Shortly after the first round of the World Cup concluded, in a conference room of a luxury hotel in London.
Today, Jules had an important negotiation to conduct.
Brand marketing manager Mark had arrived early and was spreading several thick documents on the polished long conference table. Mark was a capable Englishman, his hair meticulously combed. Seeing Jules enter, he immediately stood up, a professional smile on his face: "Boss, Adidas's representative will arrive in about five minutes."
Jules nodded, pulled out a chair, and sat down.
"Are all the materials ready?" He was asking about the materials Mark had prepared in advance regarding Oliver's various data and market analysis.
"They're all here." Mark patted the documents. "The data is impressive: Bundesliga Golden Boot, Champions League Golden Boot, youngest double Golden Boot winner, core player in the Champions League semifinals, and a new star for the England National Team. Brand owners can't help but be tempted."
Today was the negotiation for his son's endorsement contract. Before the negotiation began, Jules had already communicated the general direction of the negotiation with brand manager Mark. No matter how good the current endorsement fee offer was, they would only talk and not sign for now.
Jules wanted to wait until after the World Cup to officially sign the endorsement contract for his son; only then could he maximize the benefits. As soon as he finished speaking, the conference room door was pushed open again.
Two men in sharp suits walked in. The one leading was Rogers, Adidas's Senior Director for Player Signings, followed by his assistant. The two parties shook hands and exchanged pleasantries. After a few brief opening remarks, they went straight to the main topic.
Rogers did not beat around the bush; he had clearly conducted an in-depth evaluation of Oliver's value.
"Mr. Thorne, Mr. Mark," he said, crossing his hands on the table and looking directly at Jules, "We are very interested in Oliver. He is a phenomenal new star, and he is also a superstar who emerged from the Bundesliga. We at Adidas are willing to show our utmost sincerity." He gestured for his assistant to hand over a draft contract.
Adidas, like Bayern, was eager to sign every superstar who emerged from the Bundesliga.
"A 3-year contract with a total value of 48 million Euros. This is an unprecedented investment for a young player, enough to demonstrate our Pay attention to."
Jules took the draft contract, his gaze sweeping over the prominent number, but his face did not show much emotion. He did not immediately open it to read in detail. Instead, he looked up and gazed gently at Rogers.
"Mr. Rogers, thank you very much for Adidas's appreciation and this very sincere offer. Oliver's achievements today are inseparable from the platform and opportunities, and we have always admired Adidas's brand philosophy."
He paused, then smoothly changed the subject: "However, regarding the signing, we currently have a unified consideration."
Rogers leaned forward slightly: "Mr. Thorne, please speak."
"World Cup," Jules said the word, his voice not loud, but carrying weight.
"My son's entire focus right now is on the field in Russia. As his father and agent, I believe what should be done most at this moment is to fully support him in focusing on the game, undisturbed by any off-field factors. Negotiations can proceed, but the final decision on cooperation should wait until after the World Cup has settled. At that time, everything will be clearer and more fair."
Brand manager Mark added in a timely manner: "That's right, Mr. Rogers, you've seen Oliver's form. He already has 1 goal and 1 assist in the first group stage match, and his momentum is strong. As the youngest European double Golden Boot winner, Oliver also has strong competitiveness in the World Cup Golden Boot race. A big stage like the World Cup geometrically increases a player's value. Signing now versus signing after the World Cup could represent different value tiers."
Rogers was silent for a few seconds, seemingly weighing the significance of these words. He certainly understood the principle behind it: the World Cup is a super amplifier for a star player's value.
"I understand your considerations, Mr. Thorne. Waiting may indeed bring greater value potential, however," he changed his tone, with a hint of probing, "48 million Euros, this is already a very high evaluation based on his current achievements and future potential. The World Cup has uncertainties, what if..."
Rogers wanted to say, 'What if Oliver doesn't perform well?'
"Then what if he performs even better?" Jules took over the conversation, a smile on his face, a smile of absolute trust in his son's ability.
Rogers was momentarily choked, speechless.
"Let me speak, Mr. Rogers. My son is only 18 years old and has already achieved honors that many players dream of throughout their entire careers, Champions League Golden Boot, Bundesliga Golden Boot, and he is the youngest double Golden Boot winner in history. This is not just talent, but also proof of his extraordinary effort and mentality."
Jules leaned slightly forward, his tone intensifying a few points.
"More importantly, behind Oliver stands the world's largest, most passionate, and fastest-growing fan base. The attention and commercial potential generated by his every touch, every goal, cannot be matched even by top superstars. Even if his performance in this World Cup is only average, it will not affect his commercial attribute."
Adidas had also considered this point, which is why they wanted to sign a contract with Oliver as soon as possible. Securing this market was too important for them.
Sales in the Asian region accounted for almost 21% of Adidas's global revenue, and no one was not coveting this market, not to mention Nike was also eyeing it fiercely.
Jules pointed to the draft contract and continued.
"Therefore, Oliver's value cannot be measured by traditional star endorsement contracts. Signing now, for both of us, might mean missing out."
Rogers's gaze lingered on Jules's face for a long time. For a moment, only the faint hum of the air conditioner remained in the conference room. Finally, he slowly nodded, a bitter smile tinged with admiration on his face.
"Hmm... Alright... Mr. Thorne, you are an excellent agent and father. Adidas is willing to wait and discuss after the World Cup, but I hope you will still consider us as your first choice at that time." He stood up and extended his hand to Jules again.
"Thank you, Mr. Rogers." Jules stood up and shook his hand.
After seeing off the Adidas people, Jules and Mark did not leave the conference room. Mark looked at Jules and said sincerely: "Boss, that explanation about the market just now was crucial. They really couldn't refute it."
Jules took a sip of tea, his expression relaxing slightly: "It's just facts. When we face Nike next, the strategy remains unchanged. The core is still to wait and emphasize the uniqueness of Oliver's commercial attribute."
The meeting with Nike took place in the afternoon. Nike's representative was Hansen, their Head of Sports Marketing for Europe. The atmosphere was equally direct and efficient.
Hansen's opening remarks were also enthusiastic, emphasizing Nike's huge influence globally, especially among young people, and their successful experience in building star brands. The draft contract he presented was slightly lower than Adidas's, with a figure of 40 million Euros for 3 years. This was because Nike had too many star players under its brand.
"Mr. Hansen, thank you for Nike's regard." Jules almost replicated the rhythm and core points from the morning.
He reiterated his firm stance on waiting until after the World Cup and used Oliver's youthful achievements and immense potential in the market as the core pillars of the negotiation's foundation.
"40 million Euros indeed reflects Nike's sincerity," Jules said calmly, "But as I said before, signing now is not the right time and cannot fully reflect the height of value Oliver might reach after the World Cup. His Chinese genes and background are an irreplaceable commercial goldmine."
Hansen had clearly done his homework. He tried to emphasize the advantage of Nike's brand added value: "Mr. Thorne, our global promotion network and marketing resources are top-tier, capable of maximizing Oliver's commercial potential..."
"Mr. Hansen, we have no doubt about Nike's capabilities,"
Jules gently interrupted,
"But the fundamental commercial value of a player lies in the player's own performance and market appeal. The World Cup is the biggest stage and touchstone for a football player. Only if Nike is willing to wait can we ensure that the foundation of our future cooperation is the most solid and maximizes value."
Looking at Jules's unquestionable gaze and the detailed data in Mark's hand, Hansen eventually chose to compromise.
"Alright, Mr. Thorne," he shrugged, a helpless smile on his face, "You are an extremely tough negotiator. Nike respects your decision and looks forward to Oliver wearing Nike boots after the World Cup and starting a new legend with us."
He also promised to discuss it again after the World Cup After seeing Hansen off, Mark was organizing documents, his tone tinged with excitement: "Both giants have nodded. We don't even need to discuss Puma's 26 million offer."
Compared to Adidas and Nike, Puma's competitiveness was indeed too weak. Jules hummed, but his expression showed no sign of relaxation. He took out his phone and checked the time. In Russia, the England Team's next group stage match was about to begin.
Just as he put away his phone, preparing to leave with Mark, his phone vibrated. It was an unknown number from China. Jules was slightly surprised, motioned for Mark to wait, and answered the call.
"Hello, may I speak to Mr. Thorne, Mr. Oliver's agent?" A young male voice came from the other end of the line, speaking English with a strong Beijing accent.
"This is he, who's calling?" Jules's tone carried professional caution.
"Hello, Mr. Thorne, it's a great honor to reach you. I'm the Business Development Director for ByteDance's Douyin business. My surname is Li." The other party spoke quickly, with the characteristic enthusiasm of the internet industry.
