When pride still matters

Chapter 361 The Lifelong Oklahoman Who Begins to Swing
The first week of the new NBA season has just begun, but Clay Bennett has already received the financial report since July.

Bennett has mixed emotions about this. He hopes that the financial report can truly reflect Yu Fei's business value, or directly prove that even Yu Fei cannot save the Seattle market, just like they have deliberately alienated local fans since last year. Feedback on business practices.

Before opening the financial report, Bennett thought of the resentful look Bucks owner Herb Kerr gave him when the NBA held an owners summit not long ago.

Cole makes Bennett feel like a wife-stealing scumbag.

But can you blame him? He didn't want to either.
But when Bennett opened the financial report, the crooked thoughts in his mind disappeared. The numbers on the financial report felt strange to him.

This doesn't seem real.

根据联盟精算师的预期，2007-08赛季全联盟的总收入大概会达到35亿美元。把这个数字除以30，也就是平均每队赛季总收入为1.16亿美元。

But in fact, less than 1/3 of the teams can reach this figure in annual income.

Small-market teams are considered successful if they can avoid losing money, because making money is the job of large-market teams. Eventually, the money earned by the big-market teams will be pooled into one place to subsidize underperforming smaller markets.

Seattle is the 14th largest city in the United States. It can be said that they are a big city and have a broad fan market, but since the Jordan era, they have never had a prosperous year with annual revenue exceeding million.

"Is there something wrong with the data?" Bennett looked at Sam Presti in confusion.

Bennett's serious Chinese character face gradually relaxed: "Does Frye know about this?"

Although Presti came here this year, he has seen last year's financial report.

Although the Key Arena is exquisite, it is too small. Fans alone cannot support the performance of 100 million US dollars per year by buying tickets.

But that's not to say Seattleites don't support the Sonics. As Bennett said, NBA economics have changed during the Jordan era.

"It's less than $6000 million," Presti said. "We don't look like a big-market team at all."

"But this guy made me $2000 million at the beginning of the new season!" Bennett put down the financial report and couldn't help but stand up and adjust his tie. "This guy is really a hateful guy!"

"Fry brought back fans who were about to give up on us, more people bought season tickets, and most importantly, a bunch of sponsors who were chasing Fry's ass to eat exhaust fumes," Presti said.

"so what?"

"Yes." Presti nodded, "The money they gave was actually double, one for us and one for Frye."

"The sponsors he turned down would choose to sponsor us so Fry could use their products."

However, what Bennett saw today was a financial report with a performance of "100 million per year".

Presti said self-deprecatingly: "Fry doesn't accept any sponsorship."

If they want to run a good business in Seattle, it won't be so difficult.

Bennett became wary: "Then should they also give Frye's sponsorship fee?"

"Do you remember our annual financial report last year?" Bennett asked casually.

This is why Yu Fei shocked Bennett.

It was the first time Bennett realized how powerful a superstar's ability to attract money was.

"Yes," Presti said. "He doesn't mind the team making money in his name."

"I don't understand." Bennett understands NBA economics, but he doesn't understand star economics. “Does Frye’s personal sponsorship have anything to do with us?”

Yes, it is simply a shame for the big market.

Now Bennett understood Herb Cole.

He also learned about the other person's happiness.

Even as the boss of a large market, he believes that a small place like Milwaukee simply does not reflect the commercial value of flying.

With Yu Fei's strength, he can bring Milwaukee three times the profit at most. This is determined by the market.

But what about in Seattle?
It’s unimaginable!
An American tough guy who vowed to be a lifelong Oklahoman, Clay Bennett suddenly felt like an honorary Seattleite.

This evil thought only lasted for a second.

NO!

I am a loyal Oklahoman and I will represent the state of Oklahoma and steal the SuperSonics from Seattle!
The noble Ohioan soul deep inside Bennett suddenly took over, but whenever he looked toward the financial report, the devil in his mind whispered: Seattle is not bad.

But he was still able to suppress the demon because he was loyal to his hometown, unspeakably loyal.

"They should have come back, right?" Bennett asked.

Presti nodded and said, "Yeah, just got back from Milwaukee."

"I have to go see them." Bennett said with a bright face. "My boys just defeated the defending champion. Congratulations!"

Is it more deserving of congratulations than to Freddy Yu for making you $2000 million in one week?
Presti was joking in his heart, but his face was calm: "But Fry is not here."

"Oh?" Bennett asked, "Where is our MVP?"

"The new city government building was completed some time ago and was officially put into use today." Presti explained, "The mayor invited many big names in the city, and Frye is the representative of our team." Bennett, however, never There is something subtle about this little thing.

"Is he going there on his own?" Bennett asked.

"Yeah, the guy we originally picked was Brandon Roy, but Frye offered to go and Brandon took the initiative and gave it to him," Presti said.

Bennett had a lot on his mind at this moment.

The young man who transferred in the name of saving the Sonics seems to be more than just passionate. He is very aware of the situation here and his entry point is absolutely correct.

Those Seattle rubes who spend their days on the street chanting "Save our Sonics" will always just shout slogans.

Yu Fei's ability to attract money made Bennett feel a little unsteady on his feet. His mind has not changed and his plan has remained the same, but he does feel that if things really turn around, then he may also have new choices.

But this matter is destined to be extremely difficult.

Even if you are a god in the basketball world, it is almost impossible to single-handedly fight against public opinion, the policies of those in power, and the will of the league.

"Boss, do you still want to meet the players?"

"Oh, no." Bennett suddenly asked, "How much did it cost to build the new city hall building?"

"I don't know," Presti said, "but it would be a multi-billion-dollar project to house all the departments."

"Humph!"

Bennett said angrily, as if he was really angry about what he said: "They can use taxpayers' money to build themselves a building worth hundreds of millions of dollars, but they are unwilling to use taxpayers' money to build a 40-year-old team." The local totem team of history builds a better arena? Is this the government of Seattle? I’m so glad we don’t have such a government in Oklahoma!”

Before getting out of the car, Yu Fei asked Lawson: "Tony, what do you think of my outfit?"

"Believe me, you can definitely kill those bastards in the building instantly," Lawson said. "I hope they don't be jealous of you."

Yu Fei laughed and got out of the car.

As an Asian American, Yu Fei is very aware that he is at the bottom of the racial contempt chain in the United States.

This kind of ecology has developed his domineering style on the court. He is bound to create an image that is not easy to mess with and make others fear him.

At the same time, political involvement is something Yu Fei firmly refuses.

But unfortunately, if he wants to keep the Sonics in Seattle, even if he doesn't want to get involved in politics, he has to extend his tentacles into it.

Because all the problems surrounding the Sonics' relocation originated from the team owner's belief that Key Arena was too small and that the Sonics needed a larger arena.

However, those in power feel that Key Arena was renovated not long ago. Are you telling me this now? Do you really treat taxpayers' money as your own? roll!
As a result, the SuperSonics bosses began to cry, saying that they were losing money.

Former boss Schultz Howard said he lost $60 million in five years.

This makes people think that Sonics fans do not support the team. In fact, this has always been a misleading rhetoric.

In fact, Sonics fans have always supported the team. Over the years, the Sonics have always been one of the teams with the highest average attendance in the league. The problem is that Key Arena is too small, and the owners can only look at the huge Key Arena. However, it is impossible to rent out a large number of shop spaces in the arena to maximize its own profits.

Moreover, even the statement of losing money actually has a big problem.

Because the league subsidizes teams that don't make money, this is the job of big market teams. Even the scum of the big market like the SuperSonics, as long as they don't make money, they enjoy subsidies.

Even if the company still loses money after subsidies, Howard's words still don't hold water.

He bought the SuperSonics for $2001 million in 2 and then lost $6000 million. However, he sold the team to Bennett for $2006 million in 3.5 and asked the other party to bear $8000 million in team liabilities. , is this a loss? No matter how you look at it, he made money as a result of this investment.

I just don’t make enough.

That's right, not enough.

So this is the secret of everything. Because I don’t make enough, I want to make trouble. If you meet my needs, I will continue to make trouble. If the trouble doesn’t work, I will sell the team to someone from outside. I will also tell this person from outside the place. Although he has decided to be born and die in another place, he has always been a spiritual Seattleite. He will never move the team. If he moves, then he will be treacherous. I will join you when the time comes.嘤嘤⑴.

The moment Yu Fei walked into the building, he felt that he was out of the vulgar black basketball league. All kinds of street talk disappeared, replaced by elegant: "Dear XX, nice to meet you."

However, Yu Fei still found a sense of youthfulness in this old-fashioned, elegant, but lifeless atmosphere.

A blond white woman who looked like she had just come of age said excitedly: "Fry? Is it Fry? Oh my god, I always thought you were going to let Brandon Roy come!"

"Don't you like Brandon?" Yu Fei originally wanted to say a few nice words to his brother, but after taking a look at his talent, he decided to forget it.

"No, I just think Brandon is a little boring."

Yu Fei smiled and said: "Yes, you know, Brandon is my good brother, but he is indeed a boring man."

"How boring is it?" the other party asked with a smile, "Is it the kind of boring where you have to thank God before making love with a lady?"

"Almost." Yu Fei said, "Not too much."

The other party invited Yu Fei to take a seat and introduced himself: "Oh, I'm sorry, my name is Amelia Nichols."

⑴In reality, after Bennett announced that he would move the Sonics, Howard publicly accused Bennett of deceiving him and even sued him to court (verbally, but it never happened).

(End of this chapter)