the rest, only noise

Chapter 738 Return the viewing value to the alliance

If Louie leads a small city team, or a team with little commercial value, such as the Boston Celtics, it will be a bit of a loss, and you can eat it.

But now that he's the coach of the New York Knicks, with New York on his head, it's very different.

As of 1990, compared with the previous decade, the commercial value of the alliance can be regarded as officially taking off.

The annual contract dividend alone can make most teams profitable, and a team like the Knicks will make money no matter how competitive the team is.

The difference is a small profit-as a weak team, it is still the league's most commercially valuable and profitable team.

Or make a lot of money - as a strong team or even a championship team, it is unrivaled in the league and is a real money-absorbing machine.

Not to mention, the Knicks are now aiming at the base of the Yankees fans, trying to create a city totem image in the hearts of the New York generation.

According to the previous year's financial report, excluding the TV broadcast contract, the Knicks accounted for 50% of the league's pure commercial income, the Lakers accounted for 30%, and the remaining teams accounted for 20%.

You know, the Knicks account for 50% of the league's revenue, but they have to allocate a considerable part to other teams.

This is equivalent to, including the top executives of the league, the entire NBA, except the Lakers, everyone has to share money from the Knicks.

It's nothing to say that a big city team also helps other teams, but you want to share your income, and you want to fuck you at this critical moment, what is this?
A bunch of beggars, are they fine? Dare to bully me?

This is Louie's reaction when he found out that the Knicks had been sacked by the league.

Do you want to play one more finals?Yes, but if you disgust me, I will disgust you too;

You want to watch games that are highly entertaining, but after you disgusted me, you still want to watch games that are entertaining?
TV contract?The little money that is distributed every year is not enough for the Knicks from the sponsors. I value that stuff?

This matter, it's okay not to think about it, the more I think about it, the more angry I get, and I can't control my anger.

The person who called Louie afterwards was the league's vice president, Rod Thorn.

Before 1986, Thorne served as the general manager of the Bulls, and was later appointed by Stern as the vice president and chief disciplinary officer of the league. At the beginning of this year, he joined the Olympic Committee of the American Basketball Association, just to promote the league's release of professional American players to participate in the national team.

This person is undoubtedly Stern's right-hand man. Asking him to persuade Louis shows that the top management of the alliance is really anxious.

Louis came outside with a mobile phone called "Big Brother" by later generations, because there were players in the locker room and it was inconvenient to talk.

"Coach Lu, we will deal with the matter of the referee seriously after the game is over. I wonder if you can coordinate with the players a little bit."

"Wait, Rhodes, don't talk to me in the tone that we have already reached an agreement. This matter is not over yet, do you want to tell me that the game has developed to this point because you instigated the referee behind the scenes to favor the Lakers? Can you take this responsibility?"

"No, Louie, I"

"Relax, I know this matter has nothing to do with you. That gentleman and I have always worked together happily, but he has gone too far." Louis said unceremoniously, "Now, the only way you can make this game normal is to let him come and talk to me. I want a promise, a guarantee, and I want to make sure that this kind of shit doesn't happen again. If he doesn't want to, let the ratings of this game go to hell!"

After Louis hung up the phone, only half a minute later, the third call came.

"Looks like we really need to have a good talk."

The other side said.

This is the voice.

This was the only voice Louis wanted to hear. Such a girly voice sounded very kind, but everyone in the alliance knew that there was a violent heart hidden under the voice of this person who was almost a fake girl.

He is undoubtedly a irascible president.

Forced to call and clear up misunderstandings with an NBA head coach under the age of 30 like today, no one will believe it.

"Indeed." Louie smiled coldly, "You insulted three groups at the same time by doing this. First of all, you insulted the Lakers. You think that with their strength, if they play normally, they can't drag the series to Game [-] or even Game [-] according to your plan. It's ridiculous. In your opinion, how weak is the Lakers?
Secondly, you have insulted all the fans, whether it is on the spot or in front of the TV. The NBA is the best league in the world. If the league can manipulate the results of the game at will, what is the value of winning or losing?David, have you forgotten how Maurice Podoloff's reputation was discredited? "

"All right!"

