DTV powers Mercantile Rugby 7s

DTV (Dialog Television), a subsidiary of one of Sri Lanka’s largest telecommunication service providers Dialog Axiata PLC, is extending its sponsorship of the Mercantile Rugby Sevens for a record ninth consecutive year.

The Mercantile Rugby 7’s, one of the most anticipated events in the mercantile sporting calendar, will kick off from 18 to 20 November, at the CR & FC Grounds, Longdon Place, Colombo 7. The Mercantile Rugby 7’s has an illustrious history spanning back over four decades of which the last nine years have been sponsored by Dialog Axiata.

This year’s tournament will see a slight change in format wherein the Mercantile Rugby Football Association (MRFA), in their role as tournament organisers, have decided to replace standard play-off for the ‘Plate’ award with a new trophy awarded in the ‘Cup’ championship, which will see the losing semi finalist in the cup championship battling it out for the ‘Plate’ award.  

The 42 teams taking part in this year’s tournament have been pooled in to 10 groups; with eight teams scrumming down for coveted ‘Cup’ championship, while 16 teams will vie for the ‘Bowl’ and 18 teams will contest for the shield title.

The ‘Cup’ final will be played on Sunday 20 November, at 6.30p.m.

“Dialog is extending its sponsorship towards the Dialog Mercantile Rugby 7’s for the ninth year running, making it one of the longest corporate endowments in the 40 years of illustrious history that Mercantile Rugby 7’s boasts of in Sri Lanka,” Dialog TV CEO Nushad Perera and Dialog Axiata PLC Group Chief Marketing Officer said.

“Rugby has become an integral part of Sri Lankan sporting DNA and is passionately followed by fans at schools, club and mercantile levels. At team Dialog we share the same passion and values attributed to the sport and are committed to extend our support to empower this flagship sporting event.”

DTV, a state of the art satellite-based broadcaster is the premier pay television channel operating in the Island.

Dialog Axiata is Sri Lanka’s largest mobile services provider with over 2000 GSM and 1200 3G base stations and growing is Sri Lanka’s largest mobile service provider.  

Dialog Axiata PLC, an ISO 9001 certified company, is a subsidiary of Axiata Group Berhad.

The company operates 2.5G and 3/3.5G Mobile Communications networks supporting the very latest in multimedia and mobile Internet services.

Dialog has the distinction of being the first 3G operator in South Asia to commence commercial operations. Its local coverage spans all provinces of Sri Lanka, while international roaming is provided in over 200 destinations.

Dialog Axiata, the largest and fastest growing cellular service in Sri Lanka also operates Dialog Television a direct-to-home satellite television service and Dialog Broadband Network - providing backbone and transmission infrastructure facilities and data communication services, serving a subscriber base in excess of seven million Sri Lankans.