United World Sports, based in White Plains, has been changing the face of Rugby in the U.S. USA Sevens Rugby is the largest professional rugby event in the country, and one of its marquee events just put a big piece in place with the promotion of Jon Hinkin to tournament director of the 2017 USA Sevens in Las Vegas, set for March 3-5, 2017.
“There is no one more deserving of this role than Jon is, and we are very pleased to have him take over as Tournament Director at a time when the USA Sevens is about to ascend to new heights in visibility, brand activation and participation,” said United World Sports President Jonathan First in a statement. “He has the unique balance of success in the business world and on the field that will be invaluable to us going forward.”
“I am a great believer in the continued growth of rugby as a sports and entertainment property in the United States, and there is no event with more potential than USA Sevens in Las Vegas,” Hinkin said. “I have seen the event grow as both a player and as a business professional, and look forward to working closely to expand its business footprint even larger.”
Jon Hinkin has been with United World Sports (UWS) since its inception in 2006. He created and built what is now the Las Vegas Invitational, which consists of over 270 teams from 25 countries and is played congruently with the USA Sevens in Las Vegas. He has also held Competition Management positions in UWS events including the Penn Mutual Collegiate Rugby Championship in Philadelphia, the Pro Soccer Challenge, the Penn Mutual Varsity Cup and is listed as an inventor of Super Sevens rugby.
The 2017 USA Sevens will be the only stop for Rugby Sevens in the United States. Over 80,000 people will be on hand for the three days of non-stop play, bringing over $30 million into the local economy, ranking it among the biggest weekends for any event held in Las Vegas.