Super Bowl Domination

Chapter 258 The lion opens his mouth

There is no doubt that the commercial value of wide receivers is higher than that of running backs; moreover, Odell Beckham is the most appealing and popular player among the new generation of players, which is why Nike is willing to give him a top contract.

Now, Nike has matched Levi with David Beckham, with a longer contract, to show their belief in Levi's career.

Sincerity, full of sincerity.

At least that's how it seemed to Edwards.

But apparently, Donald doesn't think so.

Edwards smiled, sincerely, with a smile in his eyes, "Donald, you know this is impossible. We all know what this number means. We can't break the laws of the market."

Two and a half million dollars a year for three years?

This is the current ceiling of the entire NFL. The sponsorship contracts signed by Nike and a series of top superstars are of this level. There may be slight differences in the details, but overall, the annual salary is at this level.

And Levi?
As a running back, he has only played two official games in his career. How is it possible for him to reach the league's ceiling in one step?

Edwards thought Donald was testing Nike's limits, which was just talk, so he needed to be firm and make Donald realize that this was impossible.

However, Donald's expression remained unchanged. "History is meant to be broken, right?"

In one word, it shows determination.

Donald leaned forward slightly. "Thirty years ago, when Jordan first entered the league, he was just an ordinary college student, but Nike gave him a unique contract and bet on his future."

"I didn't ask for an identical contract. We all know times have changed. Look, I'm still sane."

There is only one Jordan; even if it is LeBron, Nike cannot sign the same contract as Jordan again.

"but."

"What I want to ask is, does Nike no longer have the same ambition as it did in the past?"

"Thirty years ago, Nike was just a company that specialized in running shoes, and its market share was far lower than Adidas and Converse, but you made a choice that not only made Nike the leader in global market share, but also made people realize the commercial value of professional leagues."

"Now, the opportunity has appeared again."

Calm, yet confident.

Edwards didn't panic, but he finally looked Donald in the face. "So, what you're saying is that the Jordan of football has appeared?"

Donald shook his head slightly, "I mean, the football Levi showed up."

Edwards chuckled and made no comment.

Donald was unfazed.

"At that time, Adidas and Converse were full of confidence. They thought they could sit on the Diaoyutai. They also thought that Jordan was just another rookie. After all, he was only the third pick, not the first or second pick, just the third pick."

"They think they can sit back and relax, don't need to take risks, just sit tight and wait."

“So, Nike took their chances.”

"Now, times have changed. Does Nike still have the courage to do so?"

Although Donald did not point it out, the subtext is already clear:

Today's Nike is the Adidas of the past, and today's Under Armour is the Nike of the past.

Nike is making the same mistake that Adidas made back then. If Nike chooses to be conservative, Under Armour will definitely not miss this rare opportunity.

I have to say, Donald is really amazing.

With just a few words, fate was strangled, and the whole situation was turned upside down. However, the person in front of him was Edwards, the top executive of Nike's pyramid, and he was not someone who could be easily bluffed.

Edwards was neither anxious nor panicked, and refused to be led by Donald. He was certain of one thing: Donald's ambition could only be realized by Nike, and Under Armour did not have such ability at present, otherwise Donald would not have made these remarks in front of him, but would have demonstrated them at Under Armour.

Edwards showed his interest, "But Levi is not Michael, and football is not basketball. These are two completely different things."

"Levi - I don't mean to denigrate running backs, but running backs are consumables, a pure youth job, relying on their bodies to create a career. If it's a quarterback, fine, let's sit down and discuss it, but a running back?"

Levi raised his hands and smiled, "It's okay."

Then, Levi added, "I have some friendships with a few other quarterback friends. Do you need me to contact them on your behalf?"

Mahomes: Touched!
But one sentence made Edwards stunned.

Donald chuckled secretly. Levi's interruption skill should have reached the maximum level, but it was not obvious on the surface. He continued, "We should look at it from another angle. It is precisely because it is impossible that the miracle is more moving when it is written."

"Hey, who doesn't love a story about a great underdog coming back from behind?"

“Running back, in my opinion, is actually Levi’s highlight.”

"From the doubts in the preseason to the praise now, the prejudice and discrimination brought by the running back label is becoming the biggest help for Levi to make waves."

“Imagine that even the North American market was surprised, how shocking will the Asian market be?”

Edwards himself came from brand planning and marketing, so he immediately understood what Donald meant, and his eyes showed deep thought.

Donald also knows how to stop when to speak and know when to quit, especially when facing senior executives of Edwards' level. Talking too much may make him look weak.

So Donald prepared to wrap up.

"I admit that if Levi's brand effect is to be maximized, Nike is the best choice. I think this cooperation can achieve the effect of one plus one being greater than two."

"But Nike isn't the only option."

"After all, the current rugby market is still in a state of waiting to be tapped. Players rely on brands, and brands also rely on players."

"As I said, football today is like basketball 30 years ago. The future belongs to those who dare to explore, take risks and break through."

"Mr. Edwards, Levi is ready. Maybe you are the ones who are not ready yet."

Confidence, bursting——

Not to mention Edwards, even Levi had a new respect for Donald.

It is no exaggeration to say that Donald believes in his future more than Levi does.

Levi couldn't help but glance at Donald.

These words not only compare Levi with the current top NFL superstars, but also compare Levi with historical makers of the level of Jordan and Federer. The scale and scale of the entire negotiation have been raised to a whole new level, which is indeed far beyond expectations.

Donald also noticed it, turned around and looked at Levi, gave a faint smile, and looked as if it was a matter of course, which calmed Levi down.

Edwards also realized that today's negotiations might not produce any results because the positioning of both parties was fundamentally different.

But what really makes Edwards curious is whether Under Armour and Adidas can really satisfy Donald's ambitions? A running back who can create league history?
No matter how I think about it, it seems like a fairy tale!

On the surface, Edwards did not show it, but said something meaningful, inadvertently revealing a hint of sarcasm and teasing.

"It seems that you are full of confidence."

Is this a complaint about Donald overestimating his own capabilities?

(End of this chapter)