Crazy Raccoon now operate without a single sponsor

Garbis "Vanskus" Vizoian••2 min read

Crazy Raccoon are operating without any sponsors after GALLERIA announced the end of their sponsorship agreement on August 31. The PC manufacturer confirmed it would discontinue sales of its Crazy Raccoon collaboration model the same day, closing out the organisation's last remaining partnership.

What initially read as a significant blow to one of Overwatch esports' most recognisable organisations was quickly reframed by Crazy Raccoon CEO Daichi "Ojiji" Takano. He responded shortly after the announcement with an enthusiastic declaration that the organisation had zero sponsors and would forge ahead on its own path.

In a follow-up, Ojiji clarified that the outcome was deliberate. He said reaching this point had been his goal and expressed a sense of accomplishment, telling followers not to worry. He added later that if Crazy Raccoon were ever to take on another sponsor, he would want it to be a single company worth giving everything for. In a final statement, he pointed supporters towards the organisation's fan club, thanking fans and teasing upcoming perks and video content.

Crazy Raccoon are among the defining organisations of the OWCS era. Their run at the start of the circuit in 2024 (winning Asia Stage 1, the very first OWCS Major, and the Esports World Cup in succession) set the tone for much of what followed across the region.

Crazy Raccoon don't operate the same way as most esports organisations, which is a large part of why a sponsor-free operation is even viable for them. A few things set them apart:

  • They are a creator company with a competitive wing: The roster deliberately mixes elite competitors with streamers, editors, and mainstream talent, with a combined social following exceeding 20 million.
  • They own their own tournament circuit.
  • They hold their own live fan events, drawing roughly 50,000 and selling out major venues.
  • They own physical retail space: The CRAZY RACCOON STORE and CR GAMING SPACE opened in Shibuya in June 2022, the first team-operated store of its kind in Japan.
  • A tiered fan club, the CR Gaming School coaching subscription, merchandise, ticketed events, a TCG, and more serve as substitutes for sponsorship income.

It is worth stressing that few organisations could realistically follow this model. Crazy Raccoon are built differently from the ground up, and a sponsor-free operation that works for them would not translate to most of the field. What the long term looks like remains unclear, but for now the organisation appear entirely comfortable with where they stand.