[MadMax]

Originally Posted by Aruba77 I share your frustration over Les, but i don't understand the connection you make with regard to Les raking in the $ at the expense of the health of our team. Correct me if I'm wrong, but i thought all revenues from NBA merchandise and broadcasts were shared accross the league. How did Yao make money exclusively for Les? I mean, i know he increased the value of the team because he improved our world-wide popularity, and sold a few extra tickets, but beyond that, i just don't see it. .

I've posted this a bunch before...here's a breakdown of what Yao meant to Les, exclusively:

http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showpost.p...&postcount=375

Originally Posted by MadMax They're not talking about NBA dollars when they talk about Yao being a cash cow. Alexander had zero business interests in China before 2002...since then, he's involved in a ton of very lucrative business deals. Yao has been a gateway for him to public/private partnerships there he wouldn't be exposed to otherwise...i posted this before http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showpost.p...1&postcount=25 i'm just gonna say it: i think other NBA owners...wealthy men...might bring him on so they can see if some of his magic works on them...something like the opportunities below. but these opportunities are exactly why Les isn't going to trade Yao...at least I don't think he will. HIs business interests in China are considerable and diverse at this point...all of this happened since we drafted Yao. He literally started Rocket Capital Investment to take advantage of this. http://www.nba.com/rockets/communit...307773-822.html After six years of cultivation, Alexander launched Leslie Wine in 2008, which is currently selling four exceptional 2007 vintage wines exclusively in China. http://www.mlive.com/business/ambiz...40805182170.xml http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=146352 In the latest venture through his Rocket Capital Investment company, Alexander has teamed up with San Antonio billionaire Billy Joe "Red" McCombs. The joint venture has invested in Brilliance China Automotive Holdings Ltd., one of the country's largest automakers. Alexander's other holdings in China range from railways to mining, but the automotive deal represents his largest direct investment in a publicly traded Chinese company. Kenneth Huang is the key executive behind the scenes at Alexander's company. The managing director and senior partner of Rocket Capital was the first college graduate from China to work at the New York Stock Exchange in the 1980s. Huang now focuses on partnering deals for investments in major Chinese state-owned and private enterprises. He met Alexander through SportsCorp China, formed by Huang to promote closer sports and sponsorship ties with the United States. SportsCorp China players include the Houston Rockets, the National Basketball Association and the New York Yankees. http://chinalegal.blogspot.com/2008...-hong-kong.html . Rocket Capital Investment The firm was established by the mainland basketball star Yao Ming's finder of Leslie Alexander, to cash in on his new mainland business connections. Mr. Alexander is its sole investor, and Forbes magazine estimates his worth at US$1.5 billion. In 2007, the firm poured US$200 million into some of Hong Kong's biggest IPOs. In 2008, the firm is planning to invest another US$200 million to focus instead on buying listed shares and making other types of investments, but will be more careful this year, according to its managing director of Kenneth Huang...