Chapter 87 Brother Hook

On June 29, 1997, before the excitement of the Finals had subsided, Nike took the opportunity to announce the signing of Knicks All-Star point guard Li You.

Fans originally expected Hook to launch Li You's signature sneakers next season, but in the Sports Illustrated weekly at the end of the month, Li You gave an exclusive interview and the answer was that signature shoes would not be released until 1998.

This can also be regarded as a combination of marketing. The hook is to release the news, and Sports Illustrated is a hot topic. Fans who want to get first-hand news have to buy an issue of the magazine.

All three parties were very satisfied. Even though the fans were treated like leeks, people were still relatively simple in 1997. They bought magazines to learn about the stars, and everyone was willing to pay.

In 1997, Nike mainly promoted "Penny" Hardaway and Jason Kidd.

The strategies of Hook and Adidas are different. They mainly sign stars and defenders to increase sales.

After the news was announced, surface brother Kidd sent a blessing message, and also hoped that Li You could wear his sneakers next season to help him advertise.

Li You didn't know exactly what contract the superficial brothers signed, but the sponsorship he signed lasted for more than half a month.

When signing a sponsorship contract with a commercial company, Li You must first establish a company. An independent company can better protect property security and reduce financial risks.

Of course, setting up a company can also help Li You enjoy tax benefits.

Inno is the first company under Li You's name, and the company name was provided by his friend Ai Wen.

The abbreviation of "Innovation" will also involve financial and consulting businesses in the future. Friends who have been fascinated by the Internet firmly believe that they can discover the next Yahoo.

Agent Mark Bartelstein had already helped Li You handle these trivial matters, but the two parties had differences over the details of the contract.

Mark Bartelstein insisted on adding a "competitor" clause.

Adding this clause means that Hook will not only have to pay Li You for endorsement of Nike products, but also need to pay part of the fees for competitor products that he does not endorse.

It sounds like a word game, but in fact, there is too much room for wrangling, so both parties have to talk things over in advance.

The "exclusivity" clause was also added. Li You needed to help Under Armour promote sports bras, and currently Hook has not officially covered this area. In the end, both parties gave in and finally solved the problem.

Of course, the contract also involves "player awards", which is the sponsor's protection clause.

If Li You does not win any "player award" for two consecutive years, Hook has the right to reduce the sponsorship fee by 50%.

Of course, this clause is generally not activated. The sponsor is not so stingy. It is written into the contract more to motivate the players' performance.

In short, after signing this five-year, $25 million sneaker sponsorship contract, Li You officially entered the ranks of millionaires.

On the afternoon of June 30, the complicated sponsorship contract was signed, and Li You and Mark Bartelstein also took the opportunity to hold a celebration reception.

Mark Parker has been responsible for the research and development of Hook's sneakers in the early years. After being promoted and getting a salary increase in recent years, he made more money and spent more time playing. After signing the contract, he immediately greeted Li You without looking at the staff on the other side:

"Come on! Li, I need to have a few drinks tonight. It's rare to meet young people who like old movies!"

A man in his 40s, 42-year-old Mark Parker is a typical white American, with big cheeks, bright eyes, and a well-managed figure. The red flags at home are not down, and the colorful flags are fluttering outside.

In addition to collecting art, he also likes to collect some classic movie props. In Li You’s opinion, the other party has money to burn:

"As long as we don't talk about contemporary art, just have a few drinks!"

In addition to attending cocktail parties and playing ball at night, Li You spent most of his time in Chicago visiting art galleries with him.

There is no artistic bacteria in his body, but Li You gets a headache when he sees some ghost paintings!

Mark Bartelstein also became amiable, no longer as aggressive as he was a few days ago, and immediately suggested:

"Green Mill, I'm treating you tonight. Don't worry about public security. Uptown Chicago is actually very safe!"

As he likes, Li You has to go to this jazz club tonight. This kind of place where the mafia often visited in the past has a retro and fashionable atmosphere. It is most suitable for people who like art.

The three of them laughed and started talking about the evening's activities. As for promotion, staff from other departments were naturally responsible for it.

On the morning of July 1st, when Li You woke up in the hotel, the blond girl from the University of Chicago whom he met last night and had a lot of literary and artistic talents had already left:

“I hope I can share every sunset with you!”

Looking at the note with the lip print and phone number, Li You scratched his head. He had forgotten what the other person called him. When he came to the bathroom, he saw his eyes were dull and sighed in a low voice:

"I was hurt by alcohol and sex again, and I became so haggard. Starting from this month, I will give up drinking!"

"."

Li You returned to New York on the 3rd. Next, he had to prepare for summer classes at the University of Connecticut, and he couldn't miss his daily training.

Ray Allen, who had already flown to New York to be with his girlfriend, also planned to ask Li You back to Connecticut for training. When he came to visit, he also brought a piece of news:

"There is a high probability that Knight will join the Celtics next season!"

Li You felt that his friend drank the water and tasted lemon juice.

As luck would have it, only Ray Allen, his college teammates, remained in the small ball market. Next season, he will have to remain silent in Milwaukee.

"It's really a good thing to join the Celtics. Who did they draft this year? I just remember the Spurs drafted Tim Duncan."

Ray Allen also knew that Li You had been staying in Chicago before, so he leaned on the sofa and briefly introduced:

"Chauncy Billups was selected with the 3rd overall pick, and Ron Moser was selected with the 6th overall pick."

"Billups plays very steadily. Knight may get more playing time when he joins the Celtics. The Lakers have O'Neal, so there is no hope for the main force."

Li You touched his chin. The memory in his mind often needed to be triggered. He really couldn't remember what kind of performance the new Billups performed:

"You also have a chance next season. If Vin Baker is traded, the shooting rights will definitely increase."

"Data is still very important. Even if you get a sneaker sponsorship contract, there will still be internal competition."

Ray Allen also knew that Nike placed a lot of advertisements for Anfernee Hardaway and even launched a peripheral doll.

This kind of treatment as a biological son would make anyone jealous. The fake Jordan successor can be regarded as the second brother of Hook.

"The competition for Nike guards is too fierce. The two Hardaways, Jason Kidd, and Gary Payton have to push back their signature shoes."

"If there is a chance, I would rather sign with AJ. It is said that Michael is retiring, but I think this is false news. He just won the championship!"

When mentioning idols, Ray Allen looked reverent again, and Li You pouted quietly. If his friends knew that McQueen was planning to go to the Gold Club recently, he would probably lose his idol halo.

"We still have to fight for it. Even Michael Jordan cannot do without the marketing behind it. The data must be there and the honor cannot be bad."

"You can set a small goal first and strive to become the core of Nike. With Anfernee Hardaway's treatment, you will have an advantage in competing for the MVP award."

After hearing Li You's words, Ray Allen also looked yearning, MVP!

"This season's MVP should belong to McQueen. Next season, maybe McQueen can win this award again!"

"I think as long as the Bulls' record is not bad, the voting media will compensate."

Seeing his friend enter the crazy fan mode again, Li You felt helpless. After winning the fifth championship in his career, Michael Jordan's prestige became even higher.

Many young players even hope that McDuck can complete the second three consecutive championships and witness their idol become a legend. There are many players who have this idea.

Hearing Ray Allen talking excitedly about Michael Jordan's legendary performance in the Finals, Li You touched his chin and was distracted for a moment:

"MVP is indeed a bit difficult, but Brother Hook No. 1 should have a chance!"

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