From humble beginnings
THE Marist Sevens rugby tournament is like the Fiji Bitter beer brand — it started from a humble beginning and driven with a purpose to achieve goals and motivated to be the best in the business. Today the Marist Sevens Rugby Tournament like Fiji Bitter is;
Embossed in the Fiji culture;
The best in the business; and Passionate about who they’re doing this for.
For 45 years the Fiji Bitter Marist Sevens rugby tournament has given many young talented rugby players opportunities to be selected to represent our country and find stardom in rugby clubs around the world.
Many of these players who started off in the sevens code were also selected to represent our country in the 15s code.
These young players who were once unknown became household names. They made Fiji come to a standstill to watch them play against big rugby nations.
They made Fiji celebrate, they made Fiji cry, they made Fiji sad, they made Fiji angry but most importantly they made Fiji come together as one nation.
The Fiji Bitter Marist 7s tournament was the first sevens tournament which originated in 1976, ‘45 years ago’.
From a humble beginning as a Saturday evening sports and social event with eight teams and a price of five cartons of Fiji Bitter, the tournament has grown over the years to be a major iconic sporting event with more than 100 teams taking part, 500 volunteers and a total budget of approximately $150,000 to run the tournament.
The Fiji Bitter Marist 7s was also instrumental in introducing Women 7s Rugby to Fiji.
Today because of the foresight of the sponsor Fiji Bitter beer and the Marist Rugby Club, Fiji 7s rugby is an iconic brand promoting Fiji worldwide and contributing to the development of sports and the growth in the economy through sports tourism.
The Fiji Bitter Marist 7s can also take credit, that through its efficient and effective organisation of the tournament, Fiji Rugby is able to produce a team which is of world standard and competes in the global arena as a true champion among the developed and financially well-off rugby nations.
This year also marks the fact that Rugby 7s is now an Olympic sport and the Fiji Bitter Marist 7s tournament can take credit for growing and developing Fiji’s rugby sevens over the years and that this year Fiji Rugby 7s team will make history by being the first sport to defend the gold medal for Fiji in the Tokyo Olympic Games which Fiji won at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games Brazil.
‘Your talent is God’s gift to you, what you do with it is your gift back to God’, quote by the great Leo Buscaglia.
Sports sponsorship has been a major buzz in Fiji’s sporting arenas and the Fijian communities giving Fiji’s people ethics that are cherished which are essential to our sustained growth.
Fijians value long held goals of self-sufficiency and sustainability where every Fijian community know we (Fiji Bitter brand) were there sponsoring grassroots rugby and assisting unemployed youths and local rugby players to secure a spot in our national rugby team but also secure a contract with top clubs overseas and are able to earn a living and support their families and loved ones back home.
The launch of the 45th Fiji Bitter Marist 7s has set the stage for Fiji’s biggest 7s sporting event.
Forty five years in developing grassroots rugby with the iconic brand and major sponsor Fiji Bitter and the Marist Rugby Club, it is a significant achievement of great partnership which started 45 years ago with only five cartons of beer as the major prize, has now grown to more than $60,000 worth of sponsorship in cash and kind and a total sponsorship of more than $250,000 to organise the event. This year’s event will showcase and identify new raw talent and also polishing the old.
We have players like Jerry Tuwai, and many other national players who are now household names in Fiji, thanks to Fiji Bitter and Marist Rugby Club.
Our sponsorship has not only paved a pathway for rugby players to showcase their talents to the world but it has also helped communities to build village churches, renovate dormitories for boarding schools, and build new classrooms, new sanitation facilities and village halls to name a few.
Sponsoring an event won’t be successful unless you have the support of the organising committee, the volunteers, the players, the supporters and the community as a whole and we have everyone to thank for the successful establishment of the Fiji Bitter Marist 7s.
Fiji Bitter sponsorship has made the product in Fiji an iconic brand that rewards the communities and its people behind the brand are proud to be part of its growth and brands that leverage off from sponsorships.
Mileages received from sponsorship of sports far exceed the investment of sponsored funds distributed to sports in Fiji.
Sponsorship of sports also helps to portray a positive image to stakeholders of Fiji and the community that we promote a healthy living and subsequently give an opportunity to the people of Fiji to be part of Fiji Bitter’s success.
Business growth depends a lot on how the market view us and sport sponsorship has created a positive image in the marketplace and thus our customers/consumers view us positively and support our brands.
We want our consumers and customers to know that we have always been there for them.
Fiji is a sport loving country and our consumers and customers love sports hence our involvement with sports to drive our business which is connected directly to the market.
Sponsorship makes our consumers understand why our products has been a source of economic opportunity.
This year, we have been honoured again to stage the tournament for the 45th year.
Congratulations to those who will be selected and secure a place in the Fiji team.
May you carry the Marist flame and the Fiji Bitter spirits?
1. Have Fiji in your heart.
2. Be the best in the business.
3. Have the passion that motivated you to be the best and secure a spot in the national team.
To the winners of this year’s tournament, congratulations.
To the Marist Rugby Club, vinaka vakalevu for another great organisation and we salute the Marist Old Boys for the efficient and effective organisation of the 45th Fiji Bitter Marist 7s Tournament.
‘Go Fiji, Go for Gold.’