Meet, Zubbi!

Boundless energy, unstoppable sociability, fashionable dancing and a gorgeous 64-teeth smile. Anyone who has ever attended Loko matches at the Basket Hall already understands who we are talking about. Of course, this is Zubastic Lokomotivovich Kubansky (or simply Zubbi) - the mascot of the Professional Basketball Club Lokomotiv Kuban.

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Zubbi
Zubbi
Zubbi

Where did he come from?

Fast-forward to October 15, 2011. That autumn will forever remain in the memory of long-time Loko fans. This was the time when the team discovered a new tournament - the Eurocup. New victories, new history, new horizons. And one more event, very important and special. An event that forever changed the usual way of “Basket Hall”...

None of the old-timers remember what the weather was like on the morning of October 15th. Some remember that there was a light autumn rain, others say that there was fog and frost, others claim that the August heat reigned, and there was not a single cloud in the sky. But everyone agrees on one thing - at one moment it suddenly became dark and a storm began, the epicenter of which was directly above the arena. A bright lightning struck exactly the top of the Basket Hall dome - and at that very moment everything immediately calmed down. The clouds parted, a pleasant spring breeze blew, a rainbow began to shine...

Meanwhile, the caretakers of the Basket Hall, who opened the arena to prepare it for the Eurocup match against the Polish Prokom, were surprised to find that the lights in the hall were turned on. And someone strange throws the ball into the hoop! Who is this? Human? Beast? Cyborg mutant?

The closer the keepers came, the stranger this creature seemed to them. And so, when they had already decided to call the police, an ambulance and (just in case there was a fireman) the gas service, the strange visitor turned to them and waved his hand welcomingly! And then he took a notepad and wrote: “Hello! My name is Zubastik the Magnificent, I am the mascot of basketball and from now on I will live here.”

The puzzled caretakers called the director and told him what had happened. “He says it’s a talisman?” replied the director. “Then let him prove it today!”

In the evening there was a match with the Polish “Prokom”, and Zubastik ran around the court and stands, rousing the audience. Loko won with a score of 79:66, and everyone really, really enjoyed it.

Since then Zubbi has been living in Basket Hall. No one knows what biological (or cosmic) species he belongs to. But from time to time he sheds his old skin and appears before us in a new guise.

Zubbi
Zubbi
Zubbi
Zubbi

Symbol of Kuban basketball

Frankly, we can no longer imagine that Loko matches were once held without this cheerful, impetuous and, to be honest, a little crazy prankster. It is Zubastic who always keeps the starting countdown before the start of each home game, distributes gifts and Zubbybonuses, and takes pictures with everyone. And when each team's mascot traditionally meets at the All-Star Game, it becomes obvious to the entire league which team has the best mascot.

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Zubbi
Zubbi
Zubbi