617: Chapter 617 A Major Upheaval! Unexpected Trouble! The Chinese Super League Emerges from the Crowd!

After the banquet, Zhang Zhiyuan walked Su Yang to the entrance and mentioned that the chizhu wine seemed to be very popular among the guests.

There were even guests who liked the wine so much that they bought a whole case at the hotel.

In the following time, Su Yang focused more on the affairs of the Xinyue chain supermarket.

Although chain supermarkets have been severely squeezed by e-commerce in recent years and business is far from as easy as it used to be, they are still profitable in first, second, and third-tier cities, and they are also very important to Su Yang's industrial layout!

Just like with Shenmiao Pets, he intended to buy them first, then rely on the chain supermarkets to accumulate and cultivate talent, and then, when funds were abundant, actively expand outside the province!

Chain supermarkets would serve as another labor-intensive industry development pivot for Jiuxiang Catering after its domestic market expansion reached its limit!

This pivot could not only provide him with a large number of employees, but also provide strong support for his series of subsidiaries that could rely on the chain supermarkets, such as Jiuxiang Food, Sihua Clothing, and Fengyuan Ingredients.

Moreover, the Xinyue chain supermarket was indeed profitable, which made Su Yang like it even more!

Compared to the Xianglong Football Club, the Xinyue chain supermarket was clearly more important to Su Yang.

With the help of Tian Hanxiong, Cheng Wenhuo and the others made contact with the Huashang quite smoothly.

However, while things were going very smoothly on the supermarket chain side, they soon encountered big trouble with the Xianglong Club.

After the news broke that Xianglong was in a financial crisis, owed players' salaries, and might not pass the Football Association's entry audit next year, the die-hard fans of Xianglong felt a strong sense of crisis.

The entry audit is an important link in maintaining the healthy development of professional leagues. It is conducted once a year to ensure that the club's financial status, operational standards, and other aspects meet the relevant requirements.

Every year, quite a few professional clubs fall at the Football Association's entry audit stage and are directly dissolved, including Chinese Super League teams!

The process of Xie Yuxiang contacting the die-hard Xianglong fans was also quite smooth, as local fans were quite supportive of Jufan Holdings taking charge of Xianglong.

These die-hard fans did not like Xingrui, the company behind Xianglong, because they believed that Xingrui was not only not a local company but also suspected of wanting to annex Xianglong.

This involved another football club that came to Xiang Province from the north to develop, which Xingrui had supported back then.

After that football club found it difficult to integrate into the local area, it directly acquired Xianglong and then merged the original club's northern players into Xianglong, which was very difficult for Xianglong's die-hard fans at the time to accept.

As for why the die-hard fans of Xianglong were willing to support Jufan Holdings, for one thing, Xianglong was indeed in a serious financial crisis, and the die-hard fans did not want the only professional football team in Xiang Province to disappear.

Secondly, Xie Yuxiang kept a sufficiently low profile and promised to invest heavily in youth training, and under the same conditions, would prioritize using local players from Xiang Province!

Thirdly, there was the investment of over 100 million promised by Jufan Holdings, which promised to take Xianglong to China League One, or even the Chinese Super League!

No matter how you looked at it, this big financier from Jufan Holdings was much more reliable than Xingrui, which was stingy and even owed players' salaries!

As for local companies, these die-hard fans had long since despaired.

If there really were local companies willing to stand up, it would be impossible for Xiang Province to have only one China League Two professional football club!

What made Xie Yuxiang feel troubled was that at the beginning, the local officials were still very welcoming to them.

After Su Yang said at the banquet that he would invest hundreds of millions to take Xianglong to China League One or even the Chinese Super League, and Xie Yuxiang requested to move Xianglong from Loucheng to the provincial capital, Changsha, the authorities of Xiang Province negotiated, and both Loucheng and Changsha reached an agreement!

Changsha was also very welcoming to them, and the series of subsidies, bonuses, and preferential policies for the Xianglong Football Club requested by Xie Yuxiang were all under discussion.

Although both sides were constantly bargaining at the negotiating table, Changsha was indeed very sincere!

Everything was developing in a good direction!

But just today, Xie Yuxiang suddenly discovered that the people responsible for negotiating with them seemed to be less enthusiastic... somewhat perfunctory towards them!

The huge difference in attitude before and after was something Xie Yuxiang and the others could not accept.

Sitting on the bench in front of Luhu Villa, Su Yang stroked Xiao Mi in his arms, looked at the distant mountains leisurely, and asked softly: "So, have you found the reason?"

"They want the Baniu Football Club that just promoted to the Chinese Super League!"

Hearing this, Su Yang's hand stopped moving slightly.

Xiao Mi, who had gradually grown up, opened its squinting eyes and looked at Su Yang in confusion.

It didn't know why its owner stopped petting it!

It was just enjoying it!

Su Yang smiled and rubbed Xiao Mi's chin, watching it lick his fingers with great enjoyment, and said in a very calm tone: "Are you sure? Doesn't the Football Association prohibit relocation?"

"I'm sure!" Xie Yuxiang said in a low voice, "I secretly asked someone negotiating with us, and the news he revealed is that the Football Association is going to relax the regulations, and their superiors want Baniu more!"

"Indeed!" Su Yang said with a smile, "Compared to introducing a Chinese Super League club directly, it is definitely easier than cultivating a Chinese Super League team from China League Two. The road to promotion cannot be smooth sailing, the risk is too high. If it were me, I would also choose the Chinese Super League!"

"Boss, aren't you anxious?"

Su Yang said in a calm tone: "There's no point in being anxious!"

Alright!

Xie Yuxiang really admired his boss; this level of composure was something he couldn't achieve!

"Then boss, what should we do now?"

"Let me think!"

"Okay!"

