The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 146 Gan vs. Qiao

Gan Guoyang felt somewhat apologetic as he left Cleveland.

He never expected that so many fans would come to watch him play at this godforsaken Rifield Arena.

He was in great agony when he could only sit on the sidelines and watch his teammates play while the audience shouted for refunds.

He felt he had let down the fans' expectations, even though most people were looking forward to seeing him wrestle rather than play basketball.

In a post-game interview outside the locker room, Gan Guoyang said, "I will definitely play as long as I can, regardless of my form. I like the feeling of being on the court. I can meet the fans' expectations and play a great game. That's what they come here for, and that's the meaning of the basketball league. I feel sorry that I can't play for some reasons. I regret it a bit now. I should have grabbed him by the neck and punched him. That should have been allowed."

The reporters laughed when he said this. Gan Guoyang was mocking the league's double standards. Dr. J choked Bird and hit him, but the league didn't suspend him and just fined him.

Stern originally intended to suspend the player for three games, but under pressure from Fleischer and advice from other executives, he decided to impose only one game.

This contrasts sharply with Stern's later decisiveness, because the current NBA lacks the foundation for decisiveness.

Stern's top priority after taking office was to boost attendance and viewership.

As for conflicts between players, as long as they are not as serious as those involving Tomjanovich, a more lenient approach in certain situations can actually help generate buzz and increase media exposure and viewership.

Stern had keenly realized that the era of live television broadcasting was the era of eyeballs, and nothing was more important than topics and exposure.

The world is gradually becoming interconnected, and what is happening in Detroit will soon be broadcast on television to Los Angeles, Florida, and even Alaska.

The topic is no longer limited to a specific region. The NBA has long since abolished the regional draft system. Now they have to compete with the NFL and MLB for media coverage and television time, so they need attractive topics.

For example, if a tackle on the basketball court doesn't result in serious consequences, it's just a farce and a comedy that everyone enjoys watching.

Bill Laimbeer's past villainous image had a dramatic effect at this moment, with some fans even sending "condolence letters" and tributes to the "Little White Flower."

If Gan Guoyang is suspended for three games, one thing that league owners and fans will find intolerable is the clash between him and Michael Jordan.

The attention this game garnered exceeded Stern's expectations; he hadn't anticipated that such an ordinary regular season game could generate so much buzz.

Gan Guoyang left Cleveland with the team the next day. Due to rain and snow, the flight was canceled, and they continued to travel by bus to the next stop, Chicago.

After a long six-hour drive west along Interstate 90, as they crossed Waiting, Indiana and entered Illinois, the Trail Blazers players saw a huge billboard by the roadside that read, "Welcome to Chicago to get beaten up, Forrest Gump."

Back then, no one had video or photographic equipment, otherwise they would definitely have filmed the content on that billboard.

Adelman was surprised and said, "Gan, are you a wrestling star now? Coming to Chicago for an exhibition match, huh?"

"Fuck, this must be Nike's doing."

"What, Nike?"

"The shoe company in Portland, Jordan's group. Haney told me that they've been hyping up my matchup with Michael lately, it must be billboards Nike bought."

Adelman turned around and said, "Then why couldn't it be Avia who bought it? They must be trying to create hype, right?"

“Avia doesn’t have that kind of marketing sense; they wouldn’t have thought of this…and why should I get beaten up?”

Gan Guoyang is right. Behind every hot topic, there are people pushing it forward because these topics can benefit certain groups.

In the 80s, most people were completely unaware of this, taking it for granted that everything happened naturally.

Having lived through the internet age, Gan Guoyang knows that any seemingly naturally occurring social hot topic is likely to be manipulated or created by human intervention.

Nike is far superior to Avia in this regard. Highway billboards are only a small part of their advertising and marketing. Newspapers, radio, television, and electronic screens in downtown Chicago are all covered with previews of the Jordan vs. Gan game.

Nike created special shoe advertisements and documentaries for Jordan, with different types of films airing during prime time every so often.

Nike and Jordan advertisements were featured in inserts of well-known magazines such as Sports Illustrated and Life Weekly.

In the latest promotional photo, Jordan is wearing long pants, catching the ball with one hand as he flies toward the basket, with the Chicago skyline of skyscrapers visible between his legs.

The title of this print ad campaign is "Flying Over Skyscrapers," and the meaning is self-evident, as skyscrapers are Avia Gan's personal brand.

In addition, some writers also received money, and newspapers and magazines began to publish articles about the past grievances between Jordan and Gan Guoyang, looking forward to their first encounter on the professional field.

In fact, apart from facing each other in the Olympics vs. All-Star team, the two have no history of playing against each other in the NCAA. They also have a good relationship in private and have no past conflicts.

But that's professional basketball; people need rivalries, they need nemesis, like Larry Bird vs. Magic Johnson. Everyone anticipated their Finals matchup in 1984. Gan Guoyang and Jordan's performances at the start of the new season justify such expectations; they brought a breath of fresh air to the court.

