American Football: Domination

"...Lance, it's been a real pleasure today. Please believe me when I say that Coca-Cola and your image are a perfect match. After meeting you in person, I'm even more convinced of this. The Coca-Cola family is excited about having you join us and sincerely hopes that Coca-Cola can become part of your personal brand."

Laughter rippled softly through the air as Lance led the way, with Donald behind him, forming a protective V-shaped formation to escort Coca-Cola's negotiation representative out of the hotel room.

A rendezvous?

Of course not.

If this were truly a secret rendezvous, how could it have been so high-profile? Waving at reporters at the practice facility, greeting paparazzi at the hotel entrance—none of that could count as subtle. To call it a rendezvous would be inaccurate; if anything, it would be a date.

The reason for today's visit to the Marriott Hotel was purely professional.

Two months ago, Nike resisted immense pressure and signed Lance to a historic contract, beating Adidas and Under Armour to the punch.

At the time, the deal sparked widespread controversy—there were objections, doubts, speculations, even ridicule. But now, no one questioned Nike's decision. On the contrary, envy and admiration flooded in, along with grudging respect for Nike's decisiveness and vision.

Lance had proven his worth:

His jersey sales had dominated the top spot for two straight months, showcasing his market appeal. Meanwhile, the unprecedented inclusion of a rookie in the regular season MVP conversation demonstrated his relevance in professional discourse. Across the board, Lance's star power was undeniable.

Most importantly, Lance had the league's support as his backing, which ensured his rising popularity—

Scarcity creates value.

Currently, the NFL had only one player like Lance—a Chinese-American rookie with extraordinary talent, a magnetic personality, and a unique image. No one else even came close.

No one wanted to miss out on this.

And no one would.

According to Donald, there were already over 30 sponsorship offers pouring in, so many that they could barely keep up. Even more brands were waiting and watching.

That's why they needed to tread carefully.

"Money isn't something we need to worry about right now," Donald had explained. "These offers will keep coming in, and eventually, the numbers on those checks will just become meaningless figures. What matters most—the only thing that matters—is building your brand image. Once that's established, everything else will follow."

"For example, David Beckham."

"When Beckham became a darling of sponsors, he wasn't the best player in the world—not even the best in the English league at the time. He had no championships, no major accolades, just a handsome face and a future that looked golden."

"Sure, in sports, talent and results speak the loudest. One championship isn't enough? Then win a second, a third—eventually, all the doubters will be silenced."

"But if an athlete wants to transcend the world of sports and achieve supreme influence, championships alone won't cut it. Not even ten championships will suffice. To people who don't care about football or sports, one championship and ten are the same."

"What they care about is their own needs."

"And that's where brand image comes in."

"A product is fundamentally an object of desire, something that sparks curiosity and longing."

"Beckham could make girls who didn't care about football turn on their TVs. Even if football fans scoffed at him, his influence transcended his achievements on the field. In the commercial world, that influence gave him power within the sport itself."

"And now, we need to create your brand image."

All of this came from Donald.

Clearly, Donald was a professional, and that's why Lance had signed him. Professional matters were best left to professionals.

That said, Lance had his own requirements:

No disruptions to his training. And even more importantly, no disruptions to his games.

Perhaps in his second or third year, when he became more familiar with the demands of professional football, his schedule could allow for more flexibility. Even with a busy routine, he could incorporate some extracurricular activities, expanding beyond the home-and-training-facility routine.

But for now, as a rookie, everything was still new. What he thought was the standard rhythm of the regular season turned out to be far more intense come December, as the push for the playoffs began. Training, body management, and daily routines all had to adjust accordingly.

Lance was still learning and adapting. He didn't want to lose focus.

Donald agreed wholeheartedly.

To minimize any disruption to Lance's routine, Donald had chosen Tuesday for the meetings.

Tuesdays were the lightest training days, focused on recovery and tactical preparation. Only after practice did Lance head to the Marriott Hotel to meet with potential sponsors.

Some brands wanted to see Lance in person—to experience his image and charisma face-to-face, rather than through news or TV broadcasts. Seeing the real person helped them make final decisions.

Additionally, these meetings gave Lance insight into Donald's work. If Lance had any feedback, he could voice it directly.

Coca-Cola wasn't the first brand Lance met today—it was the third.

The first was Gillette.

The second was Rolex.

Then came Coca-Cola.

Judging by the smiles, Coca-Cola's representative was very pleased. Their demeanor radiated positivity and satisfaction.

As they walked to the door, Donald stepped ahead to open it, gesturing politely for the representative to exit.

The Coca-Cola representative was just about to leave when they noticed someone standing in the doorway. Their smile froze momentarily, and a flicker of confusion and surprise crossed their face. Instinctively, they turned to Donald, eyes filled with a mix of emotions.

In that brief moment, their expression shifted rapidly, layering surprise, puzzlement, and awkwardness in a way that was impressive to behold.

Donald, too, appeared shocked and clueless. His unassuming face was painted with genuine confusion. "Oh, my apologies, I must've messed up the schedule."

Lance: Not a chance.

All the previous meetings that day had been perfectly spaced out.

After each session, Donald left a 30-minute buffer—not only to avoid overlap, ensuring that no brand representatives were left waiting, but also to give Lance and Donald time to debrief and take a breather. Throughout the day, Donald had kept a close eye on the schedule, executing everything with precision.

Lance couldn't believe the third and fourth meetings had overlapped. Donald wasn't the type to make such a rookie mistake.

More importantly, the two brands involved were—

Coca-Cola.

And Pepsi.

Lance: Ha. He'd bet 25 cents this was deliberate.

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Powerstones?

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