VILNIUS (Lithuania) - In May 2026, Rytas Vilnius created one of the most incredible storylines of the 21st century, pulling off an amazing comeback win in the Final of the Basketball Champions League, powered by Ameresco SUNEL.
With the "BCL Winners" tag added to their already impressive history, the club decided it is time to move the borders when it comes to their community, too.
During the Season 11 group phase game against Trabzonspor - a 97-81 win for the reigning champions - the club and its partners launched an initiative to help their visually impaired fans enjoy the games at the Vilnius Arena to the fullest.
Together with the Lithuanian Association of Blind and Visually Handicapped (LASS) and the technology company Interactio, those fans were able to listen to the commentary of the game without special equipment, just through their own phone earphones.
The commentary was done by Aleksandras Kovganko and Zilvinas Aleksandravicius, giving the fans more detailed game analysis compared to the usual TV or Radio broadcast.
"I still remember the days when I could see. So I really got into it."
"An incredible experience, absolutely amazing. I loved it," one of the fans said, explaining the difference:
"You know, with regular commentary, even when watching on TV, they might say: 'Wow, look what he's doing! Wow, what a shot!' But what kind of shot? I have no idea. But here, you could actually hear whether it was a two-pointer, a free throw, or a hook shot. It makes it so much easier to get immersed in the game. And I still remember the days when I could see. So I really got into it. It was great. Thank you so much!"
While plenty of people dish out the phrase about basketball being a religion in Lithuania, Rytas Vilnius and its partners are really proving it with this kind of program.
Basketball isn't just for the few, it's for everybody, especially in Vilnius, one of the Meccas of basketball world.
"A great experience. We're happy that as the Lithuanian Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired celebrates its 100th anniversary, we still get to experience new things for the first time," the President of the Lithuanian Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired, Paulius Kalvelis offered.
"And this is the first time our community is here in the arena with alternative commentary designed specifically for us. You get the excitement along with the commentary, and the result is wonderful. If this becomes a regular thing, I think it will be a turning point in our basketball world for people with visual impairments," he added.
This becoming "a regular thing" isn't that hard to imagine. Everybody always wants to copy-paste what the champions are doing, meaning this could be the stepping stone for similar initiatives to take place all over the continent.
"We often say that attending a Rytas game is something special. Everyone should be able to experience that, and this is one step towards making our community inclusive in the broadest sense," the CEO of Rytas Vilnius, Martynas Giga finished.