A record crowd packed into Kai Tak Stadium on Saturday, drawn by the prospect of some thrilling Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens action on the pitch and a chance to party like it was 1999 off it.
The 41,457 fans who passed through the gates made up the biggest single-day attendance figure for a Sevens in the city, and organisers expect the three-day total to set a new high as well.
Those that made the trip watched the men’s and women’s defending champions, Argentina and New Zealand, reach the semi-finals after Dutch Eurodance band Vengaboys had rolled back the years with a set that had the South Stand in the palm of their hands.
Hong Kong Tourism Board has made much of the tournament’s importance to the city, and Secretary for Culture, Sport and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui visited the fan village during a day when thousands of families milled in and around the stadium.
A lot has been made of the expected economic impact of the Sevens, which last year was pegged at HK$768 million (US$98 million), although how much of this week’s spend will trickle down to business in the immediate area remains to be seen.
Food outlets at Kai Tak Mall had hoped for a bumper weekend, but several store managers who spoke to the South China Morning Post on Saturday said sales were below expectations.