Samenvatting

The South China Tigers are the first professional club team in Hong Kong, playing in the new tournament Global Rapid Rugby. The Asia Pacific tournament is contested home and away against six teams from Australia, Fiji, Samoa, Malaysia, China and Hong Kong. The South China Tigers were set up as a subsidiary to the Hong Kong Rugby Union (HKRU) to take part in the new tournament and hosted a Showcase Series in 2019, with the idea of Season One taking place in 2020. However, after the first round the tournament was cancelled and the team are now working towards season two. This research is to understand how the South China Tigers can contribute more to the Hong Kong Rugby Union. This is not only about contributing to the Hong Kong Rugby Union financially, but also making sure the rugby community in Hong Kong can benefit a lot from having the South China Tigers play their home games in Hong Kong and having a professional club in an international competition. This can allow the South China Tigers to build towards becoming a sustainable club in the future, that can be separate from the Hong Kong Rugby Union. The main findings from the survey were the need for more information to the public surrounding the team, the demand for a membership programme and the lack of demand currently for away game tickets. The case study found that the activation area in the stadiums was vital, having a single entrance for the stadium was important and good public transport links help customer experience. The interviews outlined the significance of aligning values of the South China Tigers with sponsors and ensuring that there is clear communication between sponsors and South China Tigers. The literature review revealed the need for relationship marketing, fan loyalty, the value of understanding sponsor needs and the difference a facility can make to the event. As a result, three recommendations are made for the South China Tigers to implement for the start of Season Two of Global Rapid Rugby. These recommendations are as follows: 1. Start a membership programme for Round One of Season Two. 2. Ensure that sponsor goals are exceeded for the coming season. 3. Guarantee the stadium has a quality activation area.