White Lines by Mel Stein

Author:Mel Stein [Stein, Mel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Endeavour Media
Published: 2019-07-06T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 26

If the men behind the ESL were going to be forced to jump through the hoops one more time then they were going to do it in style, even if the style itself was in doubtful taste. The huge banqueting hall of the hotel had been converted into a mini-football stadium. Green carpet simulated the turf, and there were goals at either end, mock floodlights and even turnstiles at the entrance. The audience had been treated to an hour of pre-match entertainment from a French chanteuse and a Swiss pop band, which had been almost drowned out by the chatter in the auditorium. The committee entered through a cleverly designed mock tunnel to the strains of ‘Nessun Dorma’, and the floodlights picked out the portly figure of Pavarotti at first miming to his own record then gradually taking up the words until his beautiful voice filled the room and finally brought a note of respectability to the proceedings.

Those who would sit in judgment, who doubtless had already judged, filed up to the platform. There was both money and power behind this new league and in order to recover their money and maximise their power and influence they needed television. Mark could see Mo twisting his hands nervously. It had been his challenges in the court which had brought about the re-tender and he had every reason to worry as to whether or not that might affect the committee’s decision, even though he had been assured in writing that he would start with every other applicant on a level playing field.

Logically there was no reason why the ESL Committee should have held a grudge. Yes, it had cost them money, but on the other hand they had been given a massive shot of publicity when last time around the negotiations for the television rights had been conducted by lawyers behind closed doors. That had meant an opportunity missed to tell the world that the Super League had truly arrived and now they might have cause to be grateful to Mo for giving them another chance to orchestrate this particular gathering in full view of the world’s Press. Then there was the question of money. There could be no doubt that they were likely to achieve a higher offer this time around and, whatever else they might say, money was what it was all about.

The applicants sat in little knots, each clearly identified as a separate unit. Halid, Conway, Donaldson, Nabil and Mark were on the left. As far away from them as possible to the right were the Jet contingent. Nathan Carr, who had just joined up with them today, seemed to be a little apart from his own team. There was a small smile playing around his mouth as if he were involved in a game with infants that he knew he had to win because of his age and size. Alissa Bland was nearest to him, her blonde hair cut very short, the make-up impeccable, wearing an understated green trouser suit and looking every inch the business woman she undoubtedly was.

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