A more varied and individualistic playing style, rapid speed, overwhelming power, and a prominent personality.

Both players were fined by the league for wearing shoes with such similar color schemes—red and white.

They were all so full of personality, dazzling and unique on the court, and had a huge appeal to young people in the 80s who longed for independence and freedom.

Punk, rock, anti-war, anarchy—these words, along with their negative associations with cocaine, promiscuity, and violence, have been abandoned by the new generation of young people and relegated to the dustbin of history.

Michael Jackson, Coca-Cola, Terminator, E.T., the Olympics, fitness, Nike Air Jordan, Aiva Skyscraper—these are the most popular things.

到1983年美国经济已经走出了70年代末80年代初的泥潭，在1983-1984开始迎来消费主义的狂潮，全美经济稳步增长。

As material life becomes increasingly abundant, people are eager to find and create new cultural and spiritual idols to fill the huge void that each generation leaves behind.

In peacetime, the awe and adrenaline generated by sports stars surpass everything else; they are like airplanes and cannons in everyday life.

Wherever Michael Jordan goes, fans swarm around him asking for autographs and photos, and Jordan finds it hard to refuse them.

Gan Guoyang is a ratings guarantee, the true king of ratings in the basketball world, and a favorite of television stations.

Some differences can be seen from this: Jordan is more popular with fans who love to watch games live, while Gan Guoyang is loved by family TV viewers.

According to a survey, the reason why female fans prefer Gan Guoyang's appearance and temperament is because more female fans watch TV at home.

Of course, the two players are equally popular on the court and on television. Tickets for Chicago's first career game were scalped up to more than $200 each, and some even reached a sky-high price of $500 on the day of the game.

Back then, a regular ticket for a Bulls game at the Chicago Arena cost only around $12, and even then, many people were unwilling to come and watch the game live.

However, just like housing prices, the lower the ticket price, the fewer people will buy it; the higher the price, the more people will rush to buy it, provided that there is value in the speculation.

The match between the two was undoubtedly a spectacle, and when Gan Guoyang arrived at the hotel in Chicago, reporters swarmed in like locusts.

In an era when the NBA had a poor image, players were often ignored, so such a scene was truly rare. They were clearly there for Gan Guoyang.

Among the group of reporters, Gan Guoyang spotted a familiar figure: Wu Zhixiong, a former teammate of the Shuizhong team.

Wu Zhixiong slipped him a note, and when Gan Guoyang returned to his room, he found it was a phone number with a note saying "Contact me that evening."

In the evening, Gan Guoyang called Wu Zhixiong, and the two arranged to have dinner at a high-end restaurant near the hotel.

Compared to more than six months ago, Wu Zhixiong now dresses more like a member of the public, with sophisticated attire and a gold watch on his wrist.

Gan Guoyang laughed and said, "What, you've made a fortune writing press releases and now you're wearing a Rolex?"

Wu Zhixiong laughed and said, "Hey, what Rolex? It's a fake from Hong Kong, used to show off. This industry is similar to the entertainment industry. If your clothes and appearance aren't good, no one will pay attention to you. They'll think you're a newbie and you won't be able to get any interviews. I can only make a living because of my past relationship with you."

Wu Zhixiong is being modest. You should know that he has already secured a full-time job at the Los Angeles Times because of his high school friendship with Gan Guoyang. He can start working there as soon as he graduates from university and gets his certificate.

"Did Nike give you a PR fee this time to write about my feud with Jordan before the game, to generate buzz for this match?"

"Hey, don't say that. I didn't take a single penny from Nike, but... I did take Avia's money, so I'm going to write you an interview article."

"Oh, Avia even knows how to hire PR people to write articles. Their brains aren't completely blocked yet."

"Let me tell you, Agan, these days, almost every sports reporter and writer in America, except for a few big shots, takes money. It's normal to get paid to do a job. This time, many people received two payments, one from Avia and one from Nike. Just wait and see what the result of your game is tomorrow. If the Trail Blazers win, it will be written the way they do it; if the Bulls win, it will be written the way they do it. Of course, the team is the team, and the individual is the individual. The team losing doesn't mean the individual loses too."

Upon hearing Wu Zhixiong's words, Gan Guoyang smiled and shook his head, saying, "For me, if the team loses, I lose. I think Michael must feel the same way."

Wu Zhixiong said, "I know that you and Michael are both tough guys. Even if you score 100 points, the team still loses. But fans are different. You know, when you become an idol, what you think doesn't matter. What matters most is what the fans think for you."

Gan Guoyang didn't speak. He knew Wu Zhixiong was right. Many years later, this was how the NBA and the media would develop, with the divide between the inner world and the outer world widening.

"Then let me tell you, Nobita, I may not win every game, but I will definitely be the ultimate winner."

"Haha, Forrest Gump, I believe you. Anyone who's played basketball with you can't possibly not believe you."

(End of this chapter)