SWR: Chapter 1205/1206

Chapter 1205: It’s Really Shocking

As the most commercialized league in the world, the Premier League knows exactly what fans want.

This should be the most basic quality of any service provider, but unfortunately, many fail to do it well.

For example, the simplest match scheduling.

In every round of the Premier League, one or two of the most anticipated matches are arranged at noon.

This timing is uncomfortable for the participating teams, but it is undoubtedly the most suitable for fans watching around the world.

On the second match day of the first round of the new season, the most-watched fixture was between Leeds United and West Ham United.

After selling six star players this summer, how much fighting power does Leeds United still have?

That was the question on the minds of fans all over the world.

On the first match day, the performances of Premier League teams were rather dull.

Manchester United drew 1-1 with Leicester City at home. Mourinho's side took the lead in the 83rd minute through Luke Shaw, but Leicester equalized in the second minute of stoppage time.

The first eighty minutes of that game were extremely boring and uneventful.

The next match was equally lackluster.

Tottenham played away at Newcastle. Vertonghen scored in the eighth minute, but Joselu equalized for the Magpies three minutes later. After that, neither side managed to score again for over eighty minutes.

The game ended in boredom.

Sarri's Chelsea performed well away from home, comfortably defeating Huddersfield 3-0.

Mané, Jorginho, and Pedro each scored a goal.

It was also Mané's debut after transferring to Chelsea.

It could be said that on the first match day, apart from Chelsea, the top teams' performances were largely disappointing.

This made many people wonder whether the next day's fixtures would bring something better.

Especially the much-anticipated clash between Leeds United and West Ham United scheduled for noon.

How could the White Rose still win after selling so many players?

…

This was the first time Gao Shen watched a Leeds United game purely as a fan.

He drove to Elland Road with his wife and child, parked nearby, and walked to the Amazon Stadium just like every other supporter.

The family of three wore Leeds United's new jerseys, chatting and laughing along the way like the other fans.

But they were quickly recognized.

Leeds United supporters were very satisfied with Gao Shen's management of the club and treated the family politely.

Even though Gao Shen's Real Madrid had beaten Leeds United in last season's Champions League final, the White Rose fans did not hold a grudge.

As they said online, as long as Gao Shen helps Leeds United win a Champions League title as compensation, the "debt" will be cleared.

The fans' demands were that simple.

The second phase of the stadium project must be suspended on every match day.

This was different from before.

The new stadium construction was on the west side of the site, so fans didn't need to pass through it to reach Elland Road. But the new work was now on the east side, meaning fans had to pass through the area, so construction had to stop during matches.

Gao Shen and his family followed the crowd into the venue, chatting with other fans about the new season.

Many gathered around, asking Gao Shen for his thoughts on the match and the upcoming campaign.

"I think we can win. I have great confidence in Pochettino," Gao Shen said with a smile.

The fans around him erupted in cheers.

If Gao Shen said they could win, then they believed it.

He also asked the fans for their opinions on the new stadium. To his surprise, their attitudes were overwhelmingly positive.

This wasn't part of a club-organized interview or media campaign. Gao Shen simply followed the crowd and talked to fans randomly. From time to time, someone came over to chat or even interrupted him.

It was the most genuine feedback from Leeds United fans.

"You know what? I've been supporting Leeds United for more than fifty years. Even now, I still can't believe we have such a fantastic stadium. I've written to the club several times, hoping they'll open up the area around the stadium so fans can have their ashes buried there after they pass away."

This came from an old fan in his sixties, attending the game with his family.

In the Premier League, this is indeed a tradition. Some fans want their ashes to be buried at the stadium, to remain forever with their lifelong football faith.

Some clubs even provide such paid services.

But Leeds United had no plans to offer it.

"Then you should stay healthy, take care of yourself and your family, and don't talk about death so easily. You'll live to see Leeds United win the Champions League and many more trophies."

Gao Shen's words of encouragement drew another round of cheers from the fans.

They were already in high spirits before even entering the stadium.

When else would they get the chance to walk and talk side by side with Gao Shen like this?

