Gan Guoyang nodded, "I have almost settled things with David Stern. He'll be flying to Las Vegas tomorrow to discuss the franchise issue with me, and I'll bring along Oscar Goodman. Also, Adam Silva is another ally, he'll speak on my behalf. Besides, the owners of small teams like the Bucks, Wizards, Hornets, Raptors, Grizzlies will support me. As you know, I've been busy this year, working hard to gather support."
Gan Guoyang was speaking the truth. David Stern was a tough nut to crack, but not the only one.
Although David Stern holds significant power and influence in the NBA, the League is essentially a sports entertainment company formed by 29 owners.
Thus, the board formed by these owners is the true source of power, and Stern's authority is granted by them.
If one only focuses on getting Stern without securing support from these owners, all efforts are futile.
Conversely, if you can win over these owners, getting Stern is merely a matter of timing and opportunity.
Gan Guoyang spent considerable time winning over these owners, especially those from small-market teams, which have been economically challenged these past two years.
When Stern took over the League, the championship titles were monopolized by a few teams.
Since the 1984-1985 season, only five teams — the Lakers, Trail Blazers, Pistons, Bulls, Heat — have won the championship.
Among the teams reaching the finals, those from small markets were seldom seen (with Portland forcibly turned into a large market by Gan Guoyang).
Especially with the League dominated by the Portland Trail Blazers — 10 championships, 3 dynasties — although they elevated the League to a great height, significantly boosting NBA's popularity and reputation, it also widened the "wealth gap," creating a distinct disparity between the team limits.
In the 90s, when each new season commenced, many small-market fans already realized their teams were merely along for the ride, particularly those in the Western Conference, merely fodder for Ah Gan and the Trail Blazers.
Over time, fans' enthusiasm for watching games dwindled, diminishing support for their home teams, while the Trail Blazers cultivated a vast fanbase over more than a decade, profiting immensely both on and off the court.
While Portland made huge profits, other teams saw marginal gains or even faced losses, leaving small-market teams dissatisfied with the current League structure, feeling Stern focused too much on a few superstar teams.
After Gan Guoyang retired in 2000, the Portland dynasty ended. In the 2000-2001 season, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Trail Blazers 4-2 in the Western Conference finals and finally tasted championship glory.
But the problem was, Los Angeles is also a large market. Small-market teams didn't benefit from Ah Gan's retirement and instead saw declines in attendance and ratings due to his departure, further decreasing overall revenue.
At this point, Gan Guoyang stepped forward to organize, proposing that if they support him in establishing a team in Las Vegas, he would be willing to take part of the new team's earnings to subsidize small-market teams.
Gan Guoyang even suggested establishing specific clauses in the future League labor agreement, requiring the most profitable teams from large markets to allocate a portion of profits to teams suffering losses or making less.
"The League is a unified body; for some to win, others must lose, but the losers are still important. After all, without opponents, how can winners exist? We must establish a fairer profit-sharing system to ensure everyone's interests."
This idea immediately garnered support from many small-team owners — having Ah Gan send us money, who wouldn't be happy?
We've been playing NPCs for years, mere backdrops for the superstar teams. As such, we should indeed get a larger share; otherwise, if we drop out, who will these superstar teams play against?
Moreover, the money-making potential of Las Vegas is well-recognized; back in the 80s, people already considered relocating a team to this gambling city.
However, gambling and basketball truly conflict with each other; various gambling scandals in the 50s and 60s seriously harmed the college and professional basketball markets.
So, up to today, the NBA ostensibly treats gambling as a red line, though privately it's a coveted but elusive prospect.
Across America, only Ah Gan can accomplish this task; only his reputation, wealth, and means allow for the completion of this matter.
Only he, by founding a team in Las Vegas, would ensure that gambling wouldn't harm the competitive integrity and fairness of the NBA.
In the evening, Gan Guoyang met with Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman in his office.
Goodman, now 62, appeared spirited, which for a politician, is indeed prime time.
Since becoming mayor of Las Vegas, he has undertaken significant reforms in urban planning, construction, and industry development.
He revitalized the city's central area architecture, authorized the construction of numerous new public venues and sports facilities, and gathered funds from America and worldwide, striving to make Las Vegas a larger, newer, and even better entertainment city.
Gan Guoyang's NBA plan is Goodman's most cherished project, deeply yearning for Las Vegas to have a professional sports team, dreaming about it every night.
Upon becoming mayor in 1999, he went straight to New York to meet with David Stern, but repeatedly ran into obstacles, with fellow lawyer David Stern treating Oscar Goodman as coldly as a stale piece of bread left overnight.