The Golden Age of Basketball.

Chapter 101 Skyscraper
The advantage of having a good agent is that you can tell him whatever you want, and once you reach an agreement, he will do his best to help you negotiate and communicate to achieve your goal.

As for the players themselves, they just need to wait for news, focus on playing well, and avoid getting dragged into complicated, lengthy negotiations that could involve backstabbing and even public pressure.

Because there were no standard contracts at that time, and there were no fixed standards for contract amounts, all contracts were negotiated between players and teams.

Therefore, teams often use various means to pressure players and force them to agree to contract terms that are detrimental to the players but beneficial to the team.

If an agent is an inexperienced rookie or a clueless idiot who only knows how to look at contracts, then the agent will be at the mercy of the team, and may even turn against the team and collude with them to harm the player.

Fleischer is different. He is experienced, has extensive resources and connections, and in terms of familiarity with the rules, no one in the entire league except David Stern can match him.

Faced with Gan Guoyang's "unreasonable" demands, Fleischer, despite having high blood pressure, thought about it carefully and realized that they were all reasonable, indicating that the two were on the same page.

Fleischer had already figured out how to talk to the Trail Blazers and what methods to use to force them to give in.

Fleischer also discussed shoe endorsements with Gan Guoyang, recommending that Gan sign with Converse, since Converse is currently the dominant force in the NBA, and signing with them would be a good idea.

However, Gan Guoyang had his own ideas. He said that Converse shoes were too ugly and outdated and did not suit the tastes of young people. He preferred Avia shoes.

The first pair of sneakers his dad bought him was Avia, which he still treasures. He wore Avia shoes ever since, and went through countless pairs during his college years.

Fleischer sighed and said, "If you wanted to sign Avia, you should have told me sooner. Avia's manager has been calling me nonstop, calling me every day."

Gan Guoyang said, "Aren't you going to ask me what to say?"

“Sorry, it was my fault. I thought you weren’t interested in a small brand like Avia.”

“With me, small brands will soon become big brands.”

Fleischer shook his head. Gan Guoyang's inexplicable confidence was both funny and quite charming.

Signing Avia is indeed a good choice, as it happens to be an Oregon-based sportswear brand.

They started contacting Gan Guoyang when he was in high school, but at that time Gan Guoyang adhered to his principles and did not contact these brands privately.

Aiva watched Gan Guoyang create miracles and be selected by the Trail Blazers in the draft, and the whole company was excited beyond words.

The company's current focus is entirely on signing a contract with Gan Guoyang, but they can't get in touch with him. Their sales director has been calling him non-stop and running around like crazy, and they're even considering going to San Francisco to find Gan Guoyang.

Gan Guoyang's whereabouts were uncertain. He was under closed management in Indiana and did not participate in the draft, so he always ended up missing out.

"If you decide to sign Avia, you might as well talk to their sports sales director. He's in Providence today and came all the way here to see you."

"Larry, they've already come all the way to me, and you're still suggesting I sign with Converse? You're so heartless!"

"I'm just giving you the most likely answer first. If you agree to sign with Converse, I won't let Tim Haney meet with you, which will save me a lot of trouble."

Fleischer is indeed very efficient. Gan Guoyang agreed to have dinner with Tim Haney, Avia's sales director, to discuss the sneaker contract.

That evening, Fleischer hosted a dinner at a Chinese restaurant in Providence, where the three of them booked a private room. This was his home turf.

Honey was a very well-built white man with a neat short haircut and a very energetic appearance.

Upon meeting Gan Guoyang for the first time, Hani didn't say anything extra. He simply took out a pair of sneakers and a checkbook from the bag Gan Guoyang was carrying.

"These are the new sneakers our company designed for you, with a red and black color scheme, a new concept, and the latest suspension and shock absorption support technology, which we have patented."

Gan Guoyang picked up the shoes. They looked somewhat familiar. The design… felt incredibly futuristic. Was it really designed by AVIA? “Did you design these?”

"Of course! And it's designed specifically for you, a brand new, youthful style."

What's this one called?

"Avia830, Skyscraper series!"

Gan Guoyang looked at Hani and sensed a glint in his eyes; he was clearly very excited about the sneakers.

These shoes do look very modern, unlike the old-fashioned canvas shoes like Converse. They might actually lead a trend.

Gan Guoyang put down his shoes and asked, "What's the meaning of that checkbook?"

"We are sincere and willing to offer you a sufficient contract fee."

Gan Guoyang looked at the checkbook and asked, "How much can I fill in?"

"Whatever, as long as we can afford it."

Gan Guoyang thought for a moment and said, "Then I want your payment limit, I want the whole thing."

Hani was stunned. He glanced at Fleischer, as if to say, "I was just being polite, what's wrong with your husband...?"

Fleischer shrugged and said, “Forrest is worth the price. You know what? Tomorrow, Forrest will be playing against the US national team at the Providence Civic Center, alongside NBA All-Stars. The NBA All-Star team has John Bagley, Gus Williams, Orlando Woolwich, Daryl Walker, and Daryl Dawkins, coached by John Havlicek. The US national team has Ewing, Jordan, Perkins, and Dawkins. If you agree to Forrest's request, he can wear these shoes on the court, tomorrow.”

"Later, we'll be going to Iowa, Minnesota, Indiana, Milwaukee, and playing with McHale, Bird, Mark Aguirre, Magic Johnson, Larry Nance, and Isaiah Thomas. Forrest Gump will be wearing these shoes in front of audiences everywhere, and on live TV. Tim, do you think the contract Forrest Gump asked for is too expensive?"

Tim Haney was stunned by Fleischer's long list of dishes; it's safe to say that the US Olympic national team was going to beat every NBA All-Star.

The importance Americans placed on this Olympics is evident, because in 1980, the Americans boycotted the Moscow Olympics, the men's basketball team did not participate, and the gold medal was won by the Yugoslavs.

At this year's Los Angeles Olympics, playing on their home turf, the Americans are determined to win the men's basketball gold medal, so they have put a lot of effort into preparing.

The nationwide auditions lasted for two years, with NBA stars coming to help warm up before the games. All sorts of top talents gathered, making it an unprecedented event.

For a small brand like Avia, missing out on such a grand event would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to promote their products.

Moreover, Avia knew they had a strong competitor, Nike, a fellow Portland, Oregon company, which was also eyeing Gan Guoyang.

Tim Haney couldn't sit still, so he immediately went to the hotel reception to get their phone number and called back to consult with the general manager and chairman.

After repeated communication and explanation of the situation, Tim Haney returned to the private room with his checkbook and wrote down a number: $1000000, one million US dollars.

Avia is a new company founded in 1979, and their marketing budget is limited; one million is their limit.

Even the well-informed Fleischer showed surprise on his face, because he knew that no center could sign a shoe contract worth that much; centers have a hard time selling shoes.

Gan Guoyang remained calm upon seeing the amount. He held the check in front of him and said, "I appreciate your sincerity. Tomorrow I will wear your shoes and play well on the court."

Gan Guoyang appreciates this sincere attitude towards cooperation, and those who trust him will not have any bad outcomes.

(End of this chapter)