As night deepened in Rome, several bottles of top-quality Barolo red wine were emptied on the terrace of a private estate.
Claudio Totti, a large cigar between his fingers, lightly stroked the "New Stadium Phased Contract Agreement" on the table. The enormous promise of two hundred million euros melted the hostile look in the eyes of this Rome tyrant into an extremely warm smile.
"Mr. Lin, you're an extremely generous client. Regarding those South America lads' passports, I've already had the city hall stamp them; they should be ready next week." Totti exhaled a puff of blue smoke, patting his chest to assure them, "In Rome, anything involving the city hall and immigration can be handled by me Totti."
"Mr. Totti's efficiency is the best guarantee that this project payment will be disbursed on time." Lin Qi raised his glass, waving it in mid-air. "However, the passport is only a temporary measure. To ensure that this 200 million euro project not only gets built, but also becomes our cash cow for the next ten years—and even serves as the core of a larger subsequent sports commercial complex—we need to move forward with a much grander plan."
Totti narrowed his eyes slightly, his businessman's intuition making him sit up straight. "A commercial complex? What plan?"
"Let Italy become the second pole of world basketball." Lin Qi put down his wine glass, his knuckles tapping lightly on the table. "The current Italian Basketball League is too restrictive with the number of foreign players. Those old fogies at the Chinese Basketball Association, clinging to their ridiculous protectionism, have effectively cut off the only chance for the Italian Basketball League to become the 'NBA of Europe '."
" Europe... NBA?" Totti paused slightly, the money implied in that word making his breathing heavier.
"That's right, Claudio. Think about it," Lin Qi's voice was deep and seductive as he looked directly into Totti's eyes, " Europe basketball is a mess right now. If we can get the league to loosen the restrictions on foreign players... not completely, but just five, that'll be enough to form a starting lineup."
"I want to replace all five starting positions with incredibly talented United States prodigies and South America beasts, creating the most bankable all-foreign-player starting lineup. And as 'political compensation' to those old fogies in the league, we'll bind five Italy youth academy players to each of the twelve roster spots. That's called the ' 5+5 Plan '."
Lin Qi looked at Totti, his gaze growing increasingly profound. "On one hand, there's the ultimate commercial spectacle; on the other, there's the political achievement of homegrown talent. Imagine what would happen when this plan is implemented, when five high-flying foreign stars are simultaneously standing on the pitch in Rome?"
Without waiting for Totti's reply, Lin Qi went straight to outlining that outrageous business plan.
"The world's top United States talents, who are currently unable to enter the NBA, along with the most ferocious beasts from South America and Eastern Europe, will all flock to Italy. The intensity and entertainment value of Italian Basketball League matches will explode exponentially. Milan, Bologna, Rome... every match we play will attract broadcasters across Europe like a Hollywood blockbuster!"
Gherardini watched Lin Qi from the side, his heart pounding involuntarily. He knew his boss was making empty promises, but these promises were far too tempting.
"Once Italian Basketball League becomes the premier basketball arena in Europe, Claudio, have you considered the economics?" Lin Qi leaned forward slightly, staring at the real estate tycoon. "Sports tourists from all over Europe will flock to Rome, buying expensive tickets to watch games in our new stadium. And then what? They'll have to eat, stay, and spend a lot of money."
Lin Qi paused, then dropped his real trump card. "And the surrounding commercial complexes I'm going to invest in developing next... those prime plots of land, the accompanying hotels and commercial streets—I can give you the exclusive general contracting rights for these projects, and even some joint investment rights. That's a real gold mine with a long-term, steady flow of income. Just think about it, we can make a lot of money together. Lots and lots of money."
Totti swallowed hard, not even noticing the ash from his cigar falling onto his expensive trousers.
"Sponsorship fees from multinational brands will increase tenfold, television broadcasting rights will fetch astronomical prices, and surrounding land prices will skyrocket," Lin Qi continued, "And you, Claudio Totti, will not only be responsible for Rome's largest sports project, but you will also be a key figure in driving the transformation of the city's, and even the nation's, economic engine."
The air on the terrace was silent for a full half minute.
Totti's chubby face trembled slightly, his eyes gleaming with a businessman's fanatical thirst for maximum profit. He knew all too well that if Italian Basketball League truly became " Europe's NBA," the profits from the commercial complexes surrounding the stadiums would far exceed those of a mere 200 million euro project!
"Lin..." Totti's voice was a little hoarse, "What do you want me to do?"
"I want you to create this momentum." Lin Qi raised his glass, a confident smile playing on his lips. "You don't need to go head-to-head with the Chinese Basketball Association. You just need to go to Rome's city hall, parliament, and your wealthy real estate tycoon friends' gatherings, and explain this economic calculation to them."
"Tell those politicians to stop focusing on those pitiful few domestic youth training slots. You can't raise towering trees in a greenhouse. Only by letting Italy's young players compete against the world's top-level monsters can we truly improve the overall quality of our domestic players."
Lin Qi leaned back in his chair and threw out his last political bargaining chip. "You can also promise them that I will not only bring in high-level foreign players, but I will also invest in building the top 'American-style training base' in all of Europe, and bring in United States physical training teams and youth training talents with high salaries. Those five mandatory domestic quotas, plus a pure American youth training assembly line, are enough to shut up all the conservatives."
Lin Qi's gaze was so deep it sent chills down one's spine. "Once the politicians and capitalists in Rome see the money, and the political achievement of the rise of local basketball, they will naturally put pressure on the Rome Chinese Basketball Association headquarters. Once they speak up, the rest will fall into place naturally."
Totti took a deep drag on his cigar and then forcefully stubbed it out in the ashtray.
"You're right, Lin. Those politicians don't understand basketball at all, but they understand GDP, taxes, and so-called 'political achievements' better than anyone else." Totti laughed, his laughter revealing the ruthless arrogance unique to local tyrants. "Tomorrow night, I'll host another party at this estate. I'll let the Rome councilors know that refusing '5+5' is preventing the Rome from getting rich, and it's jeopardizing the future of Italy basketball!"
The wine glasses clinked together, making a crisp sound.
Lin Qi looked at the local tycoon whose ambition had been completely ignited and smiled coldly to himself. He had not only successfully defused the potential crisis, but also turned this most powerful business magnate in Rome into the sharpest battering ram for his reform of the Europe basketball landscape.