At first glance, a brewery and a football organisation belong to different worlds. Yet six years together have shown how much common ground can be found when both share a city, a willingness to contribute and an ambition to create value for the Šiauliai community.
Gubernija, one of Lithuania's oldest breweries, and Šiauliai's Gintra football organisation have extended their longstanding partnership. Since it began in 2021, their cooperation has grown far beyond traditional sports sponsorship, from supporting the women's first team and children's football academy to joint events, tournaments and social initiatives.
For a sixth year, the Duonos gira brand will stand alongside multiple Lithuanian women's football champions FC Gintra, who represent Šiauliai both domestically and internationally. Gintra's younger generation, meanwhile, follows its football journey with another Gubernija brand, Rugilė. Its name will remain in the most prominent position on the academy players' shirts. Over the years, Rugilė has become more than a name on a kit: the partners also organise the growing annual Rugilė CUP tournament, camps, community events and other initiatives.
'When we began this friendship six years ago, neither side could probably have imagined how many ideas we would put into practice together. Today we can say that it stopped being simply a relationship between a sponsor and a sports organisation a long time ago. We share an approach to community and a desire not just to talk about creating value, but actually to create it. One of us makes drinks and the other plays football, yet somewhere between those different fields we have found a great deal in common. I believe the greatest strength of this partnership is our ability to listen to each other, share ideas and turn them into real action together,' says Gintra Director Mantas Radavičius.
A partnership whose results extend beyond the football pitch
One of the clearest examples of this lasting partnership is the Galime daugiau social project, which Gintra and its patron Gubernija will deliver for a fourth year this year.
The initiative is aimed at girls attending Šiauliai children's day centres. It seeks to reduce social exclusion, connect them with sport, give them opportunities to meet footballers and coaches, and let them try football themselves. During the project's lifetime, some participants have taken a further step by joining Gintra and beginning regular football training.
Such outcomes show most clearly that a long-term partnership between business and sport can mean much more than visibility on pitchside advertising boards.
'Our six-year partnership reflects our consistent, long-term commitment to the Šiauliai community. We want to be an active part of it, so working with Gintra gives us an opportunity to contribute not only to professional women's football but also to children's sport and social initiatives. We particularly value the tangible results of our cooperation: shared ideas become concrete projects, events and new opportunities for children. Galime daugiau is an excellent example of how a lasting partnership can create meaningful value for the community,' says Algirdas Čiburys, CEO of MV GROUP Production, which owns Gubernija brewery.
The Šiauliai spirit: sharing and growing together
Over six years, the Gubernija–Gintra partnership has grown alongside the football organisation itself. Duonos gira has become part of the women's first team's journey, while Rugilė accompanies young footballers from their first steps at the academy.
Their different fields have not been an obstacle. Instead, they have encouraged unconventional forms of cooperation, connecting business, professional sport, activities for children and social responsibility.
'I really like the idea of a kind of Šiauliai spirit: the desire to support our own, share and help grow the city where we live and work. There have been victories and challenges over these six years, but Gubernija has been beside us throughout. Long-term partners give a sports organisation more than financial stability; they give us confidence that we are heading in the right direction. We therefore greatly value this friendship and believe we will achieve many more victories together, both on and off the pitch,' M. Radavičius added.