We had the chance to speak with Natus Vincere’s COO, Oleksij "xaoc" Kucherov, about the organization’s return to League of Legends. He shared why the club stayed away from the discipline for eight years, how much it costs to maintain a LoL roster, upcoming roster changes, and the team's goals.

Natus Vincere is returning to League of Legends after an eight-year hiatus. What prompted this move?

NAVI is a multi-gaming club that competes in more than 16 disciplines. But we’ve always been missing one key discipline — and now we’ve finally added it.

The most pressing question in the community: how much did the LEC slot cost? There are various figures floating around online: €20 million, €30 million, €50 million.

This information is not disclosed.

How rational is this decision for NAVI? Some CEOs of other clubs believe entering LoL is too expensive and not really worth it.

We were looking for the right time to enter, and we believe we’ve found it. Every club has its own goals, and we’d prefer not to evaluate their decisions.

Can this return to LoL be considered the most expensive investment in the club’s history?

In part, yes.

What kind of budget is needed to maintain an LEC-level team for a year?

It really depends on the goals and objectives the club sets. The amount can exceed $1,000,000 per year.

Are salaries in the LEC higher or lower than those in tier-1 CS teams?

The figures are quite comparable.

What kind of roster-building policy are you planning to follow? Will you focus exclusively on European players or also consider bringing in Korean talent? Are you aiming for experience or leaning more toward promising young “grinders”?

We always look at the best available options and then make decisions based on them.

Do you already know who from the former Rogue roster will stay and who will leave? What does that depend on? In the past, these players were heavily criticized for their approach to practice and official matches.

We’ll know closer to the Summer Split.

What are the short-term goals for the team? Should fans expect NAVI to quickly break into the top tier of LEC teams?

Right now, we’re considering targeted reinforcements ahead of the Summer Split to see how the team performs. After that, we’ll have a better understanding of what we need. In the offseason, more players will become available — this will allow us to choose the best scenario for the team heading into 2026.

And what about long-term goals? Competing for the LEC title, qualifying for international tournaments, winning international trophies?

Of course, we want to win trophies — that goes without saying. But everything happens step by step. The first goal is to consistently qualify for international events, and that will be our top priority in the near future.

You became COO on February 21, 2020. Tell us, what has changed in Natus Vincere since then? What key moments would you highlight?

During this time, NAVI has grown significantly in many areas: we’ve expanded the number of disciplines and staff, developed our infrastructure, secured positions in top-tier leagues, grown our fanbase and content volume, and scaled the internal operations of the club. Our owner has put a lot of effort and resources into NAVI’s development, and the club team has been able to implement changes at a high level.

Among the key achievements, we should highlight numerous CS roster victories, especially the record-breaking seasons in 2021 and 2024, the opening of a new office and bootcamps in Kyiv, operational expansion into Berlin with an office and training base, and the acquisition of a franchised MLBB slot in Indonesia. And, of course, our long-awaited entry into the LEC.

What revenue streams does NAVI have besides sponsorships? Perhaps affiliate programs from game developers or something else?

Affiliate programs with game developers, digital item sales, merchandise, prize money, and other sources of income.

To what extent do game publishers support organizations?

Each case is individual, but most often, clubs are allowed to sell branded digital items in-game — the revenue from which is usually shared between the publisher and the club.

I counted 20 active NAVI rosters across different disciplines. Is the club profitable?

Yes, absolutely.

What do you plan to do with unprofitable disciplines?

Counting each discipline separately doesn’t make much sense, since each roster has its own goals and reasons for existing. We take a holistic approach. If, over time, a discipline loses relevance or meaning for the club, then closing it would be a logical decision.

And finally — a few words for NAVI fans around the world.

Thank you for your support and follow NAVI in the LEC.