The other party raised his voice.

"You think it's okay? Are you ashamed, Mr. President?" Louie said angrily, "You should be ashamed. This series should have been more exciting. You ruined it. If you didn't accuse those stupid referees of favoring the Lakers, things wouldn't have come to this point. The ones you insulted the most were not the Lakers, because they were not our opponents anyway; nor were the fans, because the fans have always been stupid; it was us who suffered your worst insult! Because of you, we couldn't do our best in this game." Let’s go! We have to use extreme methods to change this game, but in the end we will lose the game, because this is the purpose of the league, you want us to lose. But don’t forget, only for spectator games, it’s meaningful to play one more game, like tonight’s shit, playing 10 minutes more is probably too much. Because of you, I made the players do a lot of unsportsmanlike things, but only in this way, I can make you condescend to call me and come and have a good talk with me!”

"Now I wonder, after insulting everyone, what do you want to talk to me about?"

After being scolded by Louis, the other party did not lose his mind.

He is very clear that if the commercial value of the league wants to achieve a second take-off in the 90s, it must have a strong Knicks team.

Louis, as the Knicks' president of operations and head coach, is someone he can't offend anyway.

"Louis, we're supposed to be friends."

Louis said coldly: "I hope that the fewer friends like you, the better."

"No, Louie, there must be some misunderstanding. Now that I know what you're thinking, I'll fix it."

"I can guarantee the orderly progress of the subsequent games, and I can also guarantee the fairness of the referee in law enforcement, but I need you to stabilize the second half for us."

Louis asked sarcastically, "How can I help you? Don't you know I was evicted? That's two solid T's."

"Louis, I can guarantee that this will never happen again."

Talking is better than singing, but what about action?Where is the action?
"It's not that I don't believe you. According to Mr. President, the farce tonight seems to have nothing to do with you. Since it has nothing to do with you, does it mean that some fucking bastards who have grown hair but haven't laid eggs are behind their backs? If you are kept in the dark, how can I believe your guarantee is true?" Louis said his wish tactfully. The bastards are instigating behind the scenes, and they will also help our opponents in the game, because they don't like me. I heard that they will be the referees for the finals of the next few games. How can I rest assured?"

At this point, the Knicks players came out of the locker room one by one.

The second half is about to begin.

There is not much time left for the other party.

After only a few seconds, the other party said: "Darrell is too old to support the law enforcement work for consecutive finals. Hugh Hollins' shift time is up, and Dick Bavita does have a reputation for favoring the Lakers in the game. Regarding their job transfer, I will communicate it immediately, and you will receive my fax in a few minutes."

"Great, David, this is what a friend should do. I think there must be some misunderstanding in the middle, and you must have been kept in the dark by some bastard." Louis said every "bastard" made the other party feel uncomfortable.

"Can you bring this game back to normal?"

"Of course!"

Louis said with a smile: "If you had communicated with me like this earlier, where would you have caused all these troubles? Isn't it just to make the game both topical and enjoyable? This game should be regarded as my gift to you. Stay tuned for the next game."

"It's not for us, it's because you lost the game due to some unfair calls from the referee."

"Yes, we lost the game. Whatever you say is what you say."

"It's not what I say, it's the truth."

"Yes Yes Yes."

When Louis hung up the phone, Zhao Yuanzheng stood at the door of the locker room.

Obviously he listened to what should be heard and what should not be heard.

"Old Lu, how dare you threaten the president?"

"President?" Louis snorted coldly. "When I recognized him, he was the president. If you want to punish me like tonight without saying hello, then he is no different from a bastard like Dick Bavita."

Zhao Yuanzheng asked: "What about this game?"

"You tell Rudy," Louis said lightly, "return the entertainment to the league."

⑴Maurice Podolf was the first president of the league and was involved in a gambling scandal in the early 50s.

(End of this chapter)