America: My Time

Chapter 457 Acquiring the Team
Chapter 457 Acquiring the Team

"Mr. David, are you here to reject my acquisition of the New York Knicks?" When David Stern approached him, John had a faint smile on his face. Although Morgan had not yet completed the acquisition, John did not think there was a problem. But what did David Stern, who had been the NBA president for more than a year, mean by coming to see him?
"No, I didn't mean to stop your acquisition, Mr. John, and I would very much like to welcome you to the NBA. I just wanted to talk to you about the Knicks' development. The Knicks' situation this year is not optimistic. The league hopes that the Knicks can become stronger and inject vitality into the NBA!"

"Thank you for your trust, Mr. David. The Knicks' development is inseparable from the league's help. If the acquisition is successful, I will accelerate the changes to the Knicks and will not let the league down. Of course, this requires the league's support. New York is a big market, and as long as the Knicks can recover, they will definitely contribute to the league. Moreover, if the league has any needs, Legendary Entertainment and Phoenix Group will provide strong support and help the league with its promotion."

The NBA at this time was not as strong as it was later. David Stern took over a league that was on the verge of collapse, with 17 out of 23 teams operating at a loss, offering almost no hope. It was at this point that John, a prominent figure in the NBA, entered the scene, creating an opportunity, which led to David Stern's proactive visit.

John's words struck a chord with David Stern. If they could get the help of the two major media groups, it would be of great benefit to the league's publicity and would also increase the league's influence.

"Mr. John, the league will support the Knicks' recovery and hopes that the league can improve and change its many problems. This requires the support and understanding of all teams."

“I understand what Mr. David means. The League’s reputation is indeed not good now, so we should strike hard and sweep away all those who damage the League’s image. As for television broadcasting, that’s not a problem. NBC will take care of it, and we will also provide strong support overseas with the help of Phoenix Media.”

This is why David Stern approached John. He hoped to use John's help to secure the alliance's television broadcasts. Originally, he only wanted the support of NBC, but he didn't expect to receive such strong support from Phoenix Media overseas. Before meeting John, David Stern naturally did a thorough research on the tycoon, understanding the immense influence of Legendary Entertainment and Phoenix Media. Although Japan didn't have a good reputation in the United States, it was very wealthy. If the alliance's influence in Japan could be increased, it would naturally be a good thing. Not to mention that Asian television's influence had already spread throughout Southeast Asia. It could be said that with the help of Phoenix Media, the alliance could quickly expand into Asia.

John and David Stern quickly reached an agreement, and this conversation resolved the last remaining issue in John's acquisition of the New York Knicks, at least without any obstacles from the league.

Following a conversation with David Stern, Morgan soon received good news: the New York Knicks had changed hands, and John had officially taken over the team. This news sent shockwaves through the Knicks and the entire league, as no one had expected the Knicks to be sold so quickly.

When the New York Knicks were sold, the New York Rangers hockey team was also sold. At that point, Madison Square Garden had no choice but to be sold, because they had no ability to resist. If they insisted on not selling, both teams would give up Madison Square Garden as their home arena and rebuild their own home stadiums.

If such a threat were made under normal circumstances, the other party would consider whether it was true or not. However, when faced with a tycoon like John, they had no doubts whatsoever. Moreover, this time they were not facing John, but Morgan. Under Morgan's strong pressure, they had no choice but to sell. And just like that, without any surprises, John took over Madison Square Garden.

"Jimmy, how's it going with finding a team in California for me? Any results?" John asked as he received all the paperwork for Madison Square Garden from Jimmy.

"Yes, it depends on your own choice. The baseball teams include the Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels, and San Francisco Giants; the football teams include the Los Angeles Rams, San Diego Chargers, and San Francisco 49ers."

"Actually, what I want most is the New York Yankees, but unfortunately that's impossible!"

“John, if the Yankees are to be sold, a lot of people will be fighting you for them. They’re one of the New Yorkers’ beliefs, you should understand. A lot of old guys are Yankees fans.”