Even as they entered, fans politely asked Gao Shen to go first, but he declined.

Leeds United offered several entry methods to the new stadium. In addition to traditional tickets, the club encouraged fans to use the official mobile app.

By downloading the app, fans could link their identity information, purchase season and match tickets, and shop directly from the club store. To enter, they only needed to scan their digital ticket code, which was very convenient.

Another advantage of this was a major reduction in match-day labor costs.

In the past, thousands of temporary workers were needed, but now, most fans used their phones to scan their tickets, with only a few manual checks remaining.

…

The Amazon Stadium was a semi-open structure.

The main body and the roof were two completely independent components. The design was stunning from afar and even more impressive up close.

Before entering, fans could already hear the thrilling music booming from inside.

Every match day, Leeds United arranged various performances and fan activities, including raffles and interactive games.

As soon as fans scanned their tickets, the app sent them a message inviting them to predict the match score, first goal scorer, and other outcomes. Those who guessed correctly received a beautiful gift or shopping coupons.

In addition, the app provided real-time highlights and goal videos during the match, allowing fans to rewatch key moments instantly, whether at the stadium or watching elsewhere.

This feature was highly popular among fans.

The biggest issue with watching live matches is that exciting moments often happen too fast to process. While this adds thrill and adrenaline, it also leaves some regrets.

Through this interactive feature, fans could relive those moments immediately.

More importantly, they could share the content on social media such as Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook.

This helped Leeds United build its online presence and global influence.

Every game became a massive online advertisement for the club.

After several years of development, the Leeds United app had been downloaded over five million times, and registered members exceeded one million—the largest fan membership among sports clubs worldwide.

However, critics argued that becoming a Leeds United member only required a five-euro annual fee, which mainly granted access to real-time match highlights and club events.

This wasn't equivalent to full membership in the traditional sense.

The club also offered senior memberships costing fifty euros annually, which included a gift package containing the season calendar, posters, magazines, and a specially designed club souvenir such as a scarf.

Leeds United's senior members numbered fewer than 200,000, while Bayern Munich had over 200,000.

The club did not refute outside criticism but emphasized that both ordinary and senior memberships were growing rapidly.

Over time, Leeds United would surely become the sports club with the most members in the world.

Additionally, the club worked with sponsors to enhance member-exclusive benefits. Emirates Airlines provided discounted airfares, Huawei offered discounts on mobile phones and digital devices, and fans could purchase these products directly in the app store.

In the pedestrian shopping area of the stadium's second phase, both Apple and Huawei rented flagship store spaces.

Apple partnered due to its long-standing collaboration with architect Norman Foster, while Huawei, as the club's sponsor and technology partner, also had its store designed by Foster.

Leeds United's ability to deliver real-time video highlights and social media sharing depended on having the world's most advanced stadium WiFi, provided by Huawei.

Of course, Huawei gained greatly from this collaboration. After establishing itself through Leeds United's WiFi system, it quickly expanded across European football and even participated in the renovation of Real Madrid's Bernabéu Stadium.

Their success in stadium technology helped elevate their reputation across Europe, further boosting their smartphone business.

…

Like all the other fans, Gao Shen and his family entered the stadium by scanning their phones and proceeded to the executive box in the chairman's stand.

Lucas and the other executives were already waiting.

After greeting them one by one, Gao Shen stepped out onto the terrace and was immediately met by thunderous roars from the crowd.

A live band was performing on the pitch, and the atmosphere was electrifying.

The world-renowned circular screen hanging above displayed real-time footage, ensuring that every fan in the 67,000-seat stadium had a clear view of the action.

It also doubled as the main scoreboard.

During the design stage, Norman Foster's team had carefully studied ventilation to ensure that even on hot summer days, with the stadium full, fans would remain comfortable.

With the roof overhead, they also didn't have to worry about the sun.

Standing outside the executive box, Gao Shen held the railing and looked around at the sea of fans. His blood was boiling.

This was his team.

This was his stadium.

It was truly shocking.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 1206: I Vote for Mbappé

Goalkeeper: Alisson.

