On August 2, the NBA announced that the new round of labor negotiations failed again.
On October 9th, at this time in previous years, the league's preseason would have started, but because the seventh round of labor negotiations broke down again, the league announced the cancellation of the preseason.
On October 29, the eighth labor negotiation broke down again. The NBA officially announced that the 1998/99 regular season would be suspended. League players were not allowed to enter team training venues for training, and no wages would be paid during the suspension.
On November 8, Zhou Quan accepted Lewis's challenge and defeated him again in the second battle, completing his first quadruple crown defense.
"I'm tired of waiting, waiting, the shutdown is getting really boring, and I decided to retire."
At noon on December 10, Michael Jordan and his agent held a press conference in Chicago to announce his retirement.
"What?"
This incident directly knocked David Stern down. After receiving the news, he fainted in the office and was sent to the hospital.
"The only pillar supporting the NBA retires, and the NBA officially collapses!" New York Times.
"With Jordan's retirement, the NBA will likely withdraw from the competition among the four major professional sports leagues." Los Angeles Times.
Zhou Quan was also a little surprised when he received the news.
Jordan's competitive status is not bad, but he didn't expect to retire due to the lockout. However, Jordan is 36 years old and has now won another championship. Retirement is not bad.
Under the influence of Jordan's retirement, both the NBA's labor and management became anxious. They all knew that it could not be delayed any longer. If the delay continued, everyone on the labor side would lose their jobs, and the management would also suffer huge losses. Some of the remaining sponsors and NBC Television broadcasters also came up with problems, and the two sides had to speed up the negotiation process.
Time entered 1999, and the NBA league lockout continued.
On January 6, Zhou Quan attended the inauguration ceremony of his sculpture.
In addition to inviting a large number of media, the SuperSonics also invited the mayor and many celebrities and wealthy people in Seattle. Countless SuperSonics fans and his personal fans flocked to the event.
The sculpture finally adopted a passing posture, using a behind-the-back pass without looking at anyone, and was erected in the center of the square in front of the New Center Gymnasium.
On January 27, labor and management finally reached an agreement, and the league announced that the regular season would begin on February 5, with a total of 50 games.
At the same time, the league announced that the salaries of all executives and referees will be cut by another 30% and expenses will be reduced to reduce operational pressure.
In March, Zhou Quan made a cameo appearance in the Tom Cruise film, Mission: Impossible 2, which was his first electric shock.
The character is himself, and the screenwriter specially added a short plot to allow him to interact with Tom Cruise, which takes less than two minutes.
For this scene, the film studio paid Zhou Quan a salary of 10 million US dollars.
This season, the NBA has entered into a new television broadcast contract. However, without Jordan, the NBA's ratings have dropped sharply again. The average regular season ratings are only 1.2 million, the lowest in the past fifteen years, which has caused misfortune to NBC. TV stations and sponsors.
In the end, the Spurs won the championship. Tim Duncan, who debuted for two seasons, shined and achieved the status of a top star in just two seasons.
But the ratings of this finals series also fell into the pit, with an average of just over three million. The box office revenue of the finals was only one-third of last year and one-tenth of the year before that. David Stern I don’t know how to be angry anymore.
The day after the finals, David Stern returned to New York and received a call from John Green, chairman of NBC Television, requesting to meet with him immediately at NBC headquarters.
Stern couldn't refuse. After arriving at the NBC headquarters, Green said directly in the first sentence of the meeting: "Mr. Stern, the NBA must bring Iron Fist back, otherwise I would rather fight a lawsuit with the NBA." Stop that damn broadcast contract."
"I also hope to invite him back, but Chairman Green, I have tried all methods." Stern sighed.
“Is it because boxing makes more money?”
Thinking that Zhou Quan is worth 2-300 million US dollars per game, playing two games a year, which is 40-500 million US dollars, John Ringer actually has no confidence that Zhou Quan will return to the NBA.
Stern said: "The reason why he retired from the NBA was, firstly, the public opinion environment, and secondly, the league executives who I had purged targeted him and racially discriminated against him.
Last year, I purged those who were racist throughout the league, and then invited him back many times, but he still refused.