"Alright, don't worry, I won't ask you to help me acquire the New York Yankees. I'm not that crazy, and there's no need for it. Let's just go with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Rams. With Morgan's capabilities, I believe acquiring them won't be difficult. Ideally, it should be completed before the end of the year. You know I don't have that much time to waste on acquisitions like that!" "That's good. I was really worried you'd ask us to acquire the New York Yankees. Don't worry about the acquisition; we'll complete it as quickly as possible. We definitely won't let you down. Aren't the acquisitions of the New York Knicks and Rangers the best examples? We never let our clients down!"

"That's why I chose Morgan Stanley; only you can complete the acquisition in the fastest time!"

Soon after John's conversation with Jimmy, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Rams received acquisition offers from Morgan Stanley. This situation reminded many people of John and the previous acquisitions of the New York Rangers and New York Knicks. Many people wanted to know the truth, but unfortunately, they simply didn't have the time.

The third Victoria's Secret Fashion Show has begun. This time, Johnny Depp didn't appear; everything was handled by Andrea Jung. The show was once again held in New York, and many breathed a sigh of relief at its return. Many were worried that Depp would continue to hold the show in Japan, as Victoria's Secret's market there is now almost surpassing its US market share in just one year. Not only is Victoria's Secret's market expanding rapidly, but the entire Forever Group's market in Japan is also growing at an unimaginable pace.

In the apparel industry today, many are envious of the Everlasting Group's rapid expansion and its market share in Japan. Unfortunately, these companies can only admire from afar; they are powerless to do anything about it. After all, they don't have the resources that the Everlasting Group can utilize, and the Everlasting Group's development relies heavily on the support of various Japanese corporations. For well-funded Japanese companies, their custom-made clothing comes from brands under the Everlasting Group, as well as from official Japanese sources. The reason is simple: it's about cultivating relationships with John; after all, it's about achieving significant results with minimal investment.

Many who were hoping for John's appearance were disappointed. John did not go to New York, and their idea of ​​getting information from him failed. This year's Victoria's Secret Fashion Show still featured a Japanese singer, Naoko, whom everyone is very familiar with. This was Naoko's third and final appearance at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.

Third time's the charm, and John didn't want Victoria's Secret Fashion Show performers to appear on the stage too frequently, as it would cause visual fatigue for the audience. However, this time the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show made a change; not all performers were from their own circle. It's unclear how Andrea Jung managed to persuade Michael Jackson to perform for free this time.

Michael Jackson's appearance brought greater attention and influence to this year's Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, accelerating Victoria's Secret's expansion and influence in the United States and making the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show even more famous.

As for John's absence from the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, it didn't attract much attention. After all, John couldn't possibly focus his energy on that, as he had more important matters to attend to, such as arranging the expansion of Legendary Entertainment and Phoenix Group.

With the continuous expansion of the two major media groups, there are many issues that need to be negotiated and resolved. Moreover, United Press International (UPI) is now on the right track, and its development in all aspects is steadily improving. Many people were not optimistic about UPI's transformation, but it seems that they were overthinking it. Under John's guidance, UPI has completed a comprehensive transformation, shifting from international reporting to information services, and it has been very successful.

The transformation of United Press International has also made many people see the huge market and potential profits in information services. However, not every newspaper can do this, and not all newspapers have this capability.

With the transformation of United Press International, it quickly turned a profit. In a short period of time, United Press International received a considerable number of orders and gained recognition. United Press International can deliver all international information to its subscribers in the shortest possible time. Their communication capabilities are much faster than their competitors. This is the powerful strength of Global Online and the tremendous support provided by Dream World.

The transformation of United Press International surprised many people, but they quickly accepted it. After all, every company needs to make money, and no one wants to take over a company that only loses money. The transformation of United Press International proves that news agencies have the ability to transform into economic information services and to fulfill their promises to customers. Moreover, such fast information services have allowed more people to see the power of Global Online and Dream World, forcing them to admit that John has also taken the lead in information services.

(End of this chapter)