GoFibre announces sponsorship of Melrose Sevens and new grassroots competition

Scottish independent broadband provider, GoFibre has today announced a new three-year sponsorship of the iconic Melrose Sevens.

The Borders-founded company has become an official platinum communications partner for the event which will kick-off on Friday 7th April 2023.

Designing the sponsorship to support grassroots rugby in the area, GoFibre and Melrose Sevens will launch a new pre-qualification tournament on Friday 7th April 2023 which will see 16 grassroots clubs from the Borders and Northern England take part. The final will take place on the famous Greenyards main pitch on the Saturday evening, with the winners earning a spot in the 2024 tournament as well as a £1,000 prize fund, courtesy of GoFibre.

The local broadband provider will also be sponsoring the event’s family zone throughout the four-day weekend and gifting its transformative full fibre technology to Melrose Rugby Club. The full fibre upgrade to the clubhouse’s facilities will improve the club’s capacity to host events and help future-proof it for the next generation of Melrose rugby.

The sponsorship comes as GoFibre continues to roll out its full fibre network across Scotland, levelling-up the facilities and capabilities of local clubs, homes, and businesses in the area. In the coming months, full fibre broadband will be available for 1,400 homes and businesses in Melrose.

GoFibre aims to bring future-proof digital connectivity to local communities across Scotland and the North of England, tackling the ongoing digital divide, particularly in rural and harder-to-reach communities. Once in place, speeds of up to 10Gbps will be available, transforming the ability for local residents and businesses to work effectively from home, operate multiple devices simultaneously with no lag and download complete box sets in seconds.

Sam Calvert, Chief Revenue Officer, GoFibre said:

“Melrose Sevens is a globally recognised and renowned tournament that’s right on our doorstep, so we are immensely proud to be named as a platinum sponsor for 2023 and be a part of its brand-new grassroots tournament.

“We recognise that grassroots rugby faces significant challenges, and we are keen to play our part in supporting the club to build sustainable futures as central pillars of the community. This sponsorship announcement is the first step of our commitment to improving the lives of local communities across Scotland, particularly in rural areas that can often be left behind when it comes to digital connectivity.

“We’re looking forward to working together with Melrose Rugby Club and the tournament’s organisers in the months ahead to help shape the future of the competition.”

Phil Morris, Tournament Director at Melrose Rugby Club, said:

“Melrose Sevens is a tournament loved by so many in the region, so to be able to bring on board a sponsor who is born and bred in the area, means a great deal to the club, especially in our 140th year of the event.

“We’d like to thank GoFibre for their support of our new tournament which will allow many new teams from across the Borders and Northern England to experience the magic of the Melrose Sevens first hand. We’re looking forward to working together across another exciting season of rugby.”

To find out how GoFibre is making a difference in local communities with its full fibre broadband services and to register interest, visit www.gofibre.co.uk

Tickets for the 2023 Melrose Sevens will be priced at £35 for adults and £15 for under 18’s with children under 5 being free of charge, with all tickets including access to the Friday rugby, which falls on the Good Friday bank holiday. Tickets will be available from mid-October.