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Hong Kong (11 November 2025) – Global customer‑experience innovator Protect Group today announced a strategic partnership with the iconic Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, further elevating the fan journey at one of the world’s most renowned rugby union festivals. The collaboration is centred on unlocking additional revenue opportunities while delivering best‑in‑class service for spectators and event stakeholders.
The agreement also acknowledges the integral role of ticketing platform Total Ticketing, based in Hong Kong, which has been instrumental in developing new monetisation pathways and enhancing the customer experiences for venues, resorts and promoters across Asia and beyond. Together, Protect Group, Total Ticketing and the Hong Kong Sevens, organised by Hong Kong China Rugby, will implement a suite of smart ancillary services and digital tools designed to optimise event revenue and delight attendees. The partnership launches in time for the Hong Kong Sevens official ticket launch, led by a 24-hour pre-sale today (11 September) before the general sale starts tomorrow (12 September).
Partnership Highlights
- Protect Group will integrate its advanced “Refund Protect” and ancillary services platform into the ticketing and hospitality flows for the Hong Kong Sevens. These enable fans to upgrade to a refundable booking and, in doing so, give buyers confidence to fans who travel from overseas, with 10,000 international visitors attending each day of the event in 2025
- Total Ticketing’s SaaS ticketing system will serve as the technical backbone, enabling real‑time flexibility, cash‑flