A proposal is in the pipeline for Fiji to host a Super Rugby Pacific’s Super Round. The Super Round is where a weekend of matches is to be played at one particular venue.

This was revealed yesterday by Fijian Drua chief executive officer Mark Evans during the National Sporting Organisations Conference at the Harbour Point Convention Centre in Suvavou, Lami.

“Instead of Super Round we’ll change it to Bula Round,” he said

“We’d like to bring a Bula Round to Fiji, we take the five games of the weekend, and you put it all in one place.”

Evans said it’s quite an old concept that started with rugby league in England 20 years ago.

“The concept is very sensible, you basically say we create this event out of a single round, and it drives interests.”

The concept has been done before in Super Rugby called the Super Round where it was played in Melbourne, Australia.

“Melbourne spent a lot of money for it, but it never quite took off, it wasn’t awful,” Evans said.

“If you know AFL, Melbourne is a tough town, it says it’s the sports capital of world. It may be true but it’s a minority sport and a tough market.

“Bula Round in Fiji has got a real interest so why it hasn’t happened yet.”

Evans said there are three key factors that hinder their proposal.

“You need the government to put some money in or a city like Melbourne, Brisbane or Adelaide did.

“It will allow you to simply compensate the five teams that wouldn’t make their money at their gates at home,” he said.

“They had to give up a home game to come to Fiji, that’s what the city or the government normally does.”

Evans added that the availability of hotels would be crucial to accommodate the 10 Super Rugby teams.

“Bula Rounds generate 700 people to put the thing on. There are 10 teams that all bring 28 players at least and they all probably bring 15 staff,” he said.

“Then you have all the broadcasters, the referees, the TMOs (Technical Match Officials) and the medical people. When you add it all up it becomes about 650 to 700 people.”

Evans said the accommodation of the participants would be great for sports tourism.

“They buy the airfare, stay for four nights, great! There aren’t enough hotel rooms in Suva to do it because the whole model relies on another fourteen hundred (1400) sports tourists which is pretty concerning to me,” he said.

“I’d put it over two days, Friday and Saturday. Lautoka hasn’t got the lights. I’ve got one venue with lights and not enough hotel rooms whereas one venue with enough hotel rooms in Nadi with no lights”

Evans had questioned if there was extra sports tourism revenue in the proposal event to justify $6 million to build the stadium lights in Lautoka.

“That has got to be the option because you can’t suddenly conjure up another 2000 hotel beds in a year in Suva as that’s not going to happen,” he said.

“That’s where we are. Everyone thinks it’s a great concept. Tourism Fiji, Fiji Airways and all the hotels are behind it. Of course, they, they are going to make a lot of money they don’t have to pay it.”

Evans said the concept of the Bula Round would generate a lot of revenue and tourists.

“Is it debate about where we take it but we’re going to take it to Lautoka.”

“The hotels would love us to put it on February, of course they would. It’s the lowest of the low season. Fiji Airways is also banking on February,” he added.

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