The esports industry has experienced a major shift in the last two years. Today, nearly every esports organization in a top tier league is backed by venture capital or traditional sports funding. Names like Rick Fox and Shaquille O’neal grab headlines for their involvement in the industry. Merely a few years ago, the biggest names in esports ownership were players-turned-owners with no business background like Andy “Reginald” Dinh (owners of Team SoloMid) who built built an empire out of nothing more than hard work and prize money.

In the fighting game community (FGC), there’s another TSM-esque success story in Panda Global. The Esports Observer sat down with its CEO Alan Bunney to discuss how he turned his passion for fighting games into a business that consistently attracts non-endemic sponsors.

A fighting game fan all his life, and active member of the FGC in his youth, Bunney returned to the competitive scene four years ago. As he got reacquainted with the scene, he began to make friends with players who were signed to esports organizations, and was surprised by the consistently poor treatment he saw.

“They were treated like cattle with how they were shoved around and dealt with by these organizations,” he said. “After witnessing a meltdown of one of the players for myself, I thought that I could do this ‘esports’ thing while treating the players like human beings. I called up my old college buddy David Wu, who happened to be a CPA and business school graduate, and we worked on a business plan for almost two months before launching our team.”

Most self-made esports professionals dream of the day when their passion project grows to the point where they can quit their job. But as a licensed medical doctor, Bunney still chooses to balance his patient workload with his esports company. However, he describes himself as someone who dislikes delegating, and as such still runs the Panda Global’s social media.

He explained, “On busy days I’ll literally be tweeting between patient rooms, and sometimes I can’t report on stream matches because I’ll be called away for an emergency in the middle of them.”

Despite this, Bunney is determined to balance his passions and find success in both. “Keeping up with both medicine and esports, staying at the forefront of each, burns the candle at both ends so to speak, but I can’t imagine giving either up.”

Today, Panda Global is one of the most well-respected teams in fighting games. PG has championship-caliber players in every major fighting game, but the most remarkable thing about the organization is its commitment to players who experience long periods of poor performance. Bunney explains that this philosophy represents a different approach his team takes in creating value from its players.

“When we choose someone to join PG we are putting faith into them to improve and flourish, even when times get rough. We see a future for each and every one of our members, in their own unique way. They are brand ambassadors not just players. There are so many ways they can bring back value to us, everything from taking home the trophy to interacting with the fans and being good role models. That comprehensive approach is a philosophy we feel makes us stand out from many other teams. We’re no strangers to winning, but winning isn’t everything in esports.”

Related Article: An Introduction to Watching Fighting Games as Esports

PG’s philosophy seems to have worked thus far, particularly in the eyes of non-endemic brands. In the last twelve months, the team has introduced two new sponsors to the esports industry: animation studio Funimation and reusable lighter brand Zippo. Bunney explains that working with non-endemics requires a completely different approach from traditional sponsors.

“Working with non-endemic sponsors requires a lot of thinking outside the box and flexibility. They don’t know esports and don’t always understand how traditional esports activations work. With sponsors like HyperX there are clear guidelines and plans with how best work with each other since we both have experience in the space. With non-endemic sponsors, things are constantly shifting for where their priorities lay or how best to do something.”

Working in fighting games helps Panda Global appeal to brands with no gaming experience. A marketing manager with no esports experience might not be able to understand the appeal of a more complex game like League of Legends , but they can easily follow the action in Super Smash Bros. or Street FighterV .

Recently, Bunney released a video stating that PG would be focusing exclusively on 1v1 esports titles moving forward. While the team has always predominantly signed fighting game players, there have been Panda Global squads in games like Heroes of the Storm , Gears of War , and even Splatoon 2 . Bunney feels that 1v1 games have always been the team’s greatest strength, so rather than try to expand into high profile games like Dota 2 or Counter-Strike: Global Offensive that require a team, he’d rather “focus on our sharpest sword.”

PG’s decision to focus on 1v1 may seem strange when you consider the largest games on the market today. Team games are bringing in major sponsors, franchised leagues, and revenue sharing. However, by focusing on 1v1 games, PG can continue to attract first-time sponsors to the industry through games with a lower barrier to entry for outsiders. Being “the premiere esports organization for 1v1 games” sets Panda Global apart from all other major organizations in the industry. The company can present a clear, streamlined marketing message to all non-endemic brands, and draw them in with games that are easier to understand.

PG’s 1v1 focus does not mean they’ll be exclusively focused on fighting games. The organization already has two Hearthstone players on the roster, and intends to expand into other card games in the future. Bunney also mentioned games like Starcraft 2, Quake Champions, and various mobile titles as possible upcoming expansions.

“Our forward momentum is incredible right now,” he said, “with no signs of slowing down, so you’ll definitely see Panda Global continuing to innovate and push the industry forward.”