Defense: Robertson, Ruben Dias, De Ligt, and Alexander-Arnold.

Midfield: Kimmich sitting deep, with Milinkovic-Savic and Bernardo Silva ahead.

Forwards: Mbappé, Vardy, and Dembélé.

This was the starting lineup Pochettino selected for Leeds United tonight.

It was clear that he had taken Gao Shen's previous advice to heart and was looking to make a breakthrough in this match.

As the Leeds United players entered the stadium one by one, each player's information, photo, and live footage from the tunnel were displayed on the circular screen above, creating a stunning visual for the entire stadium.

With the stadium announcer's voice echoing through the stands, the crowd erupted in waves of cheers, driving the atmosphere to a peak.

The head coach of West Ham United was Gao Shen's old acquaintance, Pellegrini. There were also several familiar faces in his squad, including former Arsenal players Wilshere and Fabianski.

Both were well-known names in English football.

Gao Shen stood in the stands, applauding and cheering loudly for the Leeds United players.

At the same time, he noticed that the electronic advertisements surrounding the pitch had begun to move.

This was another technological innovation of Leeds United's new stadium, developed through a collaboration between a British company and a Chinese LED sponsor. It was called Digital Billboard Replacement Technology, or DBR for short.

The main feature of this system was that during live TV broadcasts, virtual reality technology could overlay advertisements onto the on-field environment.

The benefit was that fans inside the stadium would see the physical boards as usual, while TV audiences in different regions would see different brands and languages on the same boards.

This allowed Leeds United to display multiple versions of advertising content at once, increasing both flexibility and revenue potential.

With the Premier League's global reach, this innovation greatly enhanced Leeds United's commercial appeal.

Furthermore, the club worked with advertising agencies to auction off specific moments, such as highlight plays or goals, as premium ad slots. These moments carried high visibility and even higher commercial value.

It could be said that this was another important source of revenue for the club.

Leeds United's new stadium was the first in European football to use DBR technology.

At that moment, Gao Shen only saw one version of the billboards, while viewers around the world saw advertisements tailored to their regions and languages.

This was one of the so-called "black technologies" of Leeds United's new home.

…

At the start of the match, Leeds United sought to control possession while pressing West Ham United aggressively.

Playing away in their first game of the new season, the Hammers were conservative, staying compact and organized. They focused on maintaining their shape but looked to counterattack whenever possible.

That was the hallmark of a Premier League side.

In the Premier League, such tight and disciplined defense was rare, which was why the league was so fast-paced and exciting.

During the first round, few teams had gone all-out in attack, with both sides generally cautious.

But from the fifth minute onward, Leeds United increased their intensity in the attacking third.

After a successful midfield interception, Kimmich launched a long pass to the right flank.

Vardy sprinted forward, used his body to shield the defender, and brought the ball under control, but was quickly surrounded and unable to pass.

Leeds United immediately pressed to win the ball back.

Vardy and Dembélé both fought for possession up front. When West Ham tried to advance along the wing, Bernardo Silva, Alexander-Arnold, and Dembélé combined to win the ball and launch another quick counterattack.

Leeds United's transition play was lightning fast, forcing West Ham's defense to retreat in exhaustion.

However, they were unable to create a clear threat, as center-back Balbuena intercepted the ball and launched a long pass to initiate a counterattack.

Before the ball could cross midfield, Robertson anticipated it perfectly, controlled it on his chest, and passed to Milinkovic-Savic.

Using his strong frame, Milinkovic-Savic held off the defender and laid it off to Bernardo Silva before turning and running forward.

Bernardo reacted instantly, returning a quick pass to Milinkovic-Savic, forming a smooth one-two.

Milinkovic-Savic surged forward and fed the ball to Dembélé on the right edge of the box.

After controlling the ball, the French winger sidestepped his marker. Mbappé had already made a diagonal run into the penalty area, drawing a defender with him. This opened up space on the left, where Vardy slipped into position.

Dembélé sent a diagonal pass, but under defensive pressure, Vardy failed to control the ball cleanly, allowing Fabianski to claim it.

The entire move unfolded in a flash, drawing gasps from the crowd.

