Press Statement:
From the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Communications, Honourable Manoa Kamikamica
Today, I am pleased to announce that Fijians across the country will now have access to the HSBC SVNS Series on free-to-air television station Mai TV.
After constructive discussions, Digicel the rights holder of HSBC SVNS Series, has successfully come to an arrangement with Mai TV to extend their commercial arrangement to now include all matches from pool games to the cup finals on simultaneous broadcast on Digicel’s platforms of Sky Pacific, DTV as well as Mai TV’s free to air channel.
The Cape Town SVNS will kick off with an exciting match between Fiji’s women’s team and the USA at 7:00 PM this Saturday, December 7th. Fiji’s men’s team will take the field at 12:38 AM on Sunday, December 8th, against Uruguay, followed by a clash with Great Britain at 4:19 AM.
The Cape Town competition will also introduce a trial of a new format, where the top teams from each of the four pools will progress straight to the semi-finals. We look forward to seeing how this format enhances the excitement of the games.
This agreement represents an important milestone in making rugby accessible to every Fijian household. Rugby is not just a sport; it is a unifying force in our nation and a source of immense pride. By bringing the SVNS Series to free-to-air television, these good corporate citizens have enabled that every Fijian, regardless of their circumstances, can cheer for our national teams and celebrate our shared love for the game.
I extend my deep gratitude to Digicel, Sky Pacific, DTV, and Mai TV teams for working collaboratively to make this agreement a reality. Their shared vision and commitment to Fiji’s rugby fans have paved the way for this historic announcement.
Let us rally behind our teams this weekend and show the world the strength of our Fijian spirit.