418 Sponsors Lef (1/2)

”Mr. James, I wonder if you have any time to talk about the sponsorship and endorsement. Yes, we talked about that last time.”

”Suspend? Mr. James, as for the endorsement fee, we could discuss it again...”

”You've found a new cooperation partner? Mr. James, I hope you will reconsider Phillip. He has a very good image in the public, and he is an inspirational role model.”

”Well, I hope we can cooperate next time.”

Putting down the phone, Steven's face became serious. This was the third sponsor who'd refused him recently.

Venality of secular people! Steven cursed in his mind.

However, Steven knew that the sponsors were not to blame. It was Phillip who performed badly recently. No, his performance had not been bad, it had been terrible. Without good results, Phillip would naturally lose the sponsors' favor.

Phillip, when will you get back to where you were? If you go on like this, our sponsors will all be gone! Steven sighed, then he seemed to suddenly think of something. He picked up the phone again.

”Hello, is this the organizing committee of the New York Athletics Invitational? This is the agent of Barron Phillip. I would like to know if your invitation letter has been issued?” Steven asked.

”We sent out the invitation letter three days ago!” a lady's voice said.

”Three days ago? I checked my email and I didn't see it.” As he said this, Steven felt a terrible foreboding.

”Just a moment please. I'll check for you. Barron Phillip? I'm sorry. Barron Phillip wasn't on our invitation list!” The woman's response confirmed Steven's foreboding.

Steven kept silent. He didn't even ask why. He didn't need to.

For an invitational tournament, the organizer's three standards were that the athlete must be strong enough, famous enough, or local enough to warrant special treatment.

In the eyes of the organizer, Phillip clearly didn't meet the three standards.

The woman on the other end of the phone seemed to feel Steven's bad mood, so she gave him a humane consolation prize.

She said, ”We also have games for the disabled after the end of the regular competition. Although it's a performance, we're also sponsored by the New York Disability Foundation. Therefore, any disabled athlete who participates in the game will get one year of dental insurance as a prize.”

”One year of dental insurance?” Steven's voice was full of contempt.

Seeing a dentist was really expensive. Besides, dental insurance and medical insurance were separated. Whether it was an ordinary person buying commercial insurance, or an employer-made offer of treatment, the dental insurance was listed separately. Employers who offered dental plans would be considered quite generous.

For ordinary Americans, a dental insurance plan was really a good prize, which could not only assure dental health, but also save a lot of money. The disabled, who didn't have high incomes, would pay more attention to this kind of security.

But Phillip was not an ordinary athlete. How could he care about a dental insurance plan when he had won more than ten million dollars in two years? Therefore, it sounded more like a humiliation than a prize.

But the woman on the other side didn't know it, so she continued, ”But the foundation just sponsors the prize, not including the transportation and accommodation, and we the organizer will not provide this either. So, Mr. Phillip has to come to New York on his own expense.”

”His own expense?” Phillip's voice became more contemptuous.

The tickets for the round trip were not cheap, not to mention the cost of accommodation in New York. The prize was just dental insurance, not even enough to cover the cost!

…

What Brought the Blade Warrior down from the Pedestal?

”During the last two years, the hottest athlete in the US has undoubtedly been the Blade Warrior, Barron Phillip, who became an inspirational model after losing his legs in Iraq as a soldier. As a disabled athlete, he competes with world-class able-bodied athletes in world championships, and is even considered a very strong contender. There is no doubt that the Blade Warrior Phillip is a great athlete.”