From Arsenal to the Ball God

But continuing like this is not really the solution. Many Arsenal players have a certain international influence; they can’t always participate in his show for free.

Once or twice is understandable, but if it keeps happening, it will likely make them slowly feel annoyed and make him seem a bit shameless.

”Let’s do this.”

Ma’el thinks for a while and suggests to Peter: ”For that Arsenal column show, the money shouldn’t be all ours. If we want to do it long-term, we must share the profits with the club’s players and Wenger.

”How about sixty-forty? As the producer, we’ll take 60%, and the remaining 40% goes to them.

”Even if it’s not much, it’s a token of goodwill. They participate in the show once or twice a year and earn a few thousand pounds, which makes their efforts worthwhile.”

Peter nods after listening, agreeing with the proposal, ”This is better. I had thought about it before but found it difficult to bring it up with you.

”They can earn some income from it, so it’s not just exploiting your reputation.”

The two confirm this point and then discuss the plan for the show’s first episode, scheduled to start filming tomorrow, with the release on February 1st.

”I have recorded plenty of training footage; later, I’ll spend some time recording my voice. You’ll need to put more effort into the editing process.”

Ma’el has indeed been recording during this period. He remembers the paper had promised fans that the first episode would invite Wenger and Mendes as guests to launch his column.

He has already talked with them, and luckily Mendes is in London, which means there is no need for a special invitation, ”Wenger and Mendes will come at different times, one tomorrow and one the day after.

”There shouldn’t be any issues with the timing, right? As for the club’s column show... I’ll open the first episode alone, and invite Van Persie for the second one.”

”Okay!”

Peter nods heavily, eyes filled with anticipation for the future. These two shows will bring not only money to the paper but also a good boost in influence.

He is even more convinced that as long as they follow Ma’el and Arsenal, this paper will surely achieve better development!

”There’s one more thing,” Peter recalls, saying, ”Amelia has more than three hundred thousand followers on social media. We are preparing to market her personal influence more vigorously, letting her officially take the position of editor-in-chief.

”She might still not be involved in any decision-making, but will be our paper’s sole spokesperson to the public, our face.”

”She’ll be fine with it; that’s how it should be,” Ma’el nods with a smile. A beautiful female journalist is indeed very effective for a football column.

Ma Fanshu from CCTV’s Channel 5 is a great example. She was the reason many Chinese fans turned on their TVs to watch Channel 5 during those years.

...

On January 29, the recording of the two shows began. Wenger went to the paper after finishing the morning training session.

Ma’el wanted to accompany him but was called by Mendes to Puma’s headquarters, where the UK regional director Alto was eager to meet him.

”Mr. Mendes.”

On the way to headquarters, Ma’el looks at the recently radiant Mendes and can’t help but tease him, ”Puma’s tiered bonus clauses offer an additional reward of £300,000 for every £1 million below £3 million.

”If I can earn another bonus of about £800,000 this season, bringing the total bonus to around £1.8 million, shouldn’t they give me an extra reward of £300,000?”

Mendes nods, eyes filled with confusion, not understanding why Ma’el is calculating this way. The bonus of £300,000 also applies to each £1 million milestone.

”In that case, my total bonus comes to £2.1 million.”

Ma’el smirks and jokes, ”With the second million, shouldn’t they give me another extra reward?”

Mendes is stunned, turning to see Ma’el’s clear eyes, momentarily speechless, not knowing what to say.

Upon seeing the smile on Ma’el’s face, he finally realizes Ma’el is just teasing him, laughing absurdly, ”Haha... What a genius.”

The two joke as they arrive at Alto’s office and push the door open to enter.

”Welcome, my friends.”

As before, Alto is already seated in his office, waiting for them, standing up and opening his arms for a greeting as they enter.

Ma’el hugs him briefly and looks at the London scenery through his office’s floor-to-ceiling windows, feeling that this business elite’s life is always filled with the smell of money.

”Unfortunately, the bonus contract didn’t include clauses for the top ten in the Golden Ball Award or the Puskás Award.”

Alto is straightforward, steering the conversation directly to the topic, ”But we are well aware of what brand value enhancement Puma can gain from a player achieving these honors as a Puma ambassador.”

This is indeed common knowledge. His candidness is meant to express that Puma Company will not play dumb at such times and will give the players the benefits they deserve.

For ordinary players, it doesn’t matter. Who would rush to send money?

But the key is that Ma’el is young, with unlimited potential... When they signed Ma’el, who had not yet accumulated personal honors, and offered a lucrative contract with bonus incentive clauses, it was precisely because they valued this point.

Players like him need to be kept in good relations, or they might very well switch teams after the contract period ends.

Puma’s competitors are Adi and Nike; this is quite obvious.

Both companies have been very successful in their football industry plans, possessing many top-tier stars and each having a star player, Messi and Ronaldo, as their faces.