New Employees With an Annual Salary of 1 Trillion Won - Chapter 178

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 178. Filtering (3)

How did the situation escalate to this extent?

Of course, part of it was what I had intended.

After all, I was the one who directly called Chairman Oh Hee-geon of Samjin Group and Chairman Jang Dong-gu of Daehyeon Automotive to request their attendance at the meeting.

But I hadn’t made any moves with the other groups.

The support from Samjin Group and Daehyeon Automotive alone would have been sufficient to seize control of the meeting.

There was no need to contact other groups and ask for favors.

Yet at this meeting, the chairmen and vice chairmen of all teams were gathered.

It was a situation I simply couldn’t understand.

Seeing my expression, Chairman Oh Hee-geon smiled and quietly spoke up.

“I wanted to see everyone’s faces after such a long time, so I made some calls. It’s truly wonderful to gather like this in one place.”

“It’s not easy for team owners to meet like this. When will we have another opportunity like this?”

“It’s rare to have a chance to see the GL Group Vice Chairman and Tiger Fund Branch Manager, whom we can’t see at the Business Association.”

Chairman Oh Hee-geon led the atmosphere.

And naturally informed the other team owners who I was.

Everyone’s gaze turned to me, and I politely stood up from my seat to formally introduce myself.

“I am Lee Jung-hoo, serving as the Tiger Fund Branch Manager. It’s an honor to meet the elders of the business world like this.”

“Thanks to Tiger Fund, favorable winds are blowing through Korea’s economy these days.”

“I’m truly grateful that you think so.”

There were quite a few team owners with whom I had connections.

From Chairman Oh Hee-geon of Samjin Group to Chairman Jang Dong-gu of Daehyeon Automotive, and even the GL Group Vice Chairman whom I’d gotten acquainted with through the GL Card acquisition.

Of course, not all of them had good relationships with me.

From Sharott Group’s perspective, having gained a new competitor through Rollbook Mart, they couldn’t view me favorably.

Still, the overall atmosphere wasn’t bad.

Chairman Oh Hee-geon, an elder of the business world, was keeping things centered.

“First, let’s hear what the President has to say. There must be a reason you gathered us all here.”

“Ahem, the matter is that we’ve invited the team owners to resolve the copyright issues of videos illegally uploaded to the Rollbook site under Tiger Fund.”

The President emphasized the word “illegally.”

It seemed he was trying to stress that Rollbook was an illegal site.

“They’re not illegal videos. These are videos uploaded legally through agreements with public broadcasters.”

“Since there’s no agreement with the baseball league, it’s illegal!”

“We’ve confirmed from multiple law firms that there are no legal issues.”

“No matter how much you’ve agreed with broadcasters, you shouldn’t upload without agreement from the league that operates professional baseball! Who gave permission for the players’ portrait rights?”

The President was coming on strong.

In that case, I had to launch a strong counterattack, and I touched on the most important aspect of baseball team operations.

“Of course, the players’ portrait rights are important too. That’s why we plan to distribute revenue from baseball videos to each team based on view counts. We’ll pay teams an amount equivalent to 30% of advertising revenue.”

“Why would you distribute that to the teams! All authority lies with the league!”

The President gave me the answer I wanted.

Probably the purpose of today’s team owners’ meeting was to use the team owners to bury me.

But the moment he showed greed for advertising revenue distribution, I could plant the impression that he was only trying to fill the league’s pockets, not working for the teams.

“All teams are recording losses. For teams to survive, they need diverse revenue structures, and video advertising revenue could be the first step.”

“How much advertising revenue do you think there is to cover team losses!”

“Of course advertising revenue alone won’t be enough, but Rollbook videos will increase fan influx. In the long term, it will greatly help professional baseball’s success.”

Due to the aftermath of the 2002 World Cup, professional baseball’s popularity had rapidly declined.

Most teams still depended only on their parent companies’ advertising expenses.

Operations were impossible with just ticket revenue, uniform sales, and broadcasting rights income.

There was only one way to reduce the deficit.

Expanding the overall pie of professional baseball.

To do that, exposure had to be increased.

The general public uninterested in baseball had to be newly drawn in as fans.

“Do you think fans will come just by uploading videos to Rollbook?”

