Chapter 938: 937 Silent Stan
In the world of professional sports, there are countless famous and flamboyant billionaire team owners, but Stan Kroenke is completely different. He is undoubtedly the wealthiest figure in the professional sports world, yet he is so low-key that he seems almost invisible.
Across North Arica’s major professional sports leagues, except for baseball, Kroenke owns teams in every league, along with a series of stadiums, ensuring he can operate entirely self-sufficiently.
Whether it’s the NBA or the NFL, stadium-related issues for professional teams are always center stage because stadium construction often requires negotiation with city governnts, involving countless complexities—
In 2019, the Golden State Warriors relocated from Oakland to San Francisco; in 2020, the Oakland Raiders moved to Las Vegas. There were nurous factors behind these moves, but stadiums were a significant consideration.
In March 2024, the Kansas City Chiefs, fresh off defending their Super Bowl Championship title, were dealt a heavy blow when their Arrowhead Stadium renovation proposal was rejected in a city-wide vote. This put the Hunt family, the team’s owners, in a bind, as the aging stadium posed many challenges.
These instances are entirely real and not uncommon; their frequency far exceeds imagination.
Kroenke’s most visionary move is that when purchasing a team, he often buys its stadium as well, taking full control of its operation and profits, avoiding the challenges faced by other teams.
Even more astonishing, every team owned by Kroenke has at least once fought for the championship in its respective league—an exceptional track record.
There’s no doubt about it: in the realm of professional sports, Kroenke is an unequivocal giant.
However, when people bring up famous team owners, few—very few—imdiately think of Kroenke.
“Silently raking in big money,” Kroenke has his own approach and philosophy.
Such a figure can command respect even from professional leagues.
And now, Kroenke was standing right in front of Li Wei, indistinguishable from an ordinary elderly man. True to his nickna, “Silent Stan,” he looked utterly unremarkable.
Li Wei paused for a mont and motioned behind him, “Should I be turning around and leaving right now?”
Kroenke looked puzzled, “Why?”
Li Wei replied, “To avoid suspicion. If the dia snaps a photo, it won’t even take until tomorrow—social networks will explode tonight. I shouldn’t be casually chatting with the owner of a rival Super Bowl team.”
Kroenke looked calm, “What’s the big deal? Didn’t you go to Madison Square Garden to watch a ga last year?”
Li Wei gave a bitter smile, “That’s precisely why—last year, in my youthful naivety, I got publicly caught. Now I should be smarter about these things.”
Kroenke’s beard quivered slightly, “Do you fear those rumors? I thought nothing scared Li Wei.”
Li Wei laughed, “That’s a misunderstanding. A complete misunderstanding. There’s plenty I’m afraid of; the dia simply shaped into so fearless hero. In truth, I’m quite timid.”
Kroenke asked, “Such as?”
Li Wei replied, “You don’t expect to willingly expose my weaknesses, do you?”
Kroenke responded, “At least I tried.”
Relaxed and unrushed, Kroenke exuded a serene calmness, with no visible sharpness. Yet his poise and subtle humor hinted at his unique charm.
Li Wei had heard tales of this legendary figure, whose career beginnings were thanks to his wife—
Kroenke’s wife was a Wal-Mart heiress. The two t at a ski resort, and through her introductions, Kroenke got to know the then-head of Wal-Mart. Together they traveled extensively, observing birds in the mountains and forests.
A textbook example of “skip thirty years of struggle.”
Everyone envied Kroenke’s “good luck.” But the truth hidden behind those rumors was how Kroenke won his wife’s heart and proved himself before those industry titans. These were no easy feats, nor were they opportunities that just anyone could seize.
Standing before Kroenke, Li Wei inadvertently revealed his own inexperience—
Despite his reincarnation and living two lifetis, Li Wei lacked accumulated wealth, had never been exposed to the billionaire’s world, nor weathered its storms. The objective gap between them was undeniable.
In front of such a giant, petty tricks were useless.
Li Wei looked at Kroenke, “Us eting here—is this truly a coincidence?”
Kroenke asked, “Do you believe in coincidences?”
Li Wei refused to be pulled into Kroenke’s conversational rhythm, “That’s not my question.”
Kroenke seed slightly surprised, “You’ve got a sharp tongue.”
Li Wei replied, “Thank you for the complint. But you’re still evading my question.”
Kroenke responded, “No, it’s not a coincidence.”
Li Wei answered, “Oh.” Then he blinked, “So… is there anything I can help you with?”
After circling back, they’d sohow returned to square one!
When Li Wei said this, Kroenke instantly realized Li Wei was being purposefully playful, with a hint of jest. Yet the mood at this very mont was entirely different, and the sa words took on an entirely new nature.
This young man was even more impressive than Kroenke had anticipated.
Now Kroenke understood why Li Wei had beco a superstar. “I thought you already knew my intentions—after all, didn’t you experience this once last year?”
Li Wei shook his head lightly, “I don’t speculate recklessly.”
Kroenke suggested, “Why not take a guess?”
Li Wei quipped, “Your child’s a fan of mine, and you need an autograph?”
Kroenke: …”Haha.” Unable to hold it in, the elder burst out laughing—a rare sight indeed. “No, I simply want to get to know you better.”
Li Wei asked, “Friends? Are you sure? I thought billionaires like you don’t make friends easily.”
Kroenke replied, “No, we don’t. Because you never know if soone is approaching you for your wealth. But I imagine it’s the sa for you, isn’t it?”
Now that Li Wei had reached the pinnacle of the pyramid, the temptations coming his way were endless—though behind them, genuine intentions might be scarce.
It’s lonely at the top.
Li Wei was entering an entirely new realm.
But he never expected Li Wei to shake his head lightly, “No, you are the chess players; we are rely the chess pieces. It’s not the sa.”
Kroenke’s eyes lit up, “Very few players are willing to admit that.”
Li Wei replied, “But that’s the truth. And the truth doesn’t change just because we deny it.”
Kroenke asked, “So what do you plan to do?”
Li Wei answered, “One step at a ti—start by changing what I can. If it doesn’t work… then I’ll accept it calmly.”
“Ha.” Kroenke chuckled softly once more, “So, would you be interested in coming to Los Angeles?”
Li Wei: …”Mr. Kroenke, I thought you were here to make friends.”
A cunning gleam flickered in Kroenke’s eyes, “No, I never actually admitted to that. But now, I genuinely feel inclined.”
Li Wei replied, “I’m happy in Kansas City.”
Kroenke said, “I know. You’re happy now, but whether you’ll remain happy in the future—well, no one knows, right?”
Clearly, “Silent Stan” wasn’t as silent as his reputation suggested.
Not only was he not silent, but his words were sharp, effortlessly hitting key points and leaving ample room for interpretation within his understated phrasing.
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