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Press Release | Originally published at usarugby.org  LAFAYETTE, Colo. - USA Rugby is thrilled to announce Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo., will host the 2016 USA Rugby Emirates Airline Club 7s National Championships Aug. 13-14. Centered around the 18,061-seat stadium that plays home to Major League Soccer's Colorado Rapids, Dick's Sporting Goods Park also includes 22 natural grass playing fields for the 32-team National Championship event to enjoy. Sixteen of the top men's and women's clubs in the nation will earn a place in the 2016 Club 7s National Championship field through a vigorous regional qualification process. The gates at Dick's Sporting Goods Park open for 17 Rapids games a year, but have also hosted FIFA World Cup and Olympic Qualifying matches. Most recently, Dick's Sporting Good Park hosted a sold-out June 2 women's international soccer friendly between USA and Japan. "USA Rugby is excited to host the Club 7s National Championships in a world-class venue such as Dick's Sporting Goods Park," USA Rugby National Championships Manager James Wilber said. "We're positive the event is going to be the best we've ever put on, and we're excited to work with our partners at Kroenke Sports & Entertainment and the Denver Sports Commission to deliver an unforgettable experience for fans and athletes." The 2016 Clubs 7s National Championships will be the first major rugby sevens event after the rugby matches of the Rio 2016 Olympic Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, and a critical step forward as the first stop on the road to Tokyo 2020.
"USA Rugby recognizes a need to elevate this event as our many hard-working grassroots volunteers, and increasing pool of professionals, continue to showcase to the United States - and the world - what American rugby is all about," USA Rugby Club Manager Erik Geib said. "Club 7s is where you see all of the international stars of tomorrow, and we know our fans can't wait to see the future of America's sevens talent." Established in 1985, many of the top stars of today's Men's and Women's Eagles Sevens teams first came on the radar at the Club 7s National Championships, including 2016 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series Dream Team member Perry Baker. Tickets for the 32nd Club 7s National Championships, and first ever in the state of Colorado, can be purchased in advance here. Tickets may be purchased at $15 per day or in a two-day bundle for $20. For those who cannot attend the event in person, all 96 of the Club 7s National Championship matches, including the fixtures to be featured in the stadium at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, will be broadcast free of charge on The Rugby Channel. More information about the 2016 USA Rugby Emirates Airline Club 7s National Championship is available at usaclub7s.com. |