On the phone, Xie Yuxiang fell silent.

And Su Yang once again deduced the situation for the Xianglong Football Club and found that the deduction result for the Xianglong Football Club was the same as before.

Logically speaking, the sudden entry of a Chinese Super League club into Xiang Province would definitely seriously affect the development of the Xianglong Football Club. This was definitely a big deal!

From now on, Xianglong would no longer be the only one, and fans would also be drawn away by Baniu!

Who would want to watch China League Two if they could watch the Chinese Super League?

If this situation occurred, either the Baniu Chinese Super League team would enter Xiang Province and have little impact on Xianglong.

Or Baniu wouldn't come to Xiang Province...

Su Yang deduced again and found that Xianglong could actually move to the provincial capital, Changsha.

Xie Yuxiang thought about the conditions he was fighting for... most of them could be won!

So, Baniu wouldn't come?

Was this a false alarm?

"Do you have any acquaintances at the Baniu club?"

"I know them, I know a few!"

Xie Yuxiang had been active in the Rongcheng football circle for a long time and could be considered an old veteran!

Naturally, he knew quite a few team managers!

Su Yang said slowly: "You ask around and see if you can get any news. I suspect Baniu won't go to Xiang Province!"

"Alright!"

"Let me know once you find out!"

"Alright!"

About half an hour later, Su Yang received a reply from Xie Yuxiang.

"Boss, those two friends of mine aren't too clear about the decision of the Baniu club's senior management, but a friend in charge of reception revealed that people from the authorities of Xiang Province and Shenzhen have been visiting them recently to inspect..."

"Hmm!"

"Does the boss mean that Baniu might go to Shenzhen?"

"The Chinese Super League football team in Shenzhen just disbanded due to historical debts. I think it's not impossible. Baniu might be hesitating, seeing who is more sincere!"

Su Yang roughly knew the result of the matter, but he didn't say it clearly.

"It is indeed possible. Shanghai already has two Chinese Super League football clubs!" Xie Yuxiang thought for a moment and said, "Shenzhen is not short of money either!"

"Hmm!"

"Then boss, what should we do now?"

Su Yang thought for a moment and smiled: "Of course, pretend we don't know and continue negotiating. We must negotiate with full sincerity. In a few days, I will also rush to Xiang Province, and I will personally lead the team to negotiate. We also need to ask the media to create momentum!"

"Is the boss gambling?"

"Not entirely gambling!" Su Yang asked after thinking for a moment, "Is that friend of yours planning to go to another province to develop, or stay in Rongcheng?"

"He seems to be a bit anxious too..."

"Why don't you have him come to our side!" Su Yang said with a smile, "If his ability and character are okay, I can arrange a stable job for him."

The very next day, many football self-media in Xiang Province, as well as local media, began to support Jufan Holdings, all believing that Xiang Province needed a Chinese Super League football team!

Since local companies wouldn't step up, let Jufan Holdings do it!

Moreover, they reported on the industries under the large Jufan Holdings group.

Including the Jiuxiang Hotpot Restaurant and Weimeijia, which had just entered the Xiang Province market and were quite popular.

Including Jiuxiang Food, Tiancheng Cola, and Chizhu Wine Industry, which had been on the rise recently.

Including Spark Fitness, which had expanded to Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Beijing.

Including Meijia Housekeeping and Menghai Travel, which had just entered Xiang Province...

Of course, there was also Linyi Film and Television, which had recently earned at least 70 million from Matong Station; Spark Media, which was rising very rapidly, possessed a large number of high-quality self-media bloggers, had businesses all over the country, and had several leading live-streaming influencers; and Heili Film and Television, where a single short drama could earn ten times the profit and hit the trending searches, raking in money crazily...

In short, this was a group company with very abundant cash flow, involving catering, food, snacks, wine, influencer self-media, fitness, tourism, and entertainment media... It had the words "I'm not short of money" written all over its face!

If Jufan Holdings was willing to support, Xiang Province having a Chinese Super League team would be just around the corner!

For a time, the fans in Xiang Province were boiling with excitement; they felt that good days were coming...

If Jufan Holdings could take Xianglong to the Chinese Super League, they would definitely support it!

They had been waiting for more than twenty years... they couldn't wait any longer!

The main reason many cities want to develop professional football is to improve the city's image, promote economic development, increase employment opportunities, enhance the city's visibility, and attract investment.

If the team performs well, it can also enhance the cohesion and sense of honor of the citizens!

There are nearly 300 million football fans in the country. As long as a city has a Chinese Super League club, the city's name will frequently appear in the fans' field of vision. This is also a form of publicity for the city!

If the football club can participate in the AFC Champions League, the FIFA Club World Cup, or the FIFA Intercontinental Cup, it can make the city famous in Asia and around the world.

Otherwise, why would local authorities want to run football clubs?

Why would they subsidize football clubs?

Regardless of how sluggish domestic football is, if you want to vigorously develop a commercial sports activity, football is always the best choice!

And since Xiang Province has been doing youth training for so many years, without a professional football team to support it, what should those young people who have been receiving football training do?

Just as the entire Xiang Province football circle knew that Jufan Holdings wanted to take over Xianglong, Su Yang also personally led a team to Xiang Province, took over the power from Xie Yuxiang, and became the leader of the negotiations with Changsha.

The other party was very enthusiastic about Su Yang and his party, hoping that Jufan Holdings would come to build factories and invest.

But when it came to football negotiations, they were quite perfunctory.

After grinding for two days, Su Yang suddenly asked: "You guys want the Baniu club, right?"

The official personnel responsible for the negotiation looked at each other, not knowing how to answer Su Yang.

They were also wondering who had leaked the news!

"Look, the news has already broken out in Rongcheng!"

Su Yang turned his phone over to let them see the content on it.