“…… After signing the contract, ESPN will receive exclusive rights to broadcast the NFL's weekly league and the rights to broadcast the Super Bowl finals in 1998 and 2001 for the next eight years, as well as the official broadcast rights to the show, which will be completely legal for viewers to record the NFL league through video recorders, and we can openly promote this power to users through our TV channels," said ESPN President Steve Bernstein in the room, after presenting the results of the negotiations with the National Football League, and then looked at the audience.

Although he already has Eric's support, he must also convince the other shareholders of Firefly to follow Eric's request.

With an absolute controlling stake in his hands, although Eric can make decisions alone, he does not want to have too many differences with the other shareholders of the company on these matters, which is not conducive to the stable development of Firefly.

Tom Murphy, who had just stepped down as CEO of the TV division, had been looking down to read the documents in his hand, and after Steve Bernstein finished his briefing, he raised his head and asked first: "Steve, ESPN already has an absolute market share in the industry and has become the preferred TV station in the hearts of sports fans." So, do you think we need to pay more than 50 percent of the premium and sign an eight-year, high-stakes contract to get exclusive rights to NFL games?"

Steve Bernstein replied, "Mr. Murphy, just because ESPN has a market share of the current market is far ahead, doesn't mean we can rest easy. In recent years, competitors such as NBC, CBS, and FOX have begun to increase their investment in sports channels, and even if ESPN has an absolute advantage, if this situation is allowed to continue, our market share will be gradually eaten away by other TV networks, and we will slowly lose this absolute advantage. ”

Tom Murphy still shook his head slightly, and said: "Steve, I haven't seen the relevant report, it sounds more like your personal speculation, and it is a bit too alarmist, a TV station's dominant position in the industry is not so easy to break." ”

Steve Bernstein defended: "Mr. Murphy, I'm not alarmist, there's a very clear example of this in recent years, and we all know that CNN's position in the news channel industry since its inception in the '80s is very similar to ESPN's position in sports channels. But in recent years, Fox News has caught up, and this news channel, which has been established less than five years ago, has reached 50% of CNN's market share with the support of News Corp.'s strong world media network, and according to this growth rate, Fox News Network will be able to achieve parity with CNN before 2000. ESPN's position in the industry is actually easier to break, as long as other media groups have enough courage to continue to snatch the broadcast rights in our hands at high prices, then ESPN's decline is completely predictable. Therefore, a one-time buyout of the eight-year exclusive rights agreement can cut off the possibility of other sports channels of the same type competing for broadcast resources, which can ensure that in the next eight years, we will no longer have to worry about being threatened by other competitors. ”

Warren Buffett also said at this time: "Steve, let's talk about the expected revenue, you mentioned in the report that after winning the exclusive game broadcast rights of the NFL, ESPN's average annual subscription share will increase by 20%, and at this growth rate, in less than five years, the average subscriber subscription price of ESPN will exceed $2, which is already ten times the average subscription price of ordinary cable TV stations, do you think the audience will accept it?"

"Mr. Buffett, this price increase is a long-term process, and we are not directly to subscribers, we are working with cable operators, on the other hand, ESPN and operators negotiate the share mainly on the basis of ratings, if we have the exclusive rights to broadcast the game, then the audience will have no other choice but to watch NFL sports on ESPN, then, with the increase in ESPN ratings, the increase in subscription share is inevitable, and the operator also has no other choice。 ”

Buffett nodded with a smile after hearing this, and looked at the other director outside the Firefly system, David West, president of State Street Global Funds, David West smiled and shrugged, and said, "After listening to Steve's statement, I can't find a reason to oppose this agreement." ”

Eric finally looked at Tom Murphy, who nodded slightly, he had always been a conservative operator, but this time, although he still felt that the plan was too risky, he also realized that the risk was well worth it compared to the possible benefits.

"In this case, this plan has been determined, and the company will notify you on time of the follow-up signing matters," Eric finished speaking, and said, "So, since everyone is here today, let's take this opportunity to discuss the group's financial situation for the first three quarters, Caroline?"

Eric said, looking at Caroline Eliot, the group's chief financial officer, who nodded and flipped through the documents prepared in front of her.

At the end of the morning meeting, Eric and Katzenberg had lunch with Buffett in the ABC headquarters cafeteria, and when they left, Buffett took Erekla aside and said, "Eric, do you have time next Thursday?"

Eric was a little puzzled, thought about it, next Thursday is November 2nd, and his schedule has not yet been scheduled for that day, so he nodded and said, "Of course, Warren, I will probably stay in New York until November 10th, you know, after the Victoria's Secret show." ”

"That's right, there's a party at that time, some of my old friends, everyone wants to meet you, I wonder if you're interested?"