Gao Shen clapped and cheered along.

The big screen immediately replayed the attacking sequence, showing Leeds United's quick, fluid, and technical play.

Leeds United were anything but a rough side. Their attacking buildup was as smooth as ever.

Watching the slow-motion replay, Gao Shen noticed that if the West Ham defender hadn't nudged Vardy from behind, the striker would have had a clear shot on goal.

Sometimes, football comes down to a single second, even half a second.

"Phew!" Gao Shen exhaled deeply, applauding again. "Watching from here is really thrilling!"

Su Qing, Lucas, Borrell, and the others nodded in agreement.

Who could deny it?

Not only could they feel the live tension of the stadium, but they could also see every detail of the match. It was the perfect blend of live atmosphere and broadcast precision, an unmatched experience.

"Our matchday experience here was voted the best in Europe. Even UEFA praised it," Lucas said proudly, as Leeds United's CEO.

When Gao Shen had first proposed investing heavily in this massive circular screen, many thought it was unnecessary and too expensive, especially since they had opted for custom development.

But when the results came out, everyone was stunned.

The experience of watching a match here was on another level.

Compared to the small screens used in other stadiums, this panoramic display offered an entirely new dimension of engagement.

Once fans experienced it, it was hard to go back to anything else.

"Then let's talk to UEFA and ask them to let us host another Champions League final!" Gao Shen laughed.

For Leeds United, hosting a Champions League final not only boosted reputation but also brought massive commercial benefits.

"Yes, by the way, who did you vote for earlier?" Su Qing asked with a smile. "I voted for Vardy."

She had become a loyal fan of Vardy and bet on him to score first.

She still remembered going to that small, struggling club to sign him.

No one would have imagined that in 2018, Vardy would help Leeds United win the Premier League and even earn a call-up to the England national team for the World Cup. That only deepened Su Qing's admiration for Gao Shen's eye for talent.

"I voted for Mbappé, and I put the score at 3-0," Gao Shen said with a grin.

"Isn't that a bit too optimistic?" Lucas asked, surprised.

Was Gao Shen really that confident in Leeds United today?

"I think a two-goal win would be enough," said Borrell.

Lucas shook his head. "I believe in a 1-0 mentality."

"Too conservative," Gao Shen said with a laugh, pointing at the two of them.

They were talking about the prediction game pushed by Leeds United's official app.

Fans who guessed both the first goalscorer and final score correctly would receive a special prize.

Leeds United had put real thought into these rewards.

Just then, Arnold received the ball on the pitch and delivered a long pass to the unmarked Dembélé ahead of him.

Dembélé controlled the ball on the right side, but the West Ham defender quickly closed him down.

The Frenchman feinted toward the byline, then stopped and laid the ball back to Arnold.

Arnold didn't hesitate. Before the defender could get close, he sent a precise cross into the middle.

Bernardo Silva sprinted forward to meet it. With defenders on both sides, he shifted the ball to his left foot, took a step sideways, and lofted a perfectly timed pass toward the left side of the penalty spot.

Mbappé darted into the box at full speed to chase it, but Fabianski reacted just as quickly and got there first.

The two nearly collided. Mbappé pulled back in time, and Fabianski secured the ball.

The crowd gasped again.

It was so close.

As Mbappé jogged back, he gave a thumbs-up to his teammate.

It was an excellent pass, just a bit too strong.

If it had been slightly lighter, Mbappé could have reached it for a shot. But if the pace was slower, the pass might have been intercepted.

"Today, the players are in great form," Gao Shen said with a broad smile, applauding again.

That was a well-worked move, and Bernardo Silva's creativity stood out.

"I'm still sticking with my bet. Mbappé will score first."

Everyone laughed.

This kind of prediction always had a bit of gambling to it. After all, anything could happen in football. Who could really say?

At this point, both Mbappé and Vardy looked the most likely to score.

It was now clear that Leeds United were dominating the match.

Under intense pressure, West Ham United dropped deep, compressing their defense near the edge of the penalty area while Leeds continued to circulate the ball outside, probing for openings.

(To be continued.)