Find words of the first GLN interview to new owner of Dead Wood Rangers, Mr. Xavier Auzmendi.

GLN: Tell us, how did you become new owner of “Dead Wood Rangers”, one of the DLE franchises?

XA: To be honest, I was not trying to get involved in Blood Bowl. I am owner of the industrial conglomerate known as “Bilbali Iron Ore and Steel” (BIOS) and one of our brands is selling stuff for players, like armours, boots, helmets, steel gloves, and the such. This is one of our most successful brands due to the increasing popularity of Blood Bowl. The Rangers asked for several shipments early 2516 but unfortunately, former owner decided to leave with all the team cash.

When I sent my er... “agents” to “ask” for payment, they discovered there was nothing to cash out for our due invoices. My advisors suggested to take over the franchise and use it as promotional factor.

GLN: What is your first impression about the Rangers?

XA: Until some weeks ago I have never spected a BB game, so not really an expert yet. Can´t say anything about the players or the actual play of the Rangers. From the businessman point of view, I can say I am not happy.

First thing we needed to do was transferring 10 million GC to the team to try to pay due salaries to main players and to make some lodgings available to the team staff. Dead Wood is many miles away from here and I have not had the opportunity to actually take over the team myself.

I hired Coach CroixFer as General Manager of the team. My advisors say he is very affordable and has been somewhat successful in the minor tournaments lately. I will wait for his first reports to be able to answer your question.

GLN: But, Rangers have been doing.... well, their play may improve a bit, from GLN point of view...

XA: So I heard. Here at BIOS, we are experts in revamping....

GLN: What? Vampires in Estalia...? (Terrified look in the reporter’s eyes)

XA: Easy, friend. Bilbali is the first producer of garlic worldwide. Besides, Revamp is a technical word that means, total rebuild of a former steel plant. It is a process in which we dismantle a facility, decide what is still usable and rebuild the new facility again with improved tolling.

My view is to apply this approach to the team. Keep whatever is useful and scrap the rest. But first it takes some first hand experience.

GLN: That includes relocation of the team?

XA: We are a very conservative company and we do not take control of new holdings to immediately change everything, especially whit holdings in which we are hardly experienced.

Obviously, we would be happy should the team be able to play in the surroundings, but as for now, there is no proper BB stadium near Bilbali. We will consider again eventually. Besides, comissioners must be informed and agree to any change and that might take time. We are not under pressure to decide any time soon.

GLN: Tell us something about Mr. Auzmendi. Who is the man behind? We heard you took engineering lessons in Imperial School at Nuln?

XA: Oh, yes, I did. I am from a middle class family in the outskirts of Bilbali. But I was granted a scholarship to go to Nuln to study engineering. I did and studied with famous Dwarven engineer Ulgrim Thorksson. He was specialised in iron mining and steel manufacturing.

With that knowledge at hand, I came back to my hometown and was able to find new iron ore mines in the surroundings. We began exporting raw material to Barak Varr but decided to invest earnings in further steel industry in the surroundings. And so we did. We hired several dwarf advisors and also opened a new engineer school here, at Bilbali.

Branding and marketing improvements were decisive for achieving our actual size.


GLN considers this extract an interesting part of the total interview. GLN staff suggests you purchase the entire thing for 2 GC instead of free reading.