Utenis Utena

Capelli Sport X Utenis Utena

Capelli Sport to Become Main Shareholder of Lithuanian Professional Football Club

Capelli Sport is proud to announce it will become the main shareholder of Utenis Utena, a professional football club located in Utena, Lithuania that participates in Lithuania’s third tier football championship. Over the next five years, Capelli Sport will invest in the club’s activities after a shareholder’s meeting vote passed the acquisition with six votes.

With this investment, Capelli Sport EU Technical Director Auri Skarbalius will take the position of Chairman of the Board of the club and increase the number of club board members to six, which includes Utena District Municipality members Algirdas Bivainis and Vidmantas Valincius, shareholder representatives Arturas Gimzauskas and Kastytis Valantinas and club member representative Rimantas Turovas. Gizmauskas will become the club’s director with this change.

Capelli Sport will also become the official and exclusive uniform and equipment provider for the Lithuanian football club. Beginning in the 2022 season, all on-field and off-field player and coach apparel, accessories and equipment will be exclusively Capelli Sport.

Over the next five years, Capelli Sport plans on holding talent camps each year, that will be attended by top talent in the local football community. These players will also have the opportunity to participate in tournaments in Lithuania and Europe to showcase their skills. Selected talent and community coaches will also be able to do annual internships at HB Køge and other Capelli Sport clubs in the network.

Mayor of Utena District Municipality and Board Member, Alvydas Katinas said:

“It is gratifying that partners are willing to share the financial burden. However, what matters is not money. It is more important to see if it is being used effectively and what the results are. I do not doubt that we will create an academy in Utena with joint efforts, where many football talents will be developed. It is a significant contribution to the development and expansion of football in Utena and Lithuania.”

Utenis Utena Board Member, Arturas Gimzauskas said:

“Capelli Sport is looking for partners in various countries to create a network of academies and clubs. When we signed the contract to purchase clothing two years ago, we saw an opportunity to expand cooperation in the future, which would benefit the club community, footballers, and coaches. As Capelli Sport becomes shareholders of the club, new challenges await, but new opportunities also open up.”

Vice President of Sporting Business at Capelli Sport, Jason Arnold said:

“We are extremely excited to have Utenis Utena as a part of our expanding network of Capelli Sport clubs. We have had a great relationship with the club and see many opportunities in the future to be able to grow together on and off the field through this new chapter in the club’s history.”

EU Technical Director at Capelli Sport, Auri Skarbalius said:

“The goal of Capelli Sport, together with the Utena District Municipality and other shareholders in Utena, is to create an elite academy that would create the best environment for the development of talented football players. We will also seek to bring together a community of football clubs united by developing talented football players. Future plans include the goal that the main teams of the Utenis Utena club will be in the pyramid of the Capelli Sport football network. Utenis Utena is also becoming the ambassador of the Capelli Sport brand in Lithuania. The goals are ambitious. It will not be easy to send a player to a club in Denmark or another country in a few years. Still, I believe that working in the right direction and growing a community of like-minded people will provide such an opportunity. Without ambition, there will never be a movement forward. The dream must be greater than easily achieved. It will be a big challenge, but we do not choose the easy way.”

Denmark Sports Director at Capelli Sport, Per Rud said:

“We have a long-term friendship. The mutual trust gave birth to a desire to expand cooperation. Capelli Sport trusts Lithuanians and wants to expand. The company wants to find as many talented football-playing children as possible who could potentially join HB Køge’s club.”