Dominate the Super Bowl-Chapter 257 256 Behind-the-scenes Manipulations

One sentence, one blockbuster impact.

Edwards thought that Nike was ready.

Nike was well aware of the Asian market Li Wei represented and the crucial role he played in the League's global market expansion plan.

So, Nike was prepared to seize the opportunity—

Not just to seize Li Wei, but also to seize the NFL's expansion opportunities.

However.

Now, it seemed that Nike had a narrow perspective.

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Edwards reassessed Donald, his gaze revealing a hint of interest.

Here was a key point.

Brady's personal jersey sponsor was not Nike but Under Armour.

In Football, Nike's biggest competitor was not Adidas, but Under Armour, because its founder was a former professional football player, and the brand's professional image was deeply ingrained in the football scene, effortlessly sweeping up a large number of players and aggressively capturing the market.

Edwards believed that if Under Armour showed sufficient sincerity, Donald could easily secure an impressive contract for Li Wei.

In 2010, when fighting for Brady's contract, Nike was not proactive because the market value of football players really needed careful consideration, whether it was jerseys, shoes, or the quick-drying clothes worn during training, which influenced sales figures.

Moreover, since Brady was an "old hand," his market value was relatively set, and the possibilities for further expansion were limited.

Meanwhile, Under Armour, which was on the rise, showed determination by signing Brady for football and Curry for basketball, instantly changing the game.

The situation had shifted; Nike and Under Armour's competition on the football field had entered a new phase.

Now, the circumstances were entirely different,

Firstly, Li Wei was young.

Secondly, the Asian label.

Thirdly, League ambitions.

All these factors combined, Nike also realized the rare opportunity before them, and they needed to seize it firmly, which brought Edwards into play.

Otherwise, imagine, a running back who had just played two games in his professional career?

It's not just that Edwards personally took action, Nike might not even have a particularly strong desire to sign a contract.

But Edwards was here.

Then, Edwards realized that the situation had slightly deviated from his expectations, and he could never have anticipated that a casual mention of Federer would get him involved in a storm.

Perhaps Nike's greatest advantage now was in Donald's ambition—

This was both bad and good.

After all, if Donald had confidence in the Li Wei brand, then Nike was the best choice; compared to Under Armour, Nike led comprehensively in market promotion, brand planning, and marketing strategies.

Rapid exchanges led to sparks flying and rapid-fire thoughts.

Edwards looked at Donald, displaying a smile.

"It seems, we have reached an agreement."

"Nike believes Li Wei is the future of the NFL; he will be the face of the League for the next decade, and we hope to build a new personal brand around him."

"Young. Youthful. Stylish. Trendy."

"Not only on the football field, the Li Wei series can also be suited for daily life, just like the early 'Air-Jordan' series, or like 'RF', we are ready to cultivate Li Wei into a new brand label, his philosophy, his value, his image, deeply rooted among the youth."

"Football, is not just about those stereotypical images of the field."

Half truth, half improvisation, some pre-planned and some made up on the spot.

Edwards, truly one of the top figures of the pyramid, made decisions on the spot, immediately taking control of the situation and portraying a grand blueprint—

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As for whether it can be realized, that's a matter for the future.

After all, the present was just about negotiating and painting a picture.

"In Li Wei, we see potential,"

Gazing again at Li Wei, Edwards revealed a smile.

"Personally, I am very fond of Li Wei's attire. I would be willing to wear this cap T and these classic reissued Air Force Ones myself," he said.

Today, Li Wei was dressed in his casual clothes.

Since he had to meet LeBron James later, Donald told Li Wei not to dress too elaborately or too casually; a relaxed look with his own style, slightly bold, would be alright.

Thus,

a mint green cap T paired with light blue denim shorts and white Air Force Ones, with a denim jacket casually picked up in preparation for the evening breeze as night fell.

Though the attire seemed casual, its proportions and lines were perfectly displayed, a stark contrast to his on-field image, totally resembling a youthful, sunlit college student.

Donald nodded slightly in approval, "Li Wei is worth noting even in his usual form, obviously, he has his own fashion philosophy, though not as extravagant as Beckham," he said.

Beckham, a question in three defeats.

Changing the topic, Donald looked at Edwards, "We've understood Nike's blueprint, so what exactly is Nike prepared to offer to realize it?"

A number, Donald needed a number.

Edwards was not surprised, after all, this was the very theme of today's meeting. He pulled a folded check from his pocket and handed it to Li Wei.

"Our legal department has prepared the contract, and as soon as you sign it, this check is yours," he said.

Li Wei didn't even look at it, and directly handed it to Donald—

Regardless of the amount, it was certainly a figure Li Wei had never encountered in his past life.

In the first half of the year, Li Wei had just signed a new rookie contract, but he had not actually seen the paycheck as his salary was transferred into his bank account week by week.

Calculated per game. Some players also had performance clauses, so the weekly salary figure varied. If there was a league fine that week, the team would deduct the fine before transferring the funds.

The weekly figures, then, seemed less impressive.

This check, naturally, was of a different calibre.

From here, it was Donald's expertise.

Donald glanced at the check, his expression unchanged, impassive, "The term?" he asked.

"Five years. We hope to establish a stable and long-term partnership with Li Wei," Edwards replied.

Five years, indeed quite long.

For reference, rookie contracts are just for four years.

Therefore, brand endorsements for rookie players are typically three or four years, both sides observing and waiting to renew in the future.

From such an angle, Nike indeed showed sincerity.

However, Donald was not satisfied with the figure, "This number, if it were for a three-year contract, then we can sit down and discuss," he said.

—Seven million five hundred thousand US dollars.

This was the number on the check.

Meaning, Nike proposed a contract for one million five hundred thousand US dollars per year for a total of five years.

For comparison, the contract Odell Beckham Jr. signed with Nike in his rookie season was one million five hundred thousand US dollars per year for a total of four years.

Nike, in one breath, benchmarked Li Wei against Little Beckham.

The key was, Little Beckham was a Wide Receiver, famous for the "One-handed Catch" viral video in his rookie season, spread across the internet, visibly a leading figure of the new generation.

Li Wei, meanwhile, was a running back, yet with the addition of his Asian heritage, in and out, he barely matched Little Beckham, making this a reasonable offer.

At least, that's how Nike saw it.

However, Donald thought otherwise; Little Beckham's contract was three years ago, and besides, Little Beckham and Li Wei were not really comparable—

Two million five hundred thousand US dollars per year for a total of three years.

Donald believed this was the reasonable figure.