After arriving in Los Angeles, Gao Shen was surprised twice in just one day.
The first surprise came from witnessing the sheer power of the American sports industry in commercial development.
He heard from the head of Leeds United's North American office that a shopping mall had been built at one of the main entrances of an NFL team's home stadium.
The club not only sold the naming rights to its stadium but also sold the naming rights to the shopping mall.
American Airlines bought the naming rights to the shopping mall for 90 million dollars over ten years.
When Gao Shen first heard this, his immediate reaction was disbelief.
"They sold the stadium naming rights once, then sold the mall's naming rights again, and at such a ridiculous price?"
Other than calling it impressive, there was nothing else he could say.
"I once read a report from the University of Oregon's Sports Industry Center stating that corporate sponsorship of sports venues in the United States began in the 1990s and has grown rapidly ever since. This proves that most companies have achieved or even exceeded their expectations through these sponsorships."
It was easy to understand. After all, in business, no one invests without profit in mind.
However, such commercialization remains a sensitive issue in Europe, where tradition carries great weight.
"I've spoken with several American corporations, and they all believe that stadiums with long histories, like Old Trafford, Anfield, the Bernabéu, and Camp Nou, are already ingrained in fan culture. Their names are symbols, deeply rooted in fans' memories, commanding a sense of reverence."
That reverence, Gao Shen thought, was essentially fear. Businesses worry that rebranding such historic names could alienate fans and backfire, resulting in loss rather than gain.
That's why newer stadiums without historic baggage, such as those of Leeds United, Atlético Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Juventus, are more appealing for naming rights deals.
In the United States, though, this is standard practice.
For example, some clubs even sell naming rights for stands or for the fan entrances and exits.
As long as something holds value, there will be sponsors ready to buy it.
"Stand naming rights are actually quite popular," the director continued, "because fans tend to gather in certain sections, making those stands famous and frequently highlighted during broadcasts."
In short, as long as there's attention, there's money to be made.
Gao Shen, Lucas, and Borrell exchanged glances and laughed.
When it came to making money, Leeds United was still far behind American sports franchises, perhaps even a little too conservative.
"We need to keep pushing forward," Gao Shen said with a grin.
The second surprise came from the VIP Health Sports Park, home of the Los Angeles Galaxy. The name itself was long because of sponsorship.
Its original name was the Home Depot Center.
And it was there, in Leeds United's first International Champions Cup match against Bayern Munich, that Gao Shen received his second shock of the day.
...
Though only a friendly tournament, the International Champions Cup offered generous rewards and featured top teams, making every game highly competitive.
Bayern fielded their strongest lineup, with Kovac sticking to a 4-3-3 formation.
Goalkeeper: Ter Stegen.
Defenders: Alaba, Lucas Hernandez, Hummels, Pavard.
Midfielders: Kimmich as the deep-lying playmaker, with Goretzka and Thiago ahead.
Forwards: Coman, Lewandowski, and Gnabry.
Leeds United also came out with full intent.
Goalkeeper: Ramsdale.
Defenders: Cucurella, Ruben Dias, Militao, Reece James.
Midfielders: Declan Rice holding, with Bruno Fernandes and Valverde.
Forwards: Grealish, Vardy, and Sancho.
From the start, both teams pressed aggressively and played at a high tempo, though it wasn't an open attacking battle.
Neither side was in top condition.
The tempo was fast and the challenges were fierce, but clear chances were rare.
Leeds United created more opportunities and had more shots, yet failed to score.
The best moments came near halftime.
Vardy laid the ball off for Valverde, whose long-range strike was parried by Ter Stegen. Moments later, Bruno Fernandes received a pass from Grealish and fired from close range, only for Ter Stegen to pull off another miraculous save.
Despite the frustration of the first half, Leeds United started the second half with renewed intensity.
After receiving the ball on the left, Grealish evaded Pavard and whipped a diagonal cross to the far post.
Sancho darted into the box, meeting the ball first-time and volleying it across goal.
Vardy followed up in the middle, slotting it into Bayern's net.
1-0.
