American Football: King of the Bay Area

”To you, all Asians look young.”

Faced with this common misconception about age, Lu Ke responded with a lighthearted, teasing smile. His poised and easygoing demeanor made the middle-aged man in the suit before him smile as well. He played along, asking, ”So, do all Americans look old in your eyes?”

It was a tricky question, but Lu Ke didn’t seem flustered in the slightest, answering smoothly, ”That depends on whether it’s a man or a woman.”

The middle-aged man paused for a moment, then caught the implication and burst into a cheerful laugh. He took Lu Ke’s right hand, gave it a firm squeeze, and shook it a few times. ”I like that answer. I should write that down to use later.” Then, he released Lu Ke’s hand, turned towards the sofa area, and gestured with an invitation. ”Please, have a seat.”

There was no self-introduction, no mention of the meeting’s purpose. Everything felt completely out of the blue.

Out of the corner of his eye, Lu Ke could see Lech approaching. But with everyone present, it clearly wasn’t a good time for a private conversation. Lech hadn’t given him any warning on the phone beforehand. For a veteran agent, it was unlikely he would make such a rookie mistake. That meant either Lech had done this on purpose, or the other party had specifically requested it.

Whatever the case, Lu Ke composed himself. He didn’t shoot a look at Lech for help, nor did he panic and ask for details. Instead, he strode forward calmly and took a seat on the sofa directly across from the man, looking relaxed and at ease. Lech then sat down beside him.

The middle-aged man, who had sat down first, kept his eyes fixed on Lu Ke. Lu Ke’s poised and unhurried demeanor, neither obsequious nor arrogant, made the man give a slight nod, his expression satisfied. Still, he didn’t rush to the point. Instead, he carefully looked over Lu Ke’s attire.

Today, Lu Ke had swapped his usual athletic wear for a white shirt and jeans, paired with skate shoes that had lake-blue soles and dark brown trim. It was a simple, tasteful outfit that made him look like a typical college student. However, his build was lean and tall, his features handsome, and his disposition bright and open. He had a scholarly air often associated with Asians—youthful, energetic, handsome, and sunny.

The middle-aged man nodded slightly and said with a smile, ”Has anyone ever told you you’re a handsome young man?”

’For a man to ask a question like that in a hotel... If I wasn’t so sure that Lech Steineberg is a legitimate and professional agent, it’d be hard not to get the wrong idea right now.’

A chuckle escaped him as the corners of his mouth turned up into a grin. ”Coming from a man,” Lu Ke replied, ”that’s a first.”

It was a witty and humorous reply, not just self-deprecating but also poking fun at the atmosphere. The clever approach was truly ingenious, catching the other man off guard for a second before he clapped his hands and roared with laughter. Even Lech, sitting beside Lu Ke, was surprised and chuckled in amusement.

The middle-aged man waved his hand dismissively. ”What I mean is, you have a great image. You must know that a professional athlete’s image has commercial value, right? It’s not fair, but it’s the reality. Beyond the game, beyond winning, there are other factors at play.”

It’s a rule of business. Take Tom Brady, for instance. He’s a handsome man, so his commercial value and market potential are that much greater. David Beckham in soccer, Roger Federer in tennis, LeBron James in basketball—it’s the same for all of them.

It’s a world where looks matter, and the world of sports is no exception.

At that moment, Lu Ke understood. He now knew why Lech had told him to wear casual clothes on the phone. But that only raised more questions. ’What’s this all about? Who is this guy? What’s the purpose of this meeting?’

Before Lu Ke could ask, Lech seized the perfect opportunity to interject, smoothly steering the conversation and subtly providing Lu Ke with the answers he was looking for. ”Lu Ke, this is Sean Callow, the General Manager of Under Armour’s West Coast Marketing Department. Sean, this is Lu Ke, the rookie quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers.”

To the Asian market, Under Armour was a relatively unfamiliar brand. When people thought of sportswear, the two giants that always came to mind were Nike and Adidas, locked in competition across every field of sports. But in the United States, Under Armour was an incredibly important brand.

Under Armour was a very young company, founded in 1996 by a former college football player named Kevin Plank.

Plank had a respectable college career, but he never made it to the NFL. Instead, he started his own business after graduation. While playing, he noticed how his pure cotton T-shirts would get soaked with sweat, which was incredibly uncomfortable. That’s when Plank came up with a business idea—

to develop a material that would allow athletes to stay dry and light during intense activity.

And so, Under Armour was born.

As a brand founded by a former football player, Under Armour naturally got its start in football. As early as 2006, it signed a deal with the NFL, becoming one of the league’s three official footwear sponsors alongside Nike and Reebok. It used this as a launching point to truly carve out its own market niche.

Now, Under Armour has firmly established itself in the United States, gradually becoming synonymous with premium, professional-grade gear. Many professional athletes have become loyal devotees, and its line of moisture-wicking apparel, in particular, has become the top choice for many sports enthusiasts.

Of course, compared to top-tier brands like Nike and Adidas, Under Armour’s market share was still relatively low. It primarily focused on a high-end, premium niche, but the company was ambitious and constantly working to expand its market.

Last year, Under Armour officially made its move into the NBA, signing the Golden State Warriors’ 2009 rookie, Stephen Curry, as a spokesperson, hoping to break into the basketball market step by step. It was a young brand rooted in professional performance with a global vision, possessing both the capability and the ambition to grow.

The meeting’s true purpose was gradually becoming clear. ’I never would have imagined... this sudden, urgent business was a meeting with a marketing manager from Under Armour.’

Upon this realization, Lu Ke’s composure finally broke, his youth showing through as he looked at Lech with a mix of excitement and utter disbelief. ’We only signed the contract twenty-four hours ago, and Lech has already found my first sponsor? And it’s Under Armour?’

This wasn’t just fast and efficient; it was astounding!

Lu Ke was a rookie who had only played three games in his entire career. Moreover, as a player of Chinese Descent, his appeal in the North American market was admittedly limited.

In fact, forget Lu Ke; even Logan and Marcus hadn’t managed to land any endorsement deals yet. Currently, among all the San Francisco 49ers rookies, Aldon Smith was the only one with a sponsorship. As a first-round pick, he had signed a shoe deal with Nike.

But now, here Lu Ke was, sitting directly across from Sean Callow. Regardless of how this meeting ended, Lech’s ability—the prowess and tactics of a top agent—was undeniable. Now, Lu Ke was finally starting to truly grasp it: the ”Mr. Sweetheart” moniker was definitely not just for show.

”Uh...” Lu Ke stammered. He then saw Lech’s calm smile and the subtle nod he gave toward Sean. Lu Ke turned his gaze back to Sean, took a moment to quiet the storm of thoughts in his head, and got back into the rhythm of their conversation. ”But... at the end of the day, winning is what’s most important, isn’t it?”

A player’s image was important for commercial value, but for the player himself, winning was more important than image. Otherwise, it wouldn’t matter if you were the most handsome man on earth.

Although he was a little flustered, Lu Ke hadn’t lost his train of thought and managed to seamlessly pick up the conversation, responding to Sean’s earlier point. This made Sean nod in satisfaction once more. ”Yes, winning is always the most important thing. Fortunately, you’ve won three consecutive games, and your momentum is still building. That’s why we’re sitting here today.”

For a professional athlete, on-field performance is one thing, and their image in private life is another. Dominating on the field doesn’t mean you’ll be universally loved off of it. However, Sean was very pleased with how Lu Ke was handling himself. It wasn’t just his personal image, but his conversation, personality, and style—his overall charisma—that had left a deep impression on him.

Everyone was watching Lu Ke.

Beyond Under Armour, brands like Nike, Adidas, Puma, and Reebok were all doing the same. Because of Lu Ke’s background as a player of Chinese Descent, he was generating too much buzz and attracting too much attention to be ignored. But every brand was watching from the sidelines, not only observing his wins but also gauging the market’s reaction and Lu Ke’s public image.

Everyone was judging, and everyone was waiting. For top-tier brands like Nike and Adidas, they could afford to play the waiting game. With the slightest beckoning, countless athletes would jump at the chance to sign with them. But for a company like Under Armour, they had to be willing to take more risks.

Take Stephen Curry in the NBA, for instance. Or, for another example, the man sitting before him now: Lu Ke.

Lech Steineberg was truly one of the top figures in the industry. Sean had been a bit surprised when Lech called, but he had ultimately agreed to the meeting.

What was unexpected was that after talking with him face-to-face, Sean found he genuinely liked the rookie. He first saw an outstanding quarterback whose competitive style on the field carried over into his everyday life. Only after that did he see the market potential that came with his identity as a player of Chinese Descent.

Nike and Adidas had no need to sign Lu Ke to expand into the Asian market; they already had plenty of top-tier basketball and soccer players from Asia on their rosters. Under Armour, however, needed a breakthrough like this. American football was Under Armour’s home turf to begin with. Choosing Lu Ke seemed like the perfect partnership.