Chapter 370: Chapter 83: Advancement! The Cunning Wang Shuo! Phenomenal Commercial Value! Dortmund Can’t Be Without Wang Shuo Now

"The Swatch Group has so many world-level brands under its umbrella. They researched you, but they couldn’t figure out how to collaborate with you. There was no dedicated person for them to contact."

Wang Shuo fell into deep thought.

Currently, he only had four commercial endorsements: Adidas, Coca-Cola, KFC, and Porsche.

These four commercial endorsements brought him 4.5 million euros in income annually.

Is that a lot?

It’s really not a small amount.

It was even comparable to many big-name players.

That was why Wang Shuo had never realized there was a problem.

But now that Shen Qinghe had brought it up, it finally dawned on him.

These four sponsors all had one thing in common.

They had all approached him on their own initiative.

He also recalled what Thomas Essien had mentioned before: many brands and companies from back home had tried to contact him by going through Gao Huairen.

Connecting these thoughts, Wang Shuo had to admit that when it came to his commercial strategy, he was working with a complete blank slate.

At this thought, he immediately turned to look at Shen Qinghe.

It wasn’t just because she was a student at the London School of Economics and Political Science. More importantly, Wang Shuo had always felt that Shen Qinghe was incredibly competent.

He especially remembered how she had effortlessly organized trips for so many Chinese fans to watch games in Europe, all without a single hitch.

That was no easy feat.

"So, break it down for me," Wang Shuo said with a smile.

Shen Qinghe had clearly been waiting for him to ask. Composed, she smiled and said, "If I were you, I’d get a new agent!"

"Get a new agent?"

"That’s right. It’s obvious that Thomas Essien can help you with football-related matters, but his help is limited. At most, he handles logistics. When it comes to business and resources, he can’t offer you much more at all."

"Did you know? Your current business model is extremely outdated. It’s like the European clubs from a decade ago, just sitting at home and waiting for companies to come knocking."

"But that approach doesn’t work anymore. Now, you have to be proactive and go out there."

Wang Shuo thought of something.

Bayern had set up offices in New York and Asia, reportedly to further develop their overseas resources and channels.

This was exactly what Shen Qinghe meant by ’being proactive and going out there.’

"The European football scene is an industry. And in any industry, there’s a division of labor. For anyone within that system, the most important thing is to find their precise role."

"Once you’ve found your role, the right resources will naturally start flowing your way."

This line of reasoning was not hard to understand.

Wang Shuo’s mind went to the roles on a football pitch.

Sven Bender was a midfield defender, a protector for the back line.

Shahin was the one who controlled the team’s tempo, responsible for distributing the ball, organizing plays, and dictating the pace.

The reason Foyelner’s performance as the number 10 wasn’t ideal ultimately came down to his role.

His individual skill wasn’t quite up to par, which forced him to work much harder on defense.

But as a result, the number 10 spot, which is supposed to be an offensive role, was twisted into a defensive one by his play.

Shen Qinghe was right. Finding your role was the key to establishing yourself.

"I discussed this with my upperclassman at the Swatch Group. What they find most interesting about you is the Chinese market you represent. It’s a massive market coveted by countless corporations."

"Many European brands, and even global brands, want to enter that market. An endorsement deal is like a foot in the door, helping them break into the Chinese market all at once."

"By the same token, more and more Chinese brands want to expand beyond China and go global. They also need someone with influence in the global market to be their public face."

Wang Shuo understood what Shen Qinghe was saying.

’My greatest commercial value is to play that exact role.’

’To help global brands enter China, and to help Chinese brands go global.’

’I could even do a better job than Giant Yao and Flying Liu.’

’Because football is the most influential sport in the world!’

’As long as I keep playing, I can spread my influence to every corner of the Earth.’

More importantly, sports represent a positive, uplifting, and relentlessly self-improving image.

What better choice was there than Wang Shuo?

"She told me that after their marketing department ran an evaluation, they concluded that your commercial value is severely underestimated."

"Take your KFC contract, for example. You signed for one million euros, which is about the same as what Messi and the others get, right?"

Wang Shuo nodded.

He had a rough idea about that.

"But have you ever considered this? When companies decide on sponsorships, they aren’t just looking at your performance in the European football scene, or even on the world stage. If that were the case, how would you explain why Beckham’s commercial value is still so high?"

Wang Shuo fell silent.

Even now, so many years after Beckham left the major European leagues, he remained one of the world’s most commercially valuable superstars, still tied to numerous brand deals.

"Have you noticed? Kaka signed with Armani, and Ronaldo and Messi have also signed with some luxury brands. But have you seen top-tier luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Hermès, or Rolex sign football stars? It’s rare."

Wang Shuo did not answer.

He didn’t know much about the fashion industry.

"Because they don’t need to. They’re already top-tier themselves. They never go looking for ambassadors; it’s the ambassadors who are fighting to represent them. Whoever lands a deal with one of those brands sees their own market value skyrocket."