“The professional baseball highlight video uploaded last week has already exceeded 3 million views. That’s higher than the average viewership of broadcaster coverage.”

“What’s so great about that! These days there are far more casual fans who only watch highlights rather than entire games.”

“That’s exactly it. To bring those casual fans back to the stadium, we need to maximize the exposure of professional baseball videos.”

The President frowned and raised his voice.

He seemed to have forgotten that team owners from each club were sitting in the meeting hall.

“You say fans will come through Rollbook videos? Don’t make me laugh! Isn’t everything the media is talking about these days because of Rollbook! Aren’t all those talks about bad calls and biased officiating created there!”

“Are you saying bad calls and biased officiating are Rollbook’s fault? I don’t understand why you’re trying to blame us for the league’s responsibilities too.”

Rollbook was merely a megaphone.

If referee management had been done properly, such incidents wouldn’t have occurred.

Ultimately, the cause of the situation was the league’s poor management, and the person who should take the greatest responsibility was none other than the President himself.

“I’m saying this because Rollbook blows up even small bad calls!”

“If they were small bad calls, would the media have paid attention? They became issues because obviously clear bad calls were repeated every game. The fundamental cause lies in the league’s poor management.”

“Poor management! Wasn’t the initial cause the Daehyeon Baseball Team! Your team recruited players from the players’ association! Because you have such players, the referees applied petty grudges!”

Finally, the words “players’ association” came out.

The President knew well that team owners had negative views of the players’ association, so he intentionally emphasized that point more.

“If not for the players’ association, this wouldn’t have happened!”

“That doesn’t justify bad calls. Moreover, are you saying the league knowingly condoned the referees’ application of petty grudges?”

“Condoned? Referees are human too, aren’t they? How can the league control their emotions!”

Truly brazen.

The President was spouting words that gave the feeling that the league reigned supreme over professional baseball.

“If such an unfair league continues, baseball fans will leave even more. What’s the league’s reason for existence? Shouldn’t you be working for professional baseball’s success?”

“I’m working hard too. If not for the players’ association incident, professional baseball’s popularity would be much higher than now.”

“So you’re saying you’ll continue operating the league like this?”

“I think the league is operating the league very well.”

He was someone I couldn’t communicate with.

There was no point in talking with someone who had no will to have a conversation—it would only make my mouth hurt.

So I quietly drew out a very powerful card that I hadn’t originally intended to use.

“Then the Daehyeon Baseball Team will boycott this season.”

“You mean you won’t participate in the remaining games? If you come out like that, the Daehyeon Baseball Team will be permanently expelled from the Professional Baseball League!”

“Haha, everyone calm down. Branch Manager, if the current first-place team boycotts, it will cause quite a commotion.”

Chairman Oh Hee-geon stepped in to mediate.

Because enormous problems would arise the moment the Daehyeon Baseball Team boycotted.

Not only would viewership drop, but sponsors would have to reconsider contracts due to decreased exposure value.

The league would have to bear the loss of overall professional baseball revenue decline.

“Even if we don’t boycott, the results won’t change. What fans would remain in a league where fairness and trust have collapsed? Only with the league’s change and innovation can professional baseball come back to life.”

“Hmm, there’s one best method.”

“What method is that?”

Chairman Kim Seong-hyeon stepped forward.

He threw a fastball.

As straightforward as his fiery personality, his solution was simple and clear.

“If the President steps down, everything will be resolved cleanly.”

“Are you telling me to resign right now!”

“Aren’t fans doubting the league’s fairness? Then the person at the top should take responsibility.”

Chairman Kim Seong-hyeon strongly took my side.

He didn’t seem to have any other motives.

He truly loved professional baseball and was speaking only for professional baseball’s future.

But the President misunderstood Chairman Kim Seong-hyeon’s intentions.

He was fixated only on the word resignation, and spoke in a booming voice that echoed throughout the meeting hall.

“Resignation for the President! Just how far do you intend to cross the line! Why should I resign!”

Bang!

The furious President slammed his hand down on the desk.

The meeting hall instantly froze, and everyone looked at the President.

An overwhelming sense of intimidation.

The chairmen and vice chairmen of groups representing South Korea.

