In this BIG SPOTLIGHT episode, our Fan Relations Manager Andreas Wolny talks about the founding of the Roaring Bears association.
How stressful were the preparations for you, and how glad are you that the Roaring Bears have now taken this step?
The preparations for the founding were definitely challenging, as neither BIG nor the Roaring Bears had any experience with establishing an association. We at BIG did our best to fully support the Roaring Bears throughout this process. Drafting the association's statutes together turned out to be very exciting. It was all the more thrilling once the statutes were finalized and all the necessary steps had been completed. I'm very proud of how everything has developed from its beginnings just a few years ago into an association today. I believe the Roaring Bears have created a foundation with the association to best promote their interests and continue to grow as a group.
What tasks or role did you have in this step?
I see myself as a link between the Roaring Bears and BIG and stood by the fans as support from start to finish throughout the process.
It was particularly important to me that the founding group took the lead role to put their ideas and visions for shaping the association front and center. My motto until the very last step was: "It's your association and you have to develop it. We'll support you along the way." Whatever is written in the statutes can only be changed subsequently with a two-thirds majority at the general meeting. That's why the founding statutes hold special significance and express the vision of the founding members.
What will change as a result?
For us as an organization, not much will change regarding communication at first. Previously we spoke with "individuals"; from now on we speak with members of the "Roaring Bears" who represent their association to the outside world as a whole. Beyond that, the founding naturally helps strengthen the bond between BIG and the Roaring Bears. Through membership with the Roaring Bears, fans have the opportunity to receive more intensive support for events or, for example, to connect more closely with us through exclusive fan events and help shape them (e.g. meet-and-greets). This increases the fan club's appeal long term, making it more interesting for potential members as well. We're certainly still at the beginning of this development and will intensify this form of collaboration.
What role do the Roaring Bears play for BIG?
Since BIG was founded, we see ourselves together with our fans as part of one big family, where every single person holds a special place. We celebrate successes and share the pain after defeats – true to our motto #GEMEINSAM. It's fascinating to watch how the active fan scene at BIG and in esports overall is developing. We all benefit from this development: Fans create emotional experiences like traveling to events and develop an expressive fan culture built on shared values. Our players are cheered on and motivated by fans, while they can experience their fans in a completely new way outside the internet. And finally the organization itself, which without its fans cannot be part of this experiential sports culture long term.
What distinguishes the Roaring Bears from fan groups at other esports organizations?
I think that with their values, which are also laid out in our statement (bigclan.gg/roaringbears), the Roaring Bears have a unique selling point in esports. They publicly commit to a positively charged fan culture and see themselves as pioneers in decisively shaping this fan culture. That's something unique to me.
Of course there are further distinguishing factors such as the size of the fan club, the geographic location of members, and more. The Bears definitely also chose the right organizational affiliation 🙂
What activities are planned for the future?
Two important events are still on the calendar for the Roaring Bears this year: the CS:GO Major in Paris and IEM 2023 in Cologne. Preparations for both events are already in full swing. The Roaring Bears will publish the necessary info in due time. However, we can already share a small teaser for IEM Cologne 2023: Fans are currently planning chants, a comprehensive block banner, a fan march to the arena, and much more. I recommend stopping by the Roaring Bears' Discord to stay informed about all planned activities and get actively involved. There you can also plan trips to events together with other fans or simply check out the ticket exchange.
From an organizational perspective, we also want to put the topic of "fan experience" more in focus this year. This includes the public viewing event that took place recently, but a similar format like the "Coinbase Fan Experience" is also being planned again. We will announce further information on this shortly. We also place value this year in 2023 on implementing the BIG Club, which is set to be integrated into the new website in the future.
Closing words?
I warmly invite all fans to become part of esports fan culture and let themselves be inspired by these wonderful experiences. Diversity, variety, and empowered fans are personally very important to me. Only in this way can we face future challenges together and create a fan culture where everyone is welcome. As an organization, it's important for us to question ourselves critically. The esports community has always stood for this and will continue to do so in the future.