I have carefully analyzed the reasons why he refused to come back. One reason is that boxing is more profitable. The second reason is that he is probably worried that the American media will continue to target him after coming back. "
"Then solve these two problems." John Green said firmly.
"How to solve it?" Stern asked.
John Green sneered and said: "In the past year, when your NBA was in the most difficult situation, he completed the unification battle, defeated Lewis, Holyfield, and Riddick Bowe, and successfully defended the quadruple crown three times.
He won three more PGA Tour events, ranked third in total PGA Tour prize money, won the U.S. Open Championship, and truly became the king across three realms.
According to media analysis, the Iron Fist King is likely to engage in more sports, such as baseball, tennis, etc. The media has already taken photos of him training in these sports.
Nowadays, the King of Iron Fist’s status in the world of sports is unparalleled. No one is higher than him in terms of achievements, appeal, influence, and topicality.
Mr. Stern, in the past year, after he completed his heavyweight unification fight, have you seen how many American media targeted him? "
Stern was startled, and after thinking about it carefully, he really didn't.
John Green said: "He and his wife also own a listed company with a market value of 6 billion US dollars, and he is the second largest shareholder of Amazon. Coupled with his high status in the sports world, his international social status and international influence, It is no longer comparable to what it was before he retired from the NBA.
Such a person is no longer someone that the American media can easily target, even if he is a yellow-skinned Chinese. "
Stern said thoughtfully: "Even if you don't consider the issue of public opinion, how to solve the problem of money? We can't give him a salary of hundreds of millions of dollars a season."
"Is he short of money?"
John Green looked at Stern with an idiot look, and then said with some anger: "It can be said that he was forced out of the NBA by the idiots you purged. I think that if you want to invite him back, you must We need to show greater sincerity.”
"Greater sincerity?" Stern was lost in thought.
He was definitely not an idiot. As a Jew, he was very good at thinking. Soon, he had ideas.
It’s not just NBC and he who desperately want King of Iron Fist to return to the NBA, but also all team owners in the league, all players, executives and referees whose salaries are less than half of what they were before, and countless NBA fans. He decided, To unleash the power of everyone, bring back the King of Iron Fist.
…
Since Zhou Quan won the quadruple crown, he has successfully defended it three times in the past year. He has held the quadruple crown for more than 12 months and won five more championships in golf. He plans to return to China to rest for a while recently.
The Olympics are only a year away, and he actually has some ideas.
On June 15, 1999, he, Zeng Li, and Zhou Jun and Zhou Ye, who were on summer vacation, returned to the capital, and were picked up by Zhou Jianguo.
As Zhou Quan's domestic agent and the vice chairman of Jazz Coffee, Zhou Jianguo now spends more than half of his time in the capital. He looks like a successful businessman, wearing a suit and tie, and his waistline has grown three times.
"Dad, why are you so fat?" Zhou Quan was shocked when he saw his father's big belly.
"At least 200 pounds." Zhou Jun said, staring at his father's big belly.
"It's okay, I'm in good health." Zhou Jianguo said cheerfully.
"What's good? I think you definitely have fatty liver in your belly. Fat and sugar are converted into each other. People with fatty liver have a high chance of getting diabetes. You can go for a physical examination later." Zhou Quan said.
"I think I'm in good health." Zhou Jianguo said reluctantly.
"In this way, after Xiao Yezi's college entrance examination, you and my mother will go to the United States together. First, control your weight and take good care of your body." Zhou Quan added.
"What about domestic affairs? You two are not in the country, why don't I help you take care of it?" Zhou Jianguo asked unwillingly.
"The earth will continue to work without everyone, but the NBA will continue to play without me? Dad, it's better to leave those things to professional managers. We can just enjoy life by ourselves." Zhou Quan said with a smile.
Zhou Jianguo glanced at Zeng Li and asked: "Don't talk about me first. Didn't you two say that you would have one this year? Why haven't you made any news yet? Little Yezi will take the college entrance examination soon. Your mother has nothing to do, so she just pointed the child. Where is the grandson?"
"Come on, come on, get ready." Zhou Quan said with a smile.
"That's good. Does your word count this time?" Zhou Jianguo asked worriedly.