When they all simultaneously showed displeasure toward the President, only then did the President grasp the situation.

“I’m, I’m sorry. I got excited and raised my voice.”

“There’s nothing to apologize for, you can just leave as you are.”

“I can’t resign in this manner.”

“Then let’s vote. Those who agree with the President’s resignation, please raise your hands.”

Chairman Kim Seong-hyeon proceeded with the hand vote.

Starting with Chairman Oh Hee-geon, then Chairman Jang Dong-gu, and including Chairman Kim Seong-hyeon, everyone raised their hands.

Unanimous.

No matter how much power the President held over the entire league.

In the end, those who elected the league President were the team owners, and a President opposed by more than half the owners could no longer maintain his position.

“…I understand. I will step down from my position.”

In the end, the President was driven out.

If he had negotiated with me.

Or at least kept one ear open, this situation wouldn’t have occurred.

The sight of the President leaving with his head bowed was even pitiful.

But he had crossed the line, and the team owners no longer considered him their President.

“Ahem, are you satisfied with this much? Branch Manager Lee Jung-hoo.”

“I’m sorry. A good gathering became noisy because of me.”

“I don’t understand why a problem that could have been resolved amicably became so complicated.”

The team owners didn’t ease their uncomfortable expressions.

To appease their feelings, sincerity was needed, and I could finally play the card I had prepared for the negotiation.

“Tiger Fund has prepared several things in advance for the development of Korean professional baseball. First, we will invest 3 billion won to provide equipment and personnel so each team can film their own videos.”

“Hmm, if we film and upload videos, will baseball fans return to the stadium?”

“There won’t be dramatic effects right away. But if we consistently put in this effort, they will definitely return.”

In the end, it was a battle of exposure.

People are naturally drawn to content they encounter frequently.

And the place where the current young generation spends the most time was Rollbook.

“Since you’re spending as much as 3 billion won, well, we won’t oppose it.”

“I apologize once again. I showed an unsightly appearance in front of the team owners.”

“Haha, it’s fine. Now! Since it’s not easy for us to gather like this, let’s have a deep conversation after a long time. How does Tiger Fund view the current economic situation?”

Chairman Oh Hee-geon suddenly changed the subject.

It seemed like he intended for me to score points with each team owner, so I decided to tell them something helpful.

“The economic situation will be very bright going forward. Oil prices fluctuated dramatically due to the Iraq War, but we expect no major changes for the time being. And the United States lowered interest rates to the 1% range to stimulate the economy. The possibility of global funds flowing into emerging countries has increased.”

“You’re saying that just like Tiger Fund made many investments in the Korean market, other global funds will also enter Korea?”

Many team owners showed interest in my words.

Everyone knew how much profit Tiger Fund had made through this Iraq War.

“The largest funds will likely head toward China. China has been actively accepting foreign capital and technology since joining the WTO. It appears to be the right time to enter the Chinese market.”

“The Chinese market is quite unstable though.”

“And one more thing, yen appreciation is starting again. Japanese manufacturing competitiveness is weakening, so now is an excellent opportunity for Korean electronics and automotive companies to increase their market share.”

I provided information based on Tiger Fund’s reports.

Naturally, being group chairmen, they would already know this information.

But since it came from Tiger Fund’s mouth, they listened with even more interest.

“But does Tiger Fund plan to continue holding onto the companies it acquired?”

“We acquire companies with the premise of long-term holding. We have no plans to sell.”

“I heard Daehyeon Semiconductor continues to operate at a loss?”

“We have sufficient capacity to endure.”

“I heard Rollbook Mart also has severe losses. Will you still continue to maintain it?”

It was a question from Sharott Group.

The tone carried competitive sentiment.

The emergence of a new competitor called Rollbook Mart wouldn’t be very welcome.

So we made it clear that we weren’t competitors.

“Rollbook Mart intends to become an online-centered mart. We’re not planning to expand the offline market.”

“Really? That’s fortunate then.”

At first, questions poured only toward me,

but gradually the topic expanded to Korean and global economics in general.

While everyone shared the changes and crises they felt in their respective industries,

I answered all questions sincerely and worked to ensure everyone had a satisfying time.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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