Behind on the scoreboard, Bayern began to attack.
In the 66th minute, Gnabry cut in from the right and sent in a cross. Lewandowski rose above substitute Saliba and headed home from close range, leveling the score.
Saliba was completely outmatched in that duel.
The young center-back's start to the season had been miserable. First, a red card in the previous game, and now beaten by Lewandowski.
"Is his heading really that poor?" Gao Shen wondered from the stands.
At 1.93 meters tall, he didn't seem the type to struggle aerially.
Borrell gave an awkward smile. "His aerial duels average just 1.8 wins per game, ranking 46th among center-backs in Ligue 1."
That was astonishingly low.
"A waste of height," Gao Shen muttered.
"Actually," Borrell explained, "his red card last time was also because of physical issues. He's 1.93 meters tall but weighs only 82 kilograms."
Gao Shen immediately understood.
Someone that tall but so light was clearly underpowered.
Van Dijk, for comparison, was the same height but weighed 92 kilograms.
Varane, at 1.91 meters and 82 kilograms, was also seen as elegant and clean in his defending, largely avoiding heavy physical battles for similar reasons.
During Gao Shen's time coaching Varane, he kept the Frenchman around 85 kilograms.
Height and weight alone didn't define a player's style, but Saliba's lack of physical strength was a clear issue.
"When we first scouted him, he wasn't this tall and was slightly chubby," Borrell added. "He's only 18, still growing. He gained height but lost mass, so now he's light for his size."
"This has created a new problem," he continued. "His body isn't fully developed yet. We have to be careful. Forcing physical growth too soon could cause harm."
Gao Shen nodded in understanding.
Youth development was always tricky because players' bodies were still changing.
Even with Haaland, Vinicius, and Rodrygo, Leeds United had been cautious. Injuries at that age could have lifelong consequences.
Choupo-Moting and Robben were perfect examples. Both were overworked when young and carried chronic injuries for the rest of their careers.
"It's fine," Gao Shen said with a smile. "We'll take it slow. Have José Fonte mentor him."
Having an experienced veteran guiding a young defender could be invaluable.
...
After the score was tied 1-1, Leeds United began making substitutions.
Vinicius, Haaland, Enzo Fernandez, Alphonso Davies, and Hakimi all came on.
It was worth noting that Gnabry's earlier assist came partially due to Cucurella's defensive lapse.
What no one expected was that after the 70th minute, once the young players came on, Leeds United completely turned the match around.
Vinicius, in particular, was electric down the left flank.
Moments after coming on, he repeatedly outpaced Pavard, leaving the French defender spinning. Cutting into the box, he unleashed a shot that was blocked by Süle.
Leeds won a corner.
The ball was sent into the six-yard box, and José Fonte, recently substituted in, powered a header into the net.
Leeds United 2-1 Bayern Munich.
Just minutes later, Leeds attacked again. Alphonso Davies unleashed a thunderous 25-meter strike that narrowly missed the top corner, sending shivers through the crowd.
The young players were relentless, pressing Bayern back and dictating the rhythm.
Gao Shen and his staff were stunned in the stands.
"These kids are incredible!" Gao Shen burst out laughing.
Who would have imagined that they would pin Bayern in their own half, completely outplaying them?
Bayern might have been rotating, but they were still Bayern Munich.
Then came the final blow.
In the 88th minute, Alphonso Davies crossed from the left. Vinicius controlled the ball on the edge of the box, slipped it to Haaland, and darted forward.
Haaland, using his strength to hold off Süle, flicked the ball back into Vinicius's path. The two executed a quick one-two inside the crowded penalty area.
Vinicius broke through and crossed to the far post, where Rodrygo arrived with a sliding finish.
The ball hit the back of the net.
3-1!
Leeds United's young players ran wildly across the pitch, their joy overflowing.
The American crowd erupted, cheering for this fearless, energetic team.
Gao Shen, Lucas, and Borrell were all grinning from ear to ear.
These kids were a revelation.
If Leeds United played like this every match, how could they aim for just a top-four finish?
They could challenge for the title.
(To be continued.)