"Our Douyin platform is very, very eager to invite Mr. Oliver to officially join. We know that Mr. Oliver is currently a global superstar and the pride of all our Chinese fans. He has a massive number of young fans in China, and our platform's attributes are a perfect match for his image and influence!"
"Douyin..." Jules repeated softly.
Jules had used this software. He had heard of this short video platform from China and knew how popular it was among young people in the country. 2018 was precisely when Douyin was rapidly expanding and becoming popular across the country.
"Yes, Mr. Thorne!" Director Li's voice became even more eager, "We are very sincere. As long as Mr. Oliver agrees to join, even if initially he only occasionally shares some training, daily life snippets, or interacts with fans, we are willing to pay a 10 million USD exclusive joining fee. Subsequently, we can also provide highly attractive commercial revenue sharing based on content views and interaction."
10 million USD? Just for joining?
This figure made Jules' heart stir slightly.
This was almost equivalent to a year's endorsement fee for a second-tier sports brand, and it seemed to require minimal effort from Oliver. He glanced at Mark next to him. Mark had clearly heard the phone conversation, his face showing surprise, then he quickly searched for something on his tablet. Then he nodded affirmatively to Jules, mouthing: "Booming!"
As a professional brand marketing manager, Mark quickly confirmed Douyin's potential in China.
"Director Li," Jules maintained a steady tone, "Thank you for your company's recognition of Oliver and this very generous invitation. We are well aware of Douyin's huge influence in China." His tone remained calm.
"However, Oliver's entire focus is currently on the World Cup. As his agent and father, I believe that during the World Cup, he needs absolute focus. Any commercial cooperation, including platform joining, we plan to conduct a detailed evaluation and decision after the World Cup. It's too early to discuss specific joining forms and content now."
Director Li on the other end of the phone was clearly a bit anxious: "Mr. Thorne, the World Cup is the period of highest popularity! Every goal Mr. Oliver scores leads to an explosive increase in attention in China. Joining now would have the best effect! We..."
"Director Li," Jules interrupted him, "While popularity is important, a player's form and mindset are even more crucial. We don't want anything to distract him right now. After the World Cup, if your company still maintains this enthusiasm, we would be very happy to sit down and discuss it in detail. Oliver also values his fans in China very much, and we believe there will be suitable cooperation methods in the future."
Director Li was silent for a few seconds, clearly processing the response. Finally, he sighed helplessly, his tone still respectful: "Alright, Mr. Thorne, we fully understand and respect your care and career planning for Oliver as his father and agent. We will wait patiently and look forward to further communication with you and Mr. Oliver after the World Cup. We wish Oliver continued brilliance in the upcoming matches!"
After hanging up, Mark immediately leaned over: "Boss, 10 million USD? That figure... is astonishing, although it's not as big as the Adidas and Nike contracts, it seems... simpler to manage?"
Jules put his phone back in his pocket, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"Hmm, it's a pleasant surprise," he nodded, "But the principle remains unchanged. Signing any contract now would be a loss. If he plays well in the World Cup, this 10 million from Douyin might just be the beginning; there will be more to negotiate later. If he doesn't play well... the contract won't change much. Whether we can secure a big endorsement contract, everything depends on how many goals my son scores in Russia."
Jules walked to the window. Outside was a London street in the afternoon, with traffic flowing endlessly. But his gaze seemed to have crossed thousands of mountains and rivers, directed towards the distant Russian stadium.
"Let's go, Mark." He turned to Mark and said, "You've worked hard today. Let's find a bar and have a couple of drinks."
"My pleasure, boss." Mark quickly packed his things and followed.
No matter how much progress was made at the negotiating table, the true decisive factor was currently running on the green field in Russia. Jules sat in the car, his fingers unconsciously tapping his knee, a subtle gesture when he was concerned.
On the car radio, the Commentator's voice had already begun to warm up for the England Team's next match. Jules closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled. His work had temporarily ended. His son's battle in Russia had just entered its fierce phase.
Whether Jules could negotiate an unprecedented big contract depended on his son's performance in the World Cup. If Oliver was strong, and with some luck, he could truly become the World Cup Golden Boot winner,
Then 18-year-old Oliver would be the first single-season triple Golden Boot player in football history. At that time, how much would his endorsement fee be?
...
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