The gathering of Buffett's old friends, Eric immediately remembered the famous Graham disciple gathering in the investment world, the famous economist Benjamin Graham is respected as the "father of modern securities analysis", the status is equivalent to the Einstein of the physics world, Buffett was once his student at Columbia University, and then Buffett personally organized the Graham disciple gathering, which was enough to influence the country's economic direction of the top group of entrepreneurs, bankers and fund managers.

With the increasing number of personal businesses, Eric knew that it was inevitable that his companies would intersect with these capital industry predators. Warren Buffett will not invite outsiders to this kind of top-level gathering at will, since he has been invited, Eric will certainly not be stupid enough to refuse, even if he will not cooperate in the future, but it is definitely beneficial to get acquainted with this group of people.

After thinking about it, Eric said again, "Warren, can I bring a companion?"

Buffett smiled and said, "Of course it's no problem, this is not a too formal party, everyone will bring a female companion." ”

Eric shook his head and said, "No, not a female companion, I mean, a good friend of mine, Chris Hansen, who now helps me run Firefly Investments. ”

This kind of gathering of investment tycoons will not directly help Eric, but it will definitely allow Chris to gain unexpected network resources, so Eric quickly thinks of him.

Buffett groaned for a moment, nodded and said, "No problem, that's also a very good young man." ”

As he spoke, Buffett took out a memo and quickly wrote down an address, handed it to Eric, and said, "Next Thursday, seven o'clock in the evening." ”

Eric took it and put it away, nodding, "Of course, we'll be there on time." ”

After sending Warren Buffett and the others to the car and leaving, Eric returned to the ABC headquarters building with Katzenberg.

After two more days in Manhattan, on October 31, the day before Halloween, Eric made it back to Hampton on time.

East Hampton is basically a resort town, and after the summer and fall, most people return to Manhattan and other places of residence, and women and children also move to densely populated Southampton again before Halloween.

Driving into the manor, Eric got out of the car and walked into the villa, the twins who were sitting on the sofa in the living room watching TV got up and greeted him, it seems that Drew is also coming to New York, MGM's stock issuance is scheduled for December 9th, MGM President Frank Maccasso basically stayed in New York during this time, the girl came today, in addition to spending Halloween together, it should also be related to this matter.

With the help of the twins taking off their trench coats, Eric looked at the two girls and asked, "Why are you so lonely, what about Drew, and the others?"

"The boss and Ms. Pakula went out shopping, and Ms. Madsen was upstairs with the young lady and the young master. ”

"Oh, then you can continue watching TV," Eric said, changing his shoes again and walking upstairs.

The door of a living room on the second floor was open, and Eric walked in to see Virginia sitting with her back to her, as if reading something with a book in her hand, surrounded by three little ones.

Laughing and walking over, he put his arms around Virginia and kissed her as the woman whispered.

"Ah, you're scared me to death," Virginia said with a smack on Eric, laughing.

Eric leaned on the armrest of the couch and looked at the book in Virginia's hand, "What are you reading?"

Virginia gestured to Eric for the cover, which was still an Encyclopedia Britannica.

Eric shook his head and looked at the three little ones, Hawaii was closest to Virginia, her beautiful eyes were shining, as if waiting for Virginia to continue reading, the other two were a little look, Emma also looked at Eric as if she was begging for help, her big eyes were watery, and she looked like she was about to cry at any moment.

"Don't you want to hear it, come, Daddy will take you to play," Eric stretched out his hand to the three little ones, but Hawaii didn't move, but Emma and Kevin pounced on them with cheers.

Virginia didn't want to, and grabbed Eric: "Hey, you take Emma to play, Kevin stays, I've only read three pages." ”

Eric helplessly: "Do you think my son understands?"

Virginia still didn't let go: "But Xia Xia will read it by herself, and Kevin can't fall too far behind." ”

"Don't toss the child, what can the two-year-old little guy understand, you still expect Kevin to be admitted to Harvard at the age of three. ”

"But Xia Xia will read it herself," Virginia muttered again, her eyes instantly filled with some grievances, and she looked at Eric hatefully: "You are just eccentric, Xia Xia is so smart." ”

Eric was even more helpless: "It's too unreasonable, is this something I can control?"

"You're biased anyway!" Virginia said in an even more aggrieved tone, throwing the Encyclopedia Britannica in her hand at Eric's feet, turning her back to Eric, and curling up on the couch. (To be continued.) )