BIG sign faveN in German-record CSGO deal

BIG have announced that they have signed Josef ‘faveN’ Baumann to their CS:GO team in a record deal in the German scene.

BIG did not disclose details of the transfer fee, but according to CEO Daniel Finkler, this ranks as “the most expensive deal for a German player” in the CS:GO scene.

Widely regarded as the best German talent outside of BIG, faveN showed immense promise during his three-year stint with Sprout.

He remained a key part of the team through multiple iterations, leading many to believe that it was only a matter of time before he earned a move to BIG, the country’s best CS:GO team.

FaveN comes in as a replacement for Nicklas ‘gade’ Gade, who struggled for form during his five months in BIG’s starting lineup after joining the team to fill the void created by the departure of Turkish star Ismailcan ‘XANTARES’ Dörtkardeş.

Bouncing back

With faveN’s signing, BIG look to increase the firepower in their team after a disappointing year that saw them win just one international tournament, Funspark ULTI 2020 Europe Final. They have been outside the top 10 in HLTV’s world ranking since September, crashing out of PGL Major Stockholm in the Challengers Stage and winning just one match at their last two international events.

“We are absolutely convinced that faveN, with his outstanding qualities and ambition to play at the world’s top level, is a perfect fit for BIG,” Finkler said.

“At the same time, we would like to thank Nicklas “gade” Gade, who is transitioning to the bench for the time being, for his dedication and great work ethic over the past months.

“We are very excited about the start of the 2022 season and will kick off the year with intensive preparation in Berlin.”

BIG will make their first appearance with the new roster in the Funspark ULTI 2021 Finals, a $300,000 online tournament scheduled for January 18-24.

• Read more: Best CSGO players of 2021

In February, they will attend the IEM Katowice Play-In Stage, where 16 teams will duke it out for eight spots in the main stage of the iconic Polish event.

BIG CS:GO roster:

• Johannes ‘tabseN⁠’ Wodarz
• Tizian ‘tiziaN⁠’ Feldbusch
• Florian ‘syrsoN⁠’ Rische
• Nils ‘⁠k1to’ Gruhne
• Josef ‘faveN’ Baumann
• Niclas “enkay J⁠’ Krumhorn (head coach)
• Nicklas ‘⁠gade⁠’ Gade (benched)