Melrose Sevens proves an online hit

Published 30 Mar 2010 16:40 2 Comments

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THE Gibraltar Asset Management Melrose Sevens is being officially 'launched' this week on YouTube, underlining how the digital age is transforming club rugby.

The one-minute clip, written and performed by Borders-based poet Ian W Landles, was created to develop the tournament's on-line reach using a new channel.

The home of rugby sevens is also hoping that its Facebook site will provide a platform to help promote the Scottish Borders to the rest of the UK and the world.

Melrose rugby club now has some 4000 friends signed up to its Facebook page from the UK, Ireland, Switzerland, Russia, Hungary, Tonga, Korea, Samoa, France, South Africa, the USA, Canada, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Turkey - even as far as Alaska and the Dominican Republic.

"The success of our Facebook site underlines how rugby's traditional spirit of friendship is truly international, and how we can help promote the Scottish Borders to a wider audience," said Douglas Hardie, Marketing Convenor, Melrose RFC.

The Melrose club has embraced social media for the first time, using Facebook and YouTube and will be providing a tournament results service on Twitter. The club is also running a competition on Facebook to see how many more countries it can attract friends from.

Friends already signed up to Facebook include Scottish and overseas international players, past and present - with, for example, former England captain Will Carling following the club on Twitter.

Tickets for the event on April 9 and 10 can be booked at www.melroserugbyshop.co.uk or direct from the club on 01896 822993. Details of hospitality packages are available from Douglas Hardie (douglas@bordernet.co.uk)

Paul Bush OBE, Chief Operating Officer at EventScotland, the national events agency, said: "Social media has, in recent years, become one of the most powerful tools for driving events and we have seen a huge increase in the number of events using social media to speak to their followers and to allow their fans to speak to each other. It's a great way of connecting people with similar interests and passions and can, when used correctly, help to promote an event globally and at very little cost.

"The Melrose Sevens is a prime example of an event which has really harnessed the power of social media to raise its profile and also the profile of 7's rugby, of Melrose and the Scottish Borders to an audience around the world. This year's event looks set to be a huge success once again."

The tournament is also to acknowledge the bravery and sacrifice of British forces, with a number of fundraising initiatives for Poppyscotland and the British Army's sevens team entered into the main competition.

Over previous years, a tradition of wearing fancy dress to the tournament has developed, and this year the Melrose club is for the first time adopting an official "superhero or heroine" theme - with a cash prize of £300 for the best costume. Details can be seen here: http://www.melrose7s.com/news/88.html

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funnyman
Unregistered User
Mar 30, 17:43
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A Hawick man launching the Melrose Sevens? The world's gone mad!

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Teri
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Mar 30, 19:56
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No just any Hawick man - a very special Hawick AND Border man. Pleased that we can help our neighbours. That's how it should be here in the Borders - where a sense of Community, even between rival towns, still exists.

www.hawickonline.co.uk

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