How sad an empty room, without its boiling and noisy spectators. For several months, the world of sport has somehow got used to playing without an audience because of the health crisis. In an attempt to keep the link with its fans, several clubs offer experiences to their supporters. Zalgiris de Kaunas, a benchmark club in Lithuania, found the solution by offering its “green army” the possibility of participating in matches, in particular through self-portraits installed on the seats. The French international Joffrey Lauvergne, who has become a major player in the team since arriving in Kaunas last summer, explains this original device.
Explain to us what are the actions implemented by your club, Kaunas, for your supporters?
JOFFREY LAUVERGNE. The club offers several actions to a community of fans such as watching the match “together” on the same server, which allows them to interact as if they were in the room. The supporters seem satisfied. There are only good returns. People are happy and so is the club because there is a kind of ticket sale to participate, so this allows the club to collect a little money. It is important. But above all, it keeps the link with the fans.
As a player does that change anything on the pitch?
No, I’m not going to lie, there is no one in the stands. But we know that there is support from the supporters. At the start of the season we were able to taste it, there were 50% of spectators in the halls but we could feel the fervor. We know the lack of playing in empty rooms. This is not how we want to play.
What is the health situation in Lithuania?
It’s okay, people can go out into the streets… After only the basic necessities stores are open, everything else is closed. You must request special permission to move from one city to another. But Lithuanians are disciplined, they wear the mask without complaining. Since I arrived in August I have the impression that people are respecting the measures. We know we all have to make an effort. As an athlete, we are aware that we have many chances of continuing to work when certain professions do not have this choice.
Precisely, in this health context, is it reasonable to continue playing?
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We are tested every two or three days. When a player is sick, they are immediately quarantined. There were two cases with us but they did not infect the rest of the group. We found the right compromise to continue playing. This is important because it brings good times to the people who are locked in their homes. They can’t play sports but they can watch it on TV. We also serve that. Several months ago, at the start of the season, I would not have thought that we could still play. There have been many postponements of matches. I thought we would play for a month and that everything would end …
Don’t you fear traveling to countries where the number of cases is greater?
We have the chance to travel in private planes, we meet a few people in hotels but we eat in rooms reserved for us. The club, the Euroleague and the local authorities are very careful, there is maximum security. But it is obvious that there is more risk of catching the virus and getting sick when traveling than of staying at home … When we go to Russia, for example, like last week, we realize that the measures sanitary facilities are not the same everywhere. People do not have masks on the streets. The rooms welcome the public, fortunately they wear masks. At the hotel I also refused to take the elevator because there were people without masks. It feels weird. In absolute terms, I don’t have anyone at risk around me and I am in good health, but we have gotten used to being careful. But overall we do not feel threatened.
Are you for the vaccination of athletes?
Thanks to vaccines we can finally hope that the situation will evolve positively. We always have to think of others, those around us, so I think I’ll get the shot when the time is right. Afterwards, I know that some have doubts (about vaccines) and that it will be difficult to impose it.
After a complicated stint in Turkey at the Fenerbahçe, you seem to find, at 29, the pleasure of playing?
I am not sure that the athletes who say life is always good are telling the truth and being honest. There are bound to be places where you feel better than others. This is my case here. The team, the atmosphere, the culture, the life, everything suits me here. And I no longer have injury worries unlike last season. I’m having fun.
Can your performance allow you to reconnect with the France team or return to the NBA?
We’ll see. I avoid asking myself too many questions.
