The HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series is being revamped and rebranded to ‘HSBC SVNS’, which will see it span across eight iconic cities.
Described as a ‘bold ambition to supercharge rugby’s global reach and appeal by being more relevant and accessible to younger, leisure-hungry audiences’, HSBC SVNS has called the new era an attempt to ‘deliver the ultimate in immersive experiences, a unique festival of sport, entertainment and culture set against stunning backdrops.’
HSBC will continue as the SVNS title partner in a four-year deal with World Rugby.
Launching in December, HSBC SVNS festivals will provide the annual platform for 12 men’s and women’s teams to share a global stage at the same location, in an effort to champion the women’s game.
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The dates and locations for the HSBC SVNS are:
- Dubai, UAE – 2-3 December, 2023
- Cape Town, South Africa – 9-10 December, 2023
- Perth, Australia – 26-28 January, 2024
- Vancouver, Canada – 23-25 February, 2024
- Los Angeles, USA – 2-3 March, 2024
- Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR China – 5-7 April 2024
- Singapore, Singapore – 3-5 May 2024
- Madrid, Spain – 31 May-2 June, 2024
Based on cumulative series points, there’ll be a new ‘winner takes all’ Grand Final in Madrid, where the women’s and men’s SVNS champions will be crowned.
Madrid will also play host to the high stakes relegation play-off competition where teams ranked ninth to 12th will join the top four teams from the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series. The top four placed teams of this play-off will secure their place on next year’s SVNS. Under the new model, SVNS delivers gender parity with all seven rounds and the Grand Final featuring combined men’s and women’s competitions and equal participation fees, with a 70% uplift in World Rugby’s investment in participation fees as a commitment to sustainable growth.
“We are excited to be launching HSBC SVNS, the supercharged new identity for our Olympic format, with iconic destinations and a new concept on and off the field, broadening the reach and appeal of the sport beyond its traditional audiences,” said Alan Gilpin, Chief Executive Officer of World Rugby. “Our ambition is for SVNS to be at the forefront of our growth strategy, appealing to a younger, leisure hungry audience. In eight iconic destinations played over seven months, we will bring together a truly immersive festival of rugby, music, food and experiences to create the ultimate weekend-long get together for young people, the hottest ticket and open a new era for the sport. For the first time in rugby sevens history, all locations will be unified under the same approach, meaning that the overall experience is the same and we can optimise commercial revenue for reinvestment, including playing our part in ensuring that sevens is a viable career path for the talented players and Olympians.”