"I'm afraid I can't sign this contract." Zhang Guan said solemnly.
Manager Wang and Lawyer Zhu looked at each other. Both of them looked very calm. From the moment Zhang Guan picked up the contract, they had been observing Zhang Guan. When Zhang Guan opened the remuneration page and started to look at it carefully, They had already read the answer from Zhang Guan's expression. People who can be business managers are naturally very good at observing people's opinions, let alone experienced lawyers.
On the contrary, Director Sun was very surprised. He felt that Zhang Guan should not only sign immediately, but also show gratitude. His tone became a little more serious and asked sternly: "Why don't you sign?"
Zhang Guan spread his hands and said, "First of all, I think the money is too little."
"You think the money is too little?" Director Sun did not expect Zhang Guan to use such a direct excuse. He was slightly stunned. The price was set by the association and Naike, and the association did not consider Zhang Guan's own demands at all. Director Sun said: "Three hundred thousand a year, which is 1.5 million in five years. Do you know how many people can't make so much money in their lifetime?"
"I just feel that 300,000 yuan does not reflect my value. I will run faster in the future." Zhang Guan said.
At this time, Manager Wang next to him said: "Three hundred thousand per year is our company's strict cost estimate, which is absolutely reasonable. Liu Feiren in the 110-meter hurdles event is also the Asian record holder, and we also give three hundred thousand per year. One hundred thousand endorsement fees.”
"Liu Feiren's value is more than 300,000 yuan this year, and the price offered by your Nike company is also low." Zhang Guan said, turning to look at Director Sun, and said: "I think Liu Feiren will be worth more than 300,000 yuan after the Olympics next year." To be able to win the championship is worth at least 3 million in endorsement fees, but now the center signed the contract for 300,000 for him, but he has lost a lot."
At this time, the track and field association gave Liu Feiren the task of rushing into the Olympic finals. He did not even consider medals, let alone gold medals. But what the track and field association did not know was that the agent of the betting company in Europe offered Liu Feiren an offer. With a one-to-five odds of winning the Olympics, he is the second favorite to win the Olympic 110-meter hurdles, second only to American veteran Alan Johnson. Through its own channels, Nike Company has obtained the odds set by European betting companies, and also knows that signing Liu Feiren for 300,000 yuan a year is a profitable business. However, the Athletics Association obviously did not have this information, and still felt that it was their own fault. Made a fortune from Nike.
"It's not that easy to win the Olympics!" Although Director Sun said this, he began to secretly calculate in his heart. If Liu Feiren could really win the championship, the endorsement fee of three million would definitely not be enough. What the company gave us was indeed too little.
People's greed is always unlimited, so the sales of lottery tickets will get better and better. Although Director Sun feels that Liu Feiren is unlikely to have the strength to win the Olympics, it does not affect the obscenity in his mind.
Noticing Director Sun's temporary strangeness, Manager Wang next to him coughed dryly and immediately changed the subject and said: "Actually, this is just a preliminary contract. We can also add some other terms. For example, if you can get the If you are the 100-meter champion at the Doha Asian Games, we can give you an additional cash reward; if you can guarantee your participation in the Capital Olympics five years later, our company can also give you a cash reward; these additional conditions can be negotiated. Please I believe that our company, Nike, is very sincere to you."
"Thank you very much." Zhang Guan nodded politely, and then said: "The reason why I am unwilling to sign the contract is one of the financial issues. There is another issue. I think you have ignored it."
"What's the problem?" Manager Wang asked.
"I am only seventeen years old this year. According to the law, I am still a minor. If I sign the contract, the contract should be invalid, so you should ask my parents to sign the contract." Zhang Guan said.
After hearing what Zhang Guan said, Lawyer Zhu, who had been silent until now, suddenly frowned. Previously, Lawyer Zhu’s work focused on formulating contracts and striving for the best interests of the company, but he ignored that the signatory himself was a minor.
Although there are no relevant laws and regulations regarding endorsements by minors in this era, Lawyer Zhu still quickly thought about the relevant legal basis in his mind. Although the association does not care about whether they are minors, Nike Company must care. This is not because of how much Nike Company abides by the law, but because it does not want its competitors to get a handle on it.
Sporting goods is a hugely profitable industry, and the competition among international sporting goods companies is even more brutal. Any scandal may be caught by competitors, and then magnified infinitely. It may take more than 10 years to quell the scandal. Funds calculated in tens of millions. By signing a minor as an endorsement, competitors could even hype Naik as employing child labor.
Manager Wang leaned into Lawyer Zhu’s ear and asked softly: “Is there a problem with this?”
“The minors’ rights to portrait, reputation and honor stipulated in the “Law on the Protection of Minors” are all protected. Without the written consent of the minor’s guardian, no one may use the minor’s rights for profit. Image rights. From this point of view, if you want to endorse Zhang Guan, you really need the consent of his guardian, that is, his parents." Lawyer Zhu said softly to Manager Wang.
"Then he can't sign the contract? Do we need to find his parents?" Manager Wang asked.
"There are provisions in the Civil Law that as long as you have full capacity for civil conduct and can independently conduct civil activities, you can sign contracts alone and be protected by law." Lawyer Zhu continued.
"Full civil capacity? How big should it be?" Manager Wang asked immediately.
"Citizens over the age of 18 have full capacity for civil conduct. At the same time, citizens aged 16 to 18 who rely on their own labor income as their main source of living can also be regarded as persons with full capacity for civil conduct." Lawyer Zhu continued to explain road.
"How to define someone who relies on his own labor income as his main source of living?" Manager Wang immediately grasped the key point.
