16.12.24 - 19:0016.12.2024 - 19:00·10m10 Minuten Lesezeit·
Von Armand Luque
SLY Sakor: "The goal is to make fans happy with what we have [...] We've been around for 7 years, but it's tough in an unprofitable industry"
Having finished second in the 2024 Coupe de France, Sakor takes the time to discuss 2025 with Sheep Esports.
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"We strive to perform and constantly improve. Our goal is to still be here in a few years"
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As the 2025 season quickly approaches, Solary is gearing up for a spectacular return to the LFL with an entirely new roster. After a challenging year in League of Legends in 2024, Sakor "Le Roi Bisou" Ros spoke with Sheep Esports following the Coupe de France final to discuss the offseason, the upcoming year, Solary’s academy team, and his hopes for the future of the organization.
Solary finished its year as runner-up in the Coupe de France. Despite this loss, how do you feel about those results considering a difficult 2024 season?
Sakor “Le Roi Bisou” Ros: "Yeah, it's a bummer, but it's no big deal. It's an off-season tournament and many teams are doing their try-outs, so it's not a very important competition Obviously, if we had won, it would have been the biggest tournament in history. But that's not the case, so let's just say it was a bit of a "for fun LAN".
Sakor en Corée, 2023. Crédit: Solary
In your eyes, what positives and negatives will Solary retain from 2024?
Sakor: To be honest, overall, there's been more negatives than positives this year, notably due to our results. I have to admit that we didn't play as well as we wanted. We were doing well in scrims and things worked well, but in official matches, there was more pressure and we were a bit less flexible.
But it wasn't all bad, because we managed to build a story around the team. It was really engaging, and people really liked the project despite the results. That's the positive thing to remember.
We also saw some promising profiles, like Decay, who we re-signed, and TakeSet, who came back and re-signed too. So, there's some good stuff there. Next year, we've already managed to create the core of the team, and now we need to build on that.
Can Solary fans be hyped for 2025? Is Solary truly aiming for a championship victory this time around?
Sakor: Look, we’re not going to say we’re aiming for the title. Of course, we’re hoping to win it, but just making the playoffs is already a solid goal. If we can go beyond that, even better. Reaching the EMEA Masters Main Event would be incredible. But it’s step by step: playoffs, EM qualification, and then we’ll think about the title.
You're bringing Dan Dan back to the LFL as your new head coach. How do you feel about his arrival?
Sakor: Well... he really kicked our asses last time around. When he was with LDLC, I still remember his Vladimir. In any case, he brings a lot of experience. He’s competed in the LCS, the LEC, and the North American Challengers scene. Now, as a coach, he has both extensive experience and strong interpersonal skills. He knows how to handle players with challenging profiles and has a solid understanding of the game.
That’s why we made securing the coaching staff a priority—to give them the keys to the project and focus on long-term development. Essentially, we signed Dan Dan for two years. The goal isn’t to focus on just one split. If things don’t work out in one split, that’s okay. What matters is building for the long term, learning from the first split, and progressing step by step.
With the upcoming changes in the LFL, such as three splits and the salary cap, how is Solary adapting to build and prepare their roster for next year?
Sakor: I have to admit, I’m not a big fan of the idea of three splits. I’ve always said I think it sucks. But it’s Riot’s decision, and you can’t go against Riot. That’s just how it works. They’ve implemented it in the major leagues, so the minor leagues have to adapt.
As for the salary cap, it hasn’t really affected us much. We were already operating more or less within the limits—actually, even a bit below. So in the end, it doesn’t change our budget for the LFL team. Honestly, from a management perspective for 2025, we’re not particularly concerned.
The real question is how the three splits will play out and whether people will accept them. It’s still a topic of debate. That said, maybe it’ll turn out like in the LEC, where the arrival of a new team in the LFL could boost viewership.
Malgré de bons moments, Solary 2024 n’a pas répondu aux attentes des fans. Crédit: Solary
How does Solary take fans' expectations into account, especially after the criticism at the end of the Summer Split? Does satisfying the fans influence your plans for 2025?
Sakor: Of course. Ultimately, the goal is to make the fans happy, to make them proud, and so on. Unfortunately, we do our best. We’re trying to build for the long term, but people expect us to go out and get big-name players and do extraordinary things. The reality is we can only work with the resources we have.
As I’ve always said, we’ve been around for seven years now, and it’s tough to survive in an esports environment that isn’t particularly profitable. We rely a lot on our image and on doing things right with sponsors and communication. That’s a priority for us.
