While New Manchester United began their intense preseason training, the Commercial Department achieved its first successes in developing the club's business operations for the new season, particularly after Mark David formally established the department.
Ethan's emphasis on the Commercial Department was understandable. As a transmigrator, he knew that commercial development was an important way to increase the club's influence and would also be crucial to helping New Manchester United achieve financial stability in the future.
In Ethan's previous life, why had Kaká refused to join Manchester City?
It was not because Manchester City had failed to offer him a high enough salary, nor because they had shown insufficient ambition. It was because Kaká doubted Manchester City's ability to manage a player's personal brand.
He was worried about whether Manchester City could properly manage the Kaká brand he had painstakingly built, which would remain an important source of income after he retired from football.
When Pelé fell into financial hardship, Nike helped him develop the "King Pelé" brand, ensuring that he would remain financially secure.
This also led to the birth of the so-called "Pelé jinx." After Zidane transferred to Real Madrid, the club's commercial department helped him develop his own football brand, which became no less influential than Pelé's.
In an era of increasingly sophisticated commercial development, the strength of a club's business operations would determine the calibre of stars it could attract.
To a great extent, a club's ability to attract stars would determine how far it could ultimately go.
This was why the Premier League later became a contest between four dominant clubs.
It was not because the giants had created a monopoly, nor because they had seized all the available resources. It was simply because the teams outside the top four lacked the ability to attract and retain star players.
To put it bluntly, salary was only one part of the equation.
Besides offering a salary, if a club could secure more advertising deals and sponsorships for its stars while helping them expand their global influence, would those players really leave for another club simply because it offered slightly higher wages?
Just look at how eagerly AC Milan tried to lure Beckham the previous year.
They offered him four times the salary he earned at Manchester United, but Beckham ultimately chose to remain with Manchester United.
That was because he knew that moving to AC Milan would risk damaging both his career and his influence, with the latter being almost certain.
If Ethan wanted New Manchester United to retain their star players in the future, he had to focus on commercial development.
Therefore, he fully supported Mark David in establishing the Commercial Department and gave him as much assistance as possible in every area.
As Ethan's good friend and one of New Manchester United's founding figures, Mark David clearly understood Ethan's limits regarding commercial development.
As long as it did not affect the team's performance or interfere with the head coach's authority, he was free to act according to his own judgment.
At the City Ground, Ethan had specifically provided an office suite for the Commercial Department, indirectly reminding Mark David that his authority was limited to that area.
The Newton Heath training base was Mourinho's domain, and Mark had to respect the head coach's wishes.
Beyond that, Ethan fully supported him.
Since the end of last season, Mark had not only helped New Manchester United secure a series of advertising and sponsorship agreements, but had also recruited a marketing expert from the United States.
The man had worked in NBA marketing for many years and had attended Stanford University before Mark. He was also reportedly a former classmate of John David.
The two highly capable men joined forces and began recruiting staff for New Manchester United's Commercial Department.
Unlike other football clubs, which placed great importance on tradition and preferred promoting from within, they hired purely on merit. Anyone with ability was welcome.
This allowed New Manchester United's Commercial Department to take shape quickly and soon begin producing results.
...
To keep the meeting informal, Ethan arranged for the department's routine report to be held in his office.
Head coach Mourinho and Walsh were invited to attend, while Mark was accompanied by his partner, Brian Gardner.
Gardner was a shrewd man in his thirties. He wore thin-framed glasses and had a short buzz cut, which made him look energetic and efficient.
A friendly smile always rested on his lips, giving the impression that he was calculating, but not obsessed with money.
"First, I have some news for you, Boss. Whether it's good or bad depends on how you look at it!" Mark stared at Ethan with a strange smile, as though he had done something mischievous behind his back.
Seeing his expression, Walsh wanted to slap him, but with an outsider present, he knew he had to give Mark some respect.
After all, Mark was now a department head and deserved to maintain some authority.
"All right, Mark, out with it," Walsh snapped. "Ethan doesn't have all day to waste on you!"
Mark smiled and shook his head, helpless against his older brother, Walsh.
"We've signed a new one-year kit sponsorship agreement with Umbro.
"Umbro will pay us £300,000 in sponsorship fees this season, and in return, we will provide them with six advertising boards inside the stadium.
"However, if we perform well this season, the total sponsorship payment can rise to a maximum of £500,000."
