Bigger 2017 41st Marist Sevens
The total sponsorship for the 41st Fiji Bitter Marist Sevens tournament has increased to $55,000 next year. Compared to $35,000 in the last tournament, Paradise Beverages is giving a total of $55,000; $41,000 in cash which will be spread among all the teams to ensure they each are guaranteed a cash prize. $14,000 will be in kind. The tournament will be hosted at the ANZ Stadium in Suva on March 24-25
Paradise Beverages Fiji sales/ marketing manager Joe Rodan said the Fiji Bitter Marist Sevens played an important role in Fiji winning its first ever Olympic gold medal in Rio this year by showcasing the best talent the country had to offer. This is the reason why Paradise Beverages has increased its sponsorship for next year to hopefully produce players who are better than the current sevens reps we have. “We were so grateful when Fiji won gold at the Rio Olympics this year and I think next year is another challenge,” Rodan said. “The Marist Club and for us to produce a team that is better than the team that won the gold medal in Rio.
“This is the reason why Fiji Bitter is increasing its prize, this is to ensure that we run a tournament that will bring out the best in our players. We need better players than our current crop of players because Fiji is the target now. “We’ve seen in our last two tournaments that although we performed well that was not good enough for us to win the tournament, we have to take it to another level. “Being the champs we have to work really hard to defend our title and that is not only for the team but for the organisers and the spectators that love sevens in Fiji.”
Rodan said they are fulfilling their corporate responsibility to give back to their customers while at the same time developing not only rugby but sports in the country.
“Fiji Bitter sponsors about 12 tournaments throughout the country and we do that because we want to develop sports in the country,” he said. “We have been sponsoring this tournament for the last 40 years and it accumulated to us winning a gold medal in Rio this year and that is all part and partial of this sponsorship that we have. “We saw that when we won the gold medal, what it did to the people of Fiji, what it did to the nation everybody was happy and we united as a nation and that is what sports does; that is our objective here in sponsoring this tournament.
“Fiji Bitter is committed to try and do our part in promoting sevens rugby in Fiji and also promoting sports, as good corporate business we want to give back to the people who drink our products.’
A total of 64 men’s teams, eight women’s teams and six oldies teams will be taking part in next year’s tournament. Edited by Osea Bola