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2019-11-07 Back to list

Warming Up Before a Žalgiris Game: Top Tips

So you’ve finally decided to embrace one of the most kaunastic experiences and see a Žalgiris game in the team’s home arena. Good for you!

So you’ve finally decided to embrace one of the most kaunastic experiences and see a Žalgiris game in the team’s home arena. Good for you! Below are some ideas for quality time in Kaunas before the match.

Are you still deciding? Check out the team’s intense schedule here. Žalgiris is playing in both Lithuanian Basketball League and EuroLeague, so you can catch a game or even two almost every week.

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Žalgirio arena is the biggest multifunctional venue in the Baltics and can fit more than 15000 basketball fans. Don't leave buying tickets for the last moment, though, as the 'sold-out' sign is common! Photo by A. Aleksandravičius

Don’t get lost

First and foremost, we recommend you grab a free copy of the It’s Kaunastic map called “The City of Champions”. Inspired by the 75 years of Žalgiris history, the map includes numerous objects of interest for sports geeks, as well as stories about football, ice hockey, tennis etc. The map is available in Lithuanian and English (Russian version coming soon!). 

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Losing your Žalgiris virginity

The club offers a spectacular program for first-timers called #ZALGIRISVIRGIN. According to a survey done in the summer of 2018, a whopping 43 per cent of people who consider themselves to be Žalgiris fans admitted to having never been to the team’s home game in Žalgirio Arena. This was how the unique idea of the project came to life. The campaign encourages fans to stop setting the task aside and finally going to see a game in person, thus losing their Žalgiris Virginity and experiencing an unforgettable event. The idea received the Gold Award at EuroLeague’s annual Devotion Marketing Awards!

The #ZalgirisVirgin package can be purchased alongside tickets to the game. It includes a team scarf and a Žalgiris manual with the team’s history, a dedicated basketball dictionary, the lyrics of Žalgiris chants, a list of must-dos in the arena and other relevant information. After the game, the first-timers are also awarded a diploma with the coach’s signature, marking their first visit and outstanding support among the crowd of green-and-white fans.

Outfit

To blend in the home game of Žalgiris, you should definitely wear green (or green-and-white). The official Žalgiris shop offers many sweatshirts and t-shirts for all ages, sizes and genders. There are also caps, scarves, socks, backpacks, bracelets, keychains and even a shower gel. Everything one can need, really! The store has four locations including Žalgirio arena, Akropolis mall, S. Daukanto street and Pramonės avenue. You can also shop online. Volunteers at the arena will paint your cheeks green-and-white.

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Photo by zalgiris.lt

Calories

You also need a proper meal before 2+ hours of intense chanting, clapping and supporting your team in all other possible ways. Plenty of bars and cafes are on the way to the arena; most fans choose to meet up in them. Our favourites include RePUBlic, Rebels and B2O. 

Olive Kitchen, a brand new restaurant in Akropolis Mall, offers a special Žalgiris pizza not just before matches but whenever you feel like eating something green.

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P.S. The Žalgiris players like to treat themselves in restaurants including Dia, Casa Della Pasta and Sala

Getting there

The most important tip here is not to take your car to the game. The island parking is not available for the public during the games, and the surrounding lots and streets are occupied hours before the start. This is where the public transport comes in handy – the Kaunas city municipality even takes care of the fans after the games; the buses are lined up in the main parking lot in front of the arena.

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Žalgiris buses also bring fans from other cities in Lithuania. Thanks, Kautra! Photo by zalgiris.lt

Not a fan of buses? Use Bolt! The service offers fast and affordable rides with local drivers. Download the app and use the code ZALGIRIOARENA (or KAUNASIN) to get a sizeable discount for your first ride.

Whatever transport you choose (we love walking to the arena, too – it’s almost like attending a moving rock concert), plan doing it in advance. The EuroLeague home games start 7:45 pm, but it’s always nice to skip the queues and enjoy the pre-match activities in Žalgirio arena. We always sing our National anthem before the match, and that is yet another experience you do not want to miss.

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The green feeling... Photo by A. Aleksandravičius

Don’t have a ticket?

Most of the EuroLeague home games are sold out in advance in Kaunas – we’re proudly leading the attendance table of the tournament. If it happens so that you miss your chance, it doesn’t mean that you’ll miss all the fun. Join hundreds, if not thousands, of green-and-white fans in dozens of bars, pubs and even restaurants in Kaunas. When the team is travelling, the #1 pub to meet up and watch the game is Baras 11 located in Žalgirio arena. All the other bars, too. Many places in Kaunas adjust their working hours and product stocks according to the schedule of Žalgiris!

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