Request for partnership in support of the 2019 HSBC Canada Women’s Sevens

Request for partnership in support of the 2019 HSBC Canada Women’s Sevens

February 25, 2019

Honourable Stewart Young, Mayor of City of Langford
Members of City of Langford Council
2nd Floor, 877 Goldstream Avenue
Langford, British Columbia
V9B 2X8

Dear Mayor Young and City of Langford Council,

The purpose of this letter is to once again seek partnership with the City of Langford in support of the 2019 HSBC Canada Women’s Sevens. Rugby Canada and the City of Langford have enjoyed a strong relationship over many years, and through this support Rugby Canada has grown the sport of rugby across Canada and in the Langford region.

Last May 2018, Rugby Canada attracted almost 5000 fans over two days to Langford’s Westhills Stadium to watch the 4th annual Canadian leg of the World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series. The Langford event was again ranked near the top of the Series in terms of player welfare and attendance (and the top “stand alone” event), and attracted both local, Provincial, National, and international fans to Vancouver Island.

The hosting of the last four tournaments have been proud moments for Rugby Canada, and we hope also for all residents in the City of Langford. We take great pride in being one of the ‘stand-alone’ women’s events on the 2019 Series, giving our female athletes a stage on which to perform for the world. Live broadcast of the global streaming feed of the entire tournament via World Rugby provided significant world-class profile for women’s rugby and the City of Langford.

To stage a world-class international event hosting teams from 12 different nations is a large financial commitment. Rugby Canada will invest almost $900,000 to stage the 2019 tournament. This financial commitment is mitigated through the sale of tickets, sponsorship and the provision of funding support from World Rugby and other key strategic partners, including the City of Langford. Despite this varied support in 2018, the tournament again found itself in a deficit situation.

For 2019, the tournament has once again committed to tournament hotels (Bear Mountain and the Four Points Sheraton) in Langford. While this will allow for more direct spending in the City of Langford, the cost for team accommodation and meals has increased year over year. It is with this reality that we again request support from the City of Langford from the Destination Tax fund, and in the form of budget-relieving goods and (VIK) services as per past years. These contributions will assist Rugby Canada in mitigating the financial risk, and aid in efforts to reach a ‘break-even’ level in 2019.

In conjunction with Tourism Victoria, the HSBC Canada Women’s Sevens ran an economic impact study for the 2018 event. The report is attached, showing $2.9M in spending attributable to the tournament and almost 1,400 hotel room nights booked.