Lawyer Zhu thought for a while, sighed and said: "If it is normal labor employment, it is easier to define, but it is difficult to define athletes in our country. In Western countries, professional athletes are recognized as workers, but In our country, the understanding of this aspect is relatively vague and difficult to identify.”
Manager Wang felt that he was being taken in, so he asked, "What do you mean? Can you be more specific?"
Lawyer Zhu thought for a few seconds again and then said: "For example, football players in League A who sign contracts with clubs and receive club salaries can be regarded as laborers; and for those sports that are not commercialized, active athletes are basically It is in the nature of being recruited. There is no formal labor contract. All food, accommodation and sports team are included. Salaries are also issued in the name of living allowance. The unit does not have clear non-labor benefits and enjoyment, and the athletes do not have clear labor assets. Therefore, in a legal sense, such athletes do not have an employment relationship and cannot be counted as workers. Naturally, they cannot be defined as labor income as the main source of living." (At this time, it has not been changed to the Chinese Super League, and it is still called A. A)
Lawyer Zhu’s words made Manager Wang fall into silence. As the business manager of the most famous sports brand, he naturally understands the current situation of domestic athletes. Especially in those sports that are not commercialized, the athletes’ food and accommodation are fully paid by the sports team during their active service, and the so-called living allowance is only a few hundred yuan per month. Some athletes from poor areas or athletes in disadvantaged sports do not even receive these hundreds of yuan. There is no living allowance.
After retiring, those well-known athletes have the opportunity to enter government agencies and institutions, and even less likely to find a coaching position, while the vast majority of athletes can only take a small amount of severance pay to seek self-employment. Athletes these days have no social security or medical insurance, and the vast majority of athletes have low educational levels and no skills. It is not uncommon for them to be impoverished after retirement.
Track and field is obviously not a commercial sport. Zhang Guan cannot be recognized as a laborer. Moreover, Zhang Guan is still a high school student with regular academic status. From any point of view, it cannot be said that Zhang Guan has full civil capacity.
Manager Wang raised his head and said to Director Sun, "It seems we have to visit Zhang Guan's parents."
"No problem. My family lives in the provincial capital. How about I call my dad now and ask him to come over?" Zhang Guan said immediately, trying his best to appear cooperative.
Zhang Guan made a phone call, and Zhang's father hurried over soon after.
Director Sun handed the contract to Zhang's father. Zhang's father read it over quickly and said, "I can't sign this contract."
"Are you dissatisfied with the amount?" Director Sun asked immediately.
"That's not true." Father Zhang picked up the contract, pointed to the number of years on it, and continued: "I think this number of years is too long and a bit inappropriate."
"What's inappropriate?" Director Sun asked immediately. One of the two father and son complained about the lack of money, and the other complained about the long time, which made Director Sun very dissatisfied.
Zhang's father said: "Zhang Guan will be an adult next year at the age of 18. His mother and I have always felt that he should be allowed to make his own choice as to how he will go as an adult. As parents, we all want the best for our children, but It's impossible to follow him all his life, right? It's important for children to grow up and learn to be independent. So it's okay for me to sign this contract. I can only sign it for one year. When he becomes an adult next year, I won't care about anything. Whether he renews his contract or not, let him make his own choice."
Manager Wang and Lawyer Zhu frowned at the same time. Signing long-term contracts with some young athletes who have not yet become famous has always been an advertising strategy for large companies like Nike. This can also be regarded as an investment. Nike spends a lot of money every year to sign hundreds of potential young athletes around the world and give them long-term contracts. When the athletes become famous, they will bring dozens or even hundreds of times to Nike. times the advertising effectiveness.
But if you only sign for one year, this kind of complaint will become meaningless. If the athlete is unwilling to renew the contract after one year, or if the lion opens his mouth, this is not in the interest of Nike. What Nike wants to get It is a stock with long-term potential, rather than a short-term investment full of uncertainty.
But the more important thing is that both Manager Wang and Lawyer Zhu saw that the father and son were deliberately looking for excuses to evade. It looked like they were playing a double act. They didn't want to sign the contract at all. Both of them were human beings and made their decision immediately.
Lawyer Zhu turned to Director Sun and said, "We didn't consider Zhang Guan's age. He is still a minor, and our contract needs to be revised. I think it's better for us to go back today and wait until we finish revising the contract." talk about it later."
Director Sun naturally heard that Lawyer Zhu's so-called modification of the contract was probably just an excuse, and the signing of the Nike spokesperson this time was probably a scam.
Director Sun had no way to refute the fact that Nike Company was the sponsor of the money, and this kind of matter was not something he could decide at his level. He had no choice but to say: "Okay, we respect your opinion. But I will also ask Reported by the leader.”
…
Father Zhang sent the three of them away with a smile on his face, returned to Zhang Guan and said, "How is it? You cooperated well!"
"Not bad, a little worse than me." Zhang Guan joked.
"Although our family is not a rich man, it is still worth their hundreds of thousands." Father Zhang looked at Zhang Guan and then said, "But what I just said is true. In the past, Your mother and I both want to train you to become a talent. Now that you have grown up and you have broken the Asian record, you have become a talent! You have chosen the path of an athlete. Maybe this path is not easy to follow. Maybe in the future you There will be more troubles, but no matter what happens, your mother and I will fully support you."
"Thanks dad!"
"I'm leaving first. By the way, your mother will stew braised pork tonight. Remember to go home for dinner..."
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This chapter is again over 3,700 words long. I have the audacity to ask for a recommendation vote! Thanks.
(End of chapter)