Of course, we try to perform well and keep improving. Unfortunately, things haven’t always panned out, but our goal is to still be here for the long haul.
So, we’re doing the best we can with what we have. Right now, we’re focused on making the fans proud and happy, and hopefully, we’ll be happy too. One day, it’ll click, and then we’ll be really satisfied.
How does Solary manage to balance its sporting ambitions with financial realities? We recently published your financial successes, so I’d like to ask: Is it a challenge for the team?
Sakor: It’s very difficult, I have to say. We have to keep an eye out for promising profiles and offer them solid contracts while building a strong project. That’s why we recruited Decay and TakeSet—they’re the kind of profiles that can attract players who want to perform. The tough part is always finding profiles that aren’t too costly but are still competitive.
We know we’ll never be the first to pursue superstar players, because there will always be LEC teams, LEC academies, and teams with bigger budgets who will prioritize them. That means we have to navigate these constraints. For now, I think we’re doing well. We’re making the most of what we have, and I think that’s fine. But yes, a few more results wouldn’t hurt.
Speaking of results, Solary Academy reached the Coupe des Étoiles semi-finals. How do you assess the overall outcome of the project?
Sakor: Actually, I think the academy team had a really positive impact, especially with the arrival of Rym, who really got people excited. It was a team full of heart, and I loved watching them play. I hope we’ll have an academy team next year as well. It all depends on the budget, but I think we will—at least that’s what I want.
I think the academy team was a very positive thing. They gave their all, communicated well, and performed well. Even though we lost in the semi-final, as you mentioned, the previous months were really promising. We won a qualifier and so on. We were a bit far off, but we made good progress. So, even if it didn’t end as we hoped, it’s still a positive outcome.
Going back to the Coupe de France, let's talk about the format, particularly Fearless Draft. What's your opinion on this system which has sparked quite a bit of debate?
Sakor: Well, obviously, it requires a larger pool of champions, which makes the games a bit more exciting. Personally, I like it as a spectator; I think it’s cool. However, from a competitive standpoint, I can understand why professional teams might not like it. It pushes them out of their comfort zone, and they’re not always playing the best picks of the meta, which doesn’t necessarily lead to the best display of skill.
That said, I think it’s interesting from an entertainment perspective. It really depends on how seriously people take it. I think it’s an interesting format, and it could potentially be scaled up. It could encourage players to experiment with new things and bring some energy to the competitive scene. Why not!
Sakor en Corée. Crédit: Solary
Even though playing at the PGW on stage is fun, do you think some of the teams lacked a bit of seriousness? What was your overall impression of the event?
Sakor: Actually, I think the Coupe de France is a great concept, but the timing isn’t ideal. For me, it should be played more like the Coupe de France in football—during the season, when players are already scrimming and training. They’re not in a transfer market period, when some players aren’t fully focused. During those times, the teams train less together because they know they won’t be playing with the same roster.
I think the format is interesting, but it could be tweaked to make it even more exciting. Of course, having the Open Tour compete against Division 2 and Division 1 always creates interesting matchups. It adds a bit of spectacle, like when you see a team like Nameless going up against others. It’s like in football when League 1 teams play smaller clubs—there’s always that excitement of thinking, “Wow, this is really cool!” And if there’s an upset, it’s a celebration.
Chap mentioned on Twitter that SkewMond had almost joined Solary Academy, but couldn’t due to microphone problems. Do you have a message for him since he's now joining G2?
Sakor: First of all, congratulations to him! He had an incredible season. This year, he was unstoppable. Honestly, he’s a guy who works his ass off and deserves all the respect he can get. So, a huge GG to you, SkewMond! Go smash everything!
Well, I don’t want to talk about the future team, because it’s not official yet, obviously. But it’s true that it’s a shame we didn’t sign him. In any case, he would have been part of the team as planned. I have to admit that when we scouted him, it was for the academic team in Division 2. The idea was to build a more streamer-oriented team, but that wasn’t his ambition.
Finally, a tough question: when do you plan to be back in Master?
Sakor: Well, I’m off to Japan from October 26 to November 10. So, I’ll be back, I’ll do two days of solo queue, and I’ll hit Master, let’s say around November 15.
Editorial note: Sakor was still Diamond 3 on November 15... Bet lost! Five days weren’t enough.
Header photo credit: ZLAN / Chloé Ramdani
