Chapter 118: Businessmen

The Melbourne Grand Prix was the first leg of the 2005 IAAF World Athletics Tour. In 2005, the IAAF planned a massive schedule of 36 events, including the Tour, the Golden League, and the Super Grand Prix. Averaging three meets a month, the scale was unprecedented. Each event offered specialized prize money and ranking points; with a high enough standing, athletes could qualify for the Golden League and compete for the fifty-kilogram gold prize, culminating in the Super Grand Prix at the end of the year.

As a stop on the Tour, the Melbourne meet awarded the champion 6 points toward the 2005 IAAF annual ranking. Ultimately, as long as an athlete performed well and maintained a busy schedule, earning millions of dollars in a single year was quite common. Of course, most athletes capable of achieving such results did not rely solely on prize money. Especially in the mainland, with its vast consumer market and relatively weaker track and field presence, the value of a champion was immense. After all, had Pan Kai not already secured an endorsement deal with A.F.?

"The General Administration of Sport is very satisfied with the terms of this A.F. endorsement contract," Dong Zijian said. "They believe it is more favorable to us than the deal between DM and Liu Yu."

"In the DM and Liu Yu contract, Liu Yu takes 50%, the coach 15%, the provincial team 20%, and the Athletics Management Center only gets 15%. Naturally, they were dissatisfied," Li Yan replied. "In our contract, Pan Kai gets 40%, we take 10%, the provincial team takes 10%, and the remaining 40% goes to the General Administration."

"But the General Administration feels the contract amount is too low," Dong Zijian noted.

"That is because Pan Kai’s results aren't quite there yet. Liu Yu’s future holds the Grand Slam of the high hurdles, while Pan Kai… he still has a long way to go," Li Yan explained. "Pan Kai only secured this A.F. deal by being positioned as a counterpart to Liu Yu. Those guys at A.F. are sharp; they wanted a mainland ambassador, but they certainly wouldn't offer Pan Kai the same figures they gave Liu Yu."

Dong Zijian nodded, understanding the logic.

"Regardless, this is still a multi-million-dollar contract. Our coaching staff will receive a 10% share. Since our staff is small, we will split it seventy-thirty," Li Yan said.

"…That’s too much," Dong Zijian shook his head quickly.

"Compared to your contributions to the national team, it is not much at all. As long as Pan Kai’s performance continues to improve, there will be second, third, and even more lucrative contracts. This is what I call the sports business," Li Yan smiled like a devil. "It is truly enticing."

Dong Zijian’s resolve wavered.

***

200-meter champion of the Melbourne leg of the IAAF World Athletics Tour. A.F. brand ambassador.

At the start of 2005, these two pieces of news regarding Pan Kai hit the domestic sports world like boulders. Following DM's choice of Liu Yu, A.F.’s selection confirmed from a commercial standpoint that Pan Kai possessed the highest commercial value in track and field, second only to Liu Yu. Meanwhile, his stunning 20.35-second performance in the Melbourne 200-meter race propelled his fame to its peak.

On the internet, public opinion surged like a tide. Lu Su bore the brunt of it. Countless paid commenters flooded news reports and forums supporting Lu Su, trampling his reputation mercilessly. Lu Su’s supporters were left speechless. After Pan Kai shattered his personal best in the 200 meters, he was indisputably the premier sprinter in the country. As for Lu Su’s indoor Grand Slam achievements… everyone knew Pan Kai never even competed in indoor events. World-class sprinters had never been particularly interested in indoor races anyway. Now, even the most stubborn of Lu Su’s supporters couldn't find a way to argue that his results were on par with Pan Kai's.

But Guan Zhaoyue felt something was wrong. He made a special trip to the sports academy to find Lu Jinrong. Recently, Guan had been visiting the Pengcheng Sports Academy frequently, mostly to interview Lu Su or simply to observe his training.

Lu Jinrong received the provincial newspaper editor, who had been tirelessly cheering for Lu Su, in his office.

"Old Lu, tell Lu Su not to take Pan Kai’s results to heart. He’s just bluffing," Guan Zhaoyue said.

"Oh? What makes you say that?" Lu Jinrong asked, puzzled.

"Look at this. This is the schedule for this year’s IAAF Golden League and the Golden Grand Prix events. The men's events include the 100m, 110m hurdles, 400m..." Guan Zhaoyue showed him the documents.

"Right," Lu Jinrong nodded.

"This year’s Golden Grand Prix does not include the 200 meters," Guan Zhaoyue pointed out.

"I see... you mean this event isn't a priority this year, so the competition is weak?" Lu Jinrong realized.

The Golden Grand Prix consisted of six meets, running from June through December. Before June, there were Tour events held at least once per continent. Not every event in these tours became a prize-money event in the six Golden Grand Prix meets, and the 200 meters was not among the events eligible for the golden prize this year.

Guan Zhaoyue continued, "Exactly. The 200-meter event at the Melbourne meet had almost no top-tier athletes participating, which is how Pan Kai managed to take first place with a 20.35. The Thailand Athletics Open was the same; although it’s an IAAF-certified secondary tour event, it was held at the end of the year when world-class sprinters were focused on the Super Grand Prix, so no one paid it any attention. Pan Kai picked up a win there as well."

"So, Li Yan is deliberately having Pan Kai enter these low-competition international meets to win first place, and then using that to market him domestically..." Lu Jinrong finally understood.

"This isn't a sports mindset; it’s a business mindset," Guan Zhaoyue said. "And to think Pan Kai actually landed an A.F. endorsement deal—it really is a case of 'when there is no tiger on the mountain, the monkey claims to be king'!"

"You can't quite say that. If not for Lu Su, Pan Kai would be the genuine top sprinter in the country, aside from the 110m hurdles," Lu Jinrong argued. The results were there: a 10.15 in the 100m and a 20.35 in the 200m were truly two unprecedented peaks in domestic sports history.

"Pan Kai’s results are suspicious, too. At last year’s Izmir Universiade, his 100m time was only 10.30. He disappeared for a few months, supposedly for overseas training, and comes back with such a massive improvement?" Guan Zhaoyue shook his head. "It’s completely irrational!"

"If you put it that way, Lu Su’s improvement is also irrational," Lu Jinrong countered. "A result is a result. If Lu Su doesn't surpass Pan Kai, he isn't the best in the country. The National Games are a hurdle he must clear. If he makes it, he becomes a dragon; if he doesn't..."

If he didn't, he would forever be suppressed by Pan Kai, suppressed by Li Yan, with no hope of rising for a long time.

"Li Yan is truly a businessman," Lu Jinrong sighed. "He has exploited every single detail to perfection, leaving no room for argument."