Star Hospitality has been confirmed as an apparel sponsor for the 50th Fiji Bitter Marist 7s, Marist Rugby Club president Lawrence Tikaram announced at a press conference in Suva this afternoon. The company will supply shirts and other apparel for the tournament’s TISI Legends, event directors and fellow sponsors, a move Tikaram described as a welcome renewal of an existing partnership.
“So they will provide the shirts and other apparel for our sponsors, events director, and legends. We’re grateful for their support, and we thank them for their commitment to grassroots rugby,” Tikaram told reporters, underlining the practical role Star Hospitality’s contribution will play during the three-day event. The club said the arrangement builds on previous collaboration between the tournament and the company rather than representing a brand-new commitment.
The milestone 50th edition of the Fiji Bitter Marist 7s kicks off on Thursday, with matches scheduled at the HFC Bank Stadium as well as Bidesi and Buckhurst Parks. The tournament has long been a fixture on Fiji’s grassroots sevens calendar and the half-century anniversary has already attracted attention from broadcasters and corporate supporters. Overseas viewers can stream the three days of main-ground action on VITI+ for FJD 79.
Today's apparel confirmation adds to a stream of preparations and partnerships announced in the lead-up to the anniversary tournament. Earlier this year the Marist Rugby Club signed a memorandum of understanding with the Fijian Broadcasting Corporation to enhance live coverage and production of the event, a step Tikaram previously hailed as “another step change for grassroots development.” Last year’s 49th edition also drew corporate backing from companies such as Pacific Energy, which provided financial support for that tournament’s initiatives.
Organisers say sponsorships like Star Hospitality’s serve both practical and symbolic purposes: ensuring teams, officials and tournament legends are properly equipped, while also signalling sustained private-sector investment in the pathway that feeds Fiji’s sevens talent pipeline. With the tournament’s youth and veteran divisions attracting scouts and supporters from across the region, visible sponsor involvement helps fund logistics, officiating and broadcast-ready presentation.
Marist 7s organisers have been steadily unveiling arrangements for the 50th edition in recent weeks, from broadcast agreements to on-site operations. The confirmation of Star Hospitality’s apparel role closes one more piece of the logistics puzzle ahead of Thursday’s opening whistle, offering event directors and former players—the TISI Legends—a coordinated look as they take part in anniversary activities and on-field ceremonies.
The tournament will unfold over three days at the designated grounds, with local fans able to attend matches in Suva and international audiences able to subscribe to VITI+ to watch the flagship fixtures. As preparations proceed, Marist officials have repeatedly credited sponsors for underpinning the event’s continuity and for helping sustain grassroots development across Fiji’s rugby landscape.
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