The players of the Vilnius "Ryto" team will drive "CityBee" JEEP SUVs throughout this season. The basketball players and the club administration will travel in modern, comfortable and economical Jeep Renegade SUVs, of which as many as 18 have been handed over to the club.
The name is also for the arena
Basketball players will be able to test Jeep SUVs of various modifications - with gasoline and diesel engines, two- and four-wheel drives, with various power outputs - from 120 to 170 hp.
Club players will use cars through the CityBee car sharing platform, so they will not have to worry about services such as paid parking, insurance, or car maintenance.
"Basketball players need a personal car - not only for going to training, but also for meeting their daily personal needs. Some of the players are newcomers to Vilnius, and a car is a great way to get to know the city. We are happy to partner with representatives of the worldwide well-known Jeep brand in Lithuania - these are one of the few cars that can easily fit all our tall people," says Rolandas Jarutis, director of the Vilnius "Ryto" club.
Cars are not the only contribution of "Jeep" to Vilnius basketball. The arena where the team plays home matches is named after Jeep, which became the golden sponsor of Vilnius "Ryto" club in the spring of this year.
"The opportunity to contribute to the victories of Vilnius basketball is a great honor for the Jeep brand that we represent. Gamers will definitely appreciate the comfort and passability offered by the Jeep. Many of them have families, so space and safety are also very important to them," says Laurynas Žukauskas, head of Autobrava, the official importer of Jeep in the Baltic States.
Basketball players emphasize versatility
Choosing a car for basketball players is an important process due to practicality - tall people simply do not fit into many cars.
"For me, a car is a means of transportation, but it must be safe and comfortable for the whole family. I've driven Jeeps in the past and liked them for the high seating position and interior space. People of my height don't fit in every car anyway, and even here you can sit behind me on the back seat. We have a small child in our family, so space and a large trunk are an important priority for us", says Arnas Butkevičius, a 197 cm tall forward who made his debut in the Lithuanian national basketball team last summer.
in "Ryto" club in 2019-2020 Mexican Pako Cruz, who made his debut in the season, says he likes American cars, so he was extremely happy when he learned that he would be able to drive a Jeep for the whole year - the basketball player, who previously drove several such models, knows their advantages well.
"My family came to Vilnius last week, so the car will be very useful for us. Although the match schedule is tight, in my free time I try to get out of the house with my loved ones and go somewhere to eat or look around, to get to know Vilnius. I consider the fact that we will be using Jeep cars very positive - they are safe, and the four-wheel drive gives confidence in winter. I played for a year in Latvia, so I know what your winters mean. The warm season, in my eyes, generally lasts only a couple of weeks here," laughs the 191 cm tall defender P. Cruz.