The word "maximum" undoubtedly meant New Manchester United winning the league and earning another promotion, which was the greatest achievement currently within the club's reach.
"In addition, we have established contact with several businesses in Manchester.
"They are all very interested in sponsoring our club, but the specific terms are still being negotiated.
"However, we have reason to believe that once the agreements are finalised, they will bring us more than £1 million in total revenue!"
"That much?" Ethan was somewhat surprised.
It was worth noting that in League Two, once ticket revenue was excluded, very few clubs, if any, could earn more than £1 million in net income over an entire season.
Mark shrugged and looked toward his old partner. Gardner immediately took over.
"This is because we have established partnerships with Granada Television and several other local broadcasters.
"They have expressed a willingness to increase the number of our matches they show live or as recorded broadcasts.
"I've looked into it. If we offer them the greatest possible reduction in broadcasting fees, almost every one of our matches could be shown live on television or, at the very least, broadcast later in full."
At this point, Gardner gave a wry smile.
"Of course, offering the greatest possible discount means we will lose some television revenue, and our direct income from broadcasting will not increase by much.
"However, I have calculated everything carefully. We can recover those losses through sponsorships.
"After all, appearing on television will undoubtedly increase the value of the advertising boards inside our stadium."
"I think £1 million is a relatively conservative estimate. However, since we have only just been promoted to League One, I don't believe the final figure will be much higher.
"Still, we will continue developing commercial opportunities outside the stadium. For example, we are working with several businesses in Manchester to allow them to display our logo in their shops, effectively turning those locations into official supporter outlets, among other things."
After hearing this, Ethan could not help but admire him. This was the difference between a professional and an amateur.
He had hired Mark, Gardner, and the rest of the Commercial Department's staff on very high salaries.
He believed that if Gardner were currently working for any League Two or even League One club, they would be unwilling to pay his enormous annual salary.
But Gardner was genuinely talented. He had a complete marketing plan, and Ethan had already reviewed it. The plan had considerable practical potential.
With the support of the rest of the Commercial Department, Ethan intended to establish a complete commercial framework for New Manchester United that year.
"You two handle it," Ethan said to Mark and Gardner.
"Understood, Boss.
"Also, regarding the team's charity match in Africa, I have already made the arrangements.
"Two African clubs will take part, forming a small cup competition with us and the Professionals Club, with several matches to be played.
"We will pay the participating clubs an appearance fee, and the remaining proceeds will be donated through the Red Rebels Foundation to the families of those who died in the stadium disaster."
"In addition, we have contacted the Ghanaian government, and they are very supportive of our acquisition of the Professionals Club.
"They have also stated that they will strongly support our charity match.
"President Kufuor of Ghana even said that, if his schedule permits, he would be willing to attend in person and conduct the ceremonial kickoff!"
"Well done!" Ethan praised Gardner.
Although Ghana was a poor African country, having its president personally attend the stadium and conduct the ceremonial kickoff for a charity match was proof of New Manchester United's growing influence.
Of course, the Ghanaian president's willingness to attend was primarily due to the charitable nature of the event.
The riot had occurred after the Accra derby. The relationship between Kotoko and Hearts of Oak was somewhat similar to that between Manchester United and Manchester City. They were fierce rivals.
As a result, clashes broke out between the two groups of supporters after the match.
However, the Ghanaian police who arrived at the scene used tear gas in an attempt to control the situation. This caused further panic among the supporters in the stands and resulted in more than 130 deaths.
After the disaster, President Kufuor personally visited the scene to pay his respects. However, the victims' families and the Ghanaian public questioned the government's actions, believing that the situation had not justified the use of tear gas and that the government should therefore bear responsibility for the tragedy.
It was precisely because the Ghanaian government was under enormous pressure over the incident that, when New Manchester United proposed holding the charity matches, the authorities immediately offered their full support and expressed a willingness to cooperate completely with the club's plans.
"This will be the first time New Manchester United have appeared at an event of this kind, so the club must make every necessary preparation.
"I don't want any problems to arise when the time comes!" Ethan said sternly.
He hoped to make charity part of New Manchester United's tradition, allowing the club, its players, its supporters, and people from every part of society to participate, with New Manchester United serving as a bridge through which they could contribute to charitable causes.
For the Commercial Department, the charity matches were also an excellent opportunity for New Manchester United to expand their influence.
They were currently working hard on the event, hoping to encourage more supporters and businesses to take part.
(To be continued.)