Rytas Vilnius presented the 2025/2026 season financial report, the budget draft for the upcoming year, and the long-term guidelines for the organization’s activities until 2030. The presented report notes steady revenue growth, a positive operating balance achieved, and a consistent transition to a modern sports business model.
During the concluded 2025/2026 season, the organization’s revenues reached 8,059,538 euros. The largest share of income came from commercial activities and partnerships, which generated 3,229,162 euros. Vilnius City Municipality funding amounted to 1,970,000 euros, payouts and bonuses for sporting results – thanks to excellent results in the FIBA Champions League – made up 1,641,435 euros, while income from tickets and season memberships reached 1,218,942 euros. The club’s total expenses amounted to 7,078,706 euros: salaries and contracts of the main team accounted for 3,601,701 euros, administration and operating expenses – 1,306,608 euros, maintenance of sports teams – 1,078,411 euros, organization of games – 709,340 euros, and 382,647 euros were allocated to youth teams. The club ended the season with a positive financial balance of 980,832 euros.
A revenue budget of 10,765,000 euros is planned for the upcoming 2026/27 season. Its main pillars will be commercial revenue, which is projected to grow to 5,110,000 euros, and ticket and membership sales, which are expected to reach 3,450,000 euros. Municipal support will remain stable at 1,970,000 euros, while bonuses for sporting results are projected to be lower, at 235,000 euros. Planned expenses of 10,535,000 euros reflect a larger scale of operations: 5,320,000 euros are allocated to the main team, 1,835,000 euros to game organization and ticket distribution costs, 1,525,000 euros to administration, 1,420,000 euros to sports team expenses, and the youth teams’ budget is being increased to 435,000 euros. The season is projected to close with a positive result of 230,000 euros.
This budget plan is directly based on the presented long-term strategy until 2030, in which the development of the club’s infrastructure, the growth of the sports economy and investments, the growth of the fan base, and talent development become one of the main pillars for implementing this strategy. Already in the 2026/2027 season, all the club’s home games will take place at Arena Vilnius, another digital platform will launch for the rapidly growing fan community, community projects will continue, and decisions regarding further infrastructure development will be made.
Together, the newly created Rytas youth program was also presented, with the goal of developing the capital’s youth basketball system into one of the strongest in Europe. This program is based on already proven examples: players like Augustas Marčiulionis, Gytis Radzevičius, and Margiris Normantas matured in the Rytas system, and today, Ignas Urbonas, Gabrielius Buivydas, and other talents are stepping into professional basketball. The patronage model, with a contribution starting at 10,000 euros per season, is allocated to the preparation of young basketball players, scholarships, the integration of sports science, and the financing of international competitions. For business representatives or individuals joining the program, it opens up opportunities not only to watch but also to create the future of basketball and become part of a closed community.
According to Martynas Giga, CEO of Rytas Vilnius, the presented directions reflect the consistent evolution of the organization:
“Today’s numbers clearly show the consistent and sustainable growth of the organization. The trust of partners and the business community, moving the games to the big arena, and record fan support allow us to boldly and reasonably plan a 10 million euro budget,” said M. Giga. “However, financial growth is not an end in itself – together with a clear long-term strategy, we are laying a sustainable foundation for the club’s growth and what lies ahead in the future. We want today’s investments to become a direct path to the long-term goal – the opportunity to compete competitively at the highest level and be part of the international basketball elite. We are also glad to have opened the doors to the patronage program – talents raised in our system are already successfully defending Lithuania’s honor, so we remain committed to our goal of growing Vilnius basketball talents and providing them with the very best conditions to develop and grow not only as athletes but also as personalities.”
You can watch the recording of the press conference on Rytas’ official YouTube channel: