Three more years for SEVENS
New Zealand Rugby has confirmed Wellington will host the New Zealand leg of the World Rugby Sevens series for the next three years.
It was reported in March that a provisional deal had been agreed, but yesterday NZ Rugby chief executive Steve Tew confirmed the agreement had been finalised.
The 2016 tournament was the final year of a five-year agreement to host the New Zealand leg of the series in Wellington.
Tew said an extensive review of that tournament confirmed the capital provided the best platform for the event, despite its recent struggles to attract crowds to a tournament that used to sell out in minutes.
The 2017 leg of the series will be held at Westpac Stadium on the weekend of January 28 and 29.
‘‘For 17 years Wellington has staged an excellent rugby tournament for fans and players, with the stadium, council, local hospitality industry and hoteliers all working hard to deliver an event which is one of the favourites of teams on the circuit,’’ Tew said.
‘‘The feedback we’ve always had is that the teams look forward to playing in Wellington. The city is safe and compact, easy to get around, the training grounds and facilities are superb, the stadium is a world-class venue and the community is very welcoming.’’
Many changes were made to improve the fan experience in 2016, including new ticket prices and options, and a move to Saturday and Sunday.
‘‘We’ve never shied away from the fact the tournament had to evolve. We want this tournament to be one that can be enjoyed by all fans, young and old so 2016 marked a real turning point. We’ll make the necessary tweaks for 2017 to ensure Wellington continues to be a fantastic sevens host.’’
Wellington Mayor Celia Wade Brown said she was pleased to know the event would be staying in the city for the next three years.
‘‘The capital is the best place to host it,’’ she said. ‘‘I think it is a great opportunity to continue to revitalise the event without the excess drinking from a few years ago.’’
This year’s sevens, in late January, had crowds of 15,000 people in the 34,000-capacity stadium on both weekend days. At its peak, the event sold out in minutes.
Westpac Stadium chief executive Shane Harmon said the sevens had always been an iconic event for the venue.
The next three years would be focused on bringing the event back to life.