HSBC has become the first title sponsor of the women’s World Rugby Sevens Series and the bank has also extended their support for the men’s event for another four years. The move is part of HSBC’s ongoing commitment to sponsoring rugby and supporting the development of the next generation of players.
Sevens rugby will make its summer Olympics debut in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and the Rugby Sevens World Series will be held in both of Asia's financial hubs Singapore and Hong Kong in April next year.
Rugby Sevens attracts hundreds of thousands of spectators and reaches a television audience of 400 million households, according to the sport’s ruling body, World Rugby. Women’s rugby is now one of the fastest-growing team sports, with more than 1.5 million women playing regularly.
“The Olympic decision has served as a tremendous catalyst for the growth of Sevens around the world, not just in people taking part but also through the popularity of the HSBC Sevens World Series in recent years,” said Giles Morgan, Global Head of Sponsorship and Events, HSBC. “We will continue to use the profile and interest in the World Series to engage even more youngsters with the game.”
HSBC became the first title sponsor of the men’s Rugby Sevens World Series in 2010. Since then, it has become a fixture in the global sporting calendar.
Bernard Lapasset, World Rugby Chairman, said: “HSBC has been central to the Sevens success story and is totally aligned with our mission to attract and inspire new players and audiences. We are excited about this increased commitment and the certainty it provides over the next four years to grow our sport within existing and emerging rugby markets.”
