do you want to give up Carter?” Bond asked.
“Don’t worry, let me think about it.” Li Weidong lowered his head and began to think.
…
Nike and Adi are the top two sports brands in the 1990s, while Converse, Reebok and Puma are almost the top five.
Puma from Germany, is actually the brother of Adidas.
After the end of the First World War, Germany had a pair of brothers. The older brother was named Rudolf Dassler and the younger brother was Adolf Dassler. The two founded a shoe factory called Dassler Brothers.
In 1948, the brothers separated. The older brother Rudolf Dassler named Puma after the English name of the puma and created Puma; the younger brother Adolf Dassler combined Adi and das in his own name to create Adidas.
Puma and Adidas both started as football shoes. Until 1969, Adidas successfully entered the basketball shoe field with a pair of Superstar, and defeated Converse and took the top spot in the sports brand.
And Puma also entered the basketball shoe market in 1972, but ended in failure. They did not sell well in basketball shoes.
After entering the 1980s, it was the rise of Nike. The entire basketball shoe market was eaten up by Nike.
However, Puma has not been idle during this time. They have conquered the European market and have become the top sports brand in Europe by sponsoring football, tennis and racing.
Especially won the sponsorship of Serie A, which made Puma reach the pinnacle and overshadowed Adidas in the European market.
Fans watching football in the 1990s, the first choice is definitely Serie A. At that time, Serie A was not only a crowd of stars, but also a particularly good-looking game. Serie A’s influence was much greater than that of the Premier League and La Liga.
After achieving great success in Europe, Puma decided to open up the basketball shoe market again. After all, the profit of basketball shoes is the biggest.
So Puma took a fancy to Vince Carter with unlimited potential.
In fact, a sports brand of the size of Puma can completely sign a few top stars. There is no need to go to death as a rookie.
But the case of Nike signing Jordan at that time is too classic. Puma also wanted to replicate Nike’s success and let the brand open up the American market by signing the “next Jordan”. It can be said that Puma was crooked by Nike.
Carter was called the “Jordan heir” by the media. He was born in North Carolina, 6 feet 6 inches tall, shooting guard, comprehensive skills, ability to shoot and other characteristics, it is simply a reprint of Jordan’s college era.
Puma believed that Carter was the “next Jordan” he needed, so he signed a ten-year $50 million rookie ceiling endorsement contract and signed Carter.
…
After all, Carter is not a high school player, but a basketball star in college.
The high school basketball league in the United States is based on the state, while the NCAA of the university is for the whole country.
In the United States, the NCAA’s attention of college basketball leagues is not inferior to that of the NBA, especially the March Madness, the popularity is more than that of the NBA, if it is a game between giants, the level of excitement is comparable to the Super Bowl.
In the NCAA game, the players’ abilities and potential will be reviewed by the entire United States. Everyone can see which is good or bad. It is almost impossible to check for leaks in college.
And the high school basketball league does not have a national influence, and it is possible to pick up leaks.
When the Internet develops in the future, it will be more difficult to pick up leaks in the high school basketball league.
The popularity of the Internet allows talented high school students such as LeBron James and Dwight Howard to show their talents to the United States and make the team willing to pay the top pick for them.
North Carolina is a giant team in the NCAA. As one of the North Carolina twin stars, Carter also attracted the attention of the team and the media early.
A player with excellent ability like Carter was put in the spotlight right now.
Li Weidong also realized this. With Carter’s current reputation, it is impossible to sign with 10 million.
“A good rough stone, there will definitely be someone rushing to increase the price.” Li Weidong sighed.
Choosing a spokesperson in the NBA is like choosing raw materials for jade.
Those stars who have already become famous have already cut the rough stone. You can see exactly what it looks like inside. The rookie who is about to enter the NBA will have uncut wool. What’s the color? You need to cut it. .
Comparing funds with big brands like Nike and Adidas, Feiyue Sports is definitely incomparable. What’s more, there is also a Puma who looks forward to it. They are willing to spend a lot of money in order to enter the basketball shoe market.
But let Li Weidong give up Carter, he was not reconciled. After all, Carter’s sneakers are always better to sell.
Li Weidong recalled carefully. He remembered that Puma’s entry into the basketball shoe market was a failed attempt.
The design concept of Puma basketball shoes is still in the 70s. The shoes are ugly and uncomfortable to wear.
Under the influence of Nike air cushions and Adidas’s natural feet, the design concept of the 1970s is difficult to gain the recognition of Americans.
So Carter only wore dozens of games and gave up Puma’s basketball shoes. The reason is that Puma’s basketball shoes are not only bloated, but also uncomfortable to wear.
In 2000, when Carter participated in the slam dunk contest, Puma’s contract was still in place, but he wore a pair of AND1 sneakers on the stage, which shows how much he dislikes Puma sneakers.
Also in 2000, Carter simply terminated his contract with Puma, for which he had to pay 15 million US dollars in liquidated damages.
But the 15 million is paid by Nike. After Carter and Puma terminated the contract, they also transferred to Nike to endorse Nike’s shox technology.
Thinking of this, Li Weidong suddenly had a plan in his mind.
“Since I can’t match those big brands in terms of capital, it’s better to mess up the water first, maybe there will be opportunities later.”
So Li Weidong said: “Continue to quote Carter, and you can increase the price appropriately.”
“Boss, even if the price increases, we can’t add Puma.” James Bond reminded.
“So we need to add a special clause. If Carter terminates the contract during the contract period, there is no need to pay liquidated damages.” Li Weidong replied.
“Don’t pay the penalty? Then we will suffer a big loss! When he wants to leave, we will not get anything, and we have to suffer the loss. This is not good!” James Bond shook his head.
Li Weidong smiled and said, “This special clause is a poison, but it is not prepared for us, but for Puma. Anyway, we can’t sign Carter, so it’s better to open a poison contract and make us sick. Competitors.”
“Poison contract?” James Bond was taken aback.
“It is to add some unfavorable factors to the contract. Whoever swallows the contract will have to bear the unfavorable factors inside. It is like taking poison. This is the poison contract.” Li Weidong explained.
“I understand. The conditions of the contract we issued to Carter deliberately did not require liquidated damages. Then Carter’s agent would use this as a threat, demand other brands, and add similar terms. The one that will suffer at that time is the final Sign Carter’s brand.” Bond finally understood.
Li Weidong nodded: “That’s right, I always believe in human greed. This is like looking for a job. If a boss gives you an annual salary of 100,000 US dollars, then this 100,000 US dollars will become your psychological bottom line. , Even if your value is only fifty thousand dollars.
If Carter chooses us under the no-liquidation penalty clause, we will not lose money. Anyway, we offer a low price. But if Carter chooses other brands, such as Puma, Adidas or Nike, they will swallow this poison! ”
…
The situation is as expected by Li Weidong. When Feiyue Sports issued a non-liquidated damages contract to Carter, Carter’s agent immediately asked Puma to give the same conditions.
Carter’s agent is actually not a good bird. In the future, he will be arrested by the police for possession of drugs, and Carter’s popularity has also been hit hard.
This kind of person naturally does not have a very high moral bottom line, and will put the interests of the highest priority, and the greed of human nature is fully demonstrated in him.
Of course, the broker’s greed also helped Carter obtain the greatest rights and interests.
The endorsement fee of 50 million in 10 years has exceeded the budgets of other sports brands. After all, Carter is still a rookie. Apart from Puma, no one wants to spend so much money on a piece of wool that has not been cut.
In the end, Puma successfully signed Carter, but because of Li Weidong’s spoiler, the endorsement contract became a no-liquidated version.
After learning the news, Li Weidong did not feel sorry.
Because he knows that the NBA will soon fall into a lockout, and the next two years will be a shrinking season. Coupled with Jordan’s second retirement, this double blow has caused the NBA’s attention to drop sharply and will spend a lot of money on signing contracts in the next two years. The star is definitely not worthwhile.
…
In a blink of an eye, we arrived at the 1998 draft.
The media’s evaluation of this rookie class is not very high, even worse than in 1997.
After all, in 1997, there was Duncan that most of the league was stunned, but in 1998, there was no player of Duncan’s level.
But in fact, the rookie level in 1998 is still very good, at least three Hall of Fame players and several All-Stars.
This year’s champion Olowo Kandi is recognized as the parallel champion. Fortunately, there are Bennett and Kwame Brown, otherwise Olowo Kandi will definitely be hailed as the “most watery” champion.
The Clippers chose Olowo Kandi. Although there was a gambling element, there was not much controversy at the time.
Olowo Kandi is Nigerian, and his father is a diplomat. He only started playing basketball at the age of 17, and did not receive formal basketball training until he entered university.
However, by the time of his junior year, he averaged 22.2 points, 11.2 rebounds and 2.88 blocks per game. He was obviously talented.
This kind of data is definitely the top center in the NCAA. In that era when the center was the core of the team’s tactics, it is understandable that this kind of data won a champion.
And African centers have successful experience in the NBA. For example, Olajuwon is a Nigerian, who is seven feet tall like Olowokandi, and Olowokandi is naturally labeled as “Olajuwon.” Successor” title.
Bet on a successor to Olajuwon with the No. 1 lottery. If you win the gambling, you will definitely earn blood. Even if he cannot sustain Olajuwon and become the second Mutombo, he will not lose money.
So the Clippers’ choice was not criticized at the time. It wasn’t until the next few Hall of Fame players were worthy of their worth that this wave of operations by the Clippers was frantically sprayed by fans.
Carter ended up with the fifth overall pick and was selected by the Golden State Warriors and then traded to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for another “North Carolina double star” Antoine Jamison.
In fact, the Raptors really like Carter, and the Warriors are right about Jamison. It is said that the two teams can directly select their favorite players, that is, the Raptors choose Carter in fourth overall, and the Warriors in fifth. Pick Jamison overall. There is no need to choose first and then trade.
But the general manager of the Raptors showed a wave of operations. They first selected Jamison and forced the Warriors to select Carter, and then replaced Carter with Jamison. Because it was the fourth pick for the fifth pick, So the Warriors need to pay some extra money.
In addition, the wages of the rookies with the fourth pick and the fifth pick are different. The wages for the fifth pick are less. The Raptors pay Carter with the fifth pick, which can also save a fortune. .
In the end, this pass helped the Raptors save more than one million dollars, but Carter dropped from fourth overall to fifth overall.
Carter’s strength Needless to say, Jamison is also an All-Star player.
In addition to the two, this year’s rookies include Nowitzki, Paul Pierce, Rashard Lewis, Mike Babe, Brad Miller, Al Harrington, Larry Hugh. Williams, “White Chocolate” Williams.
In addition, the stabbing head Bunch Wells, Ricky Davis, Tyronn Lue, “Streetball King” Alstom, and “Old Cat” Mobley also came out of this session.
Looking at the names of these players alone, although they are not as brilliant as the 96 Golden Generation, they are definitely a draft year.
After the draft, the players who were not selected began to find their own way, or to participate in the team’s trial training, or to participate in the summer league, hoping to impress a certain team with their performance and get a contract.
However, the rookies of 1998 did not have this treatment, because the NBA announced that starting on July 1, the league will enter a suspension.
The entire NBA has pressed the pause button!
Puma, who originally planned to re-enter the basketball shoe market with Carter, suddenly cried out in the toilet.
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(End of this chapter)