"Of course it counts." Zhou Quan and Zeng Li nodded hurriedly.
After staying in the capital for three days, Zeng Li, as the chairman of the Jazz, inspected the headquarters in the capital and visited several stores.
Jazz already has 35 stores in Beijing. With the rapid changes in Beijing, the number of Jazz stores in Beijing continues to increase.
On the 20th, a family of three returned to Changsha.
Zhou Ye is about to take the college entrance examination, which is on July 7th. Now is the final review time.
…
"Erwin, there is a very important matter for the alliance now, which is related to the life and death of the alliance. Your strength is needed."
On this day, David Stern contacted Magic Johnson.
"Mr. Stern, tell me what I want to do."
Although Magic Johnson has retired, he still has to rely on the NBA to maintain his influence and make money, so he immediately made an attitude that satisfied Stern.
"We are going to China to visit the Iron Fist King, and we hope you will join us." Stern said.
"..."
The magician was silent for a moment, and then said: "OK, I can do anything for the alliance. Besides, there is no conflict between me and Iron Fist."
"That would be best. The alliance will notify you of the departure time." Stern said.
Then he contacted Larry Bird, and Larry Bird agreed. He couldn't stand the current situation of the league anymore, and the ratings were not as good as those of his era.
Then they invited Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Reggie Miller, Bill Walton, O'Neal, Drexler, Rodman, Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Schremf and other stars who have good relationships with Zhou Quan.
We also invited a large number of active and retired top 50 stars, such as super center David Robinson, who just won the championship, King of the Rings Russell, Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, Elgin Baylor, etc.
He even considered inviting Jordan, but ultimately gave up the idea.
…
On the 22nd, a few minutes after 8 p.m., Ballmer called suddenly.
"Iron Fist, David Stern and the executives from the league headquarters, including some people from the referee committee, as well as all the team owners, as well as dozens of current and retired league stars, will go to China the day after tomorrow. Visiting you," Ballmer said.
"What?" Zhou Quan was startled.
This year's draft is about to take place, come to him at this time?
"Iron Fist, the alliance can no longer hold on, they have to ask you to come back." Ballmer said.
Zhou Quan smiled. With such a big move, the alliance seemed to be unable to survive.
"Steve, are you coming too?" he asked.
"I don't have much time, but Stern repeatedly begged me, and I can only find time to take a trip." Ballmer said.
"In addition, Iron Fist, Stern has sent his special assistant, Chris Baikan, as a precursor, and he will contact you."
After hanging up the phone, he told Zeng Li about the matter, and Zeng Li joked: "Hubby, the Olympics are only one year away. You probably want to go back, right?"
Zhou Quan chuckled.
Next year is the Olympics, the last chance to complete the task. Of course he has to give it a try. If he can complete the task, increasing his immunity to 100% will be of great benefit to him. He may not get sick in the future and may live longer. It will increase a bit.
But he has not played a basketball game in two years and has no formal basketball training. His strength must have declined a lot, so now he also needs a chance to play, and returning to the NBA is one of the best options.
On the 23rd, a dozen executives from the NBA league headquarters, including three senior vice presidents and eight senior referees, arrived in Los Angeles under the leadership of David Stern.
At the same time, more than a dozen NBA team owners, as well as many active or retired stars, arrived in Los Angeles.
Under the intentional promotion of David Stern and NBC TV, the news that the NBA League will organize a delegation to visit the Iron Fist King in China and invite the Iron Fist King to return to the NBA has spread throughout the United States and the world before noon. China.
"These guys..."
When Jordan saw the news, he was very depressed and a little sad.
He has worked hard for the league for so many years, and one year after he retired, the league's ratings are also going crazy. Why don't these guys form a group to invite him out? Everyone only knows how to praise the stinky feet of the Iron Fist King. Is it interesting?
"Michael, if King of Iron Fist comes back, do you want to make a comeback?" David Frank called and asked.
"No, I already have four championships, and coming back doesn't mean anything to me. What I hope most now is to become the boss of a team, not to come back." Jordan said.
His actual thought is, why come back? I am already old, why should I go back and be tortured by that guy from Iron Fist?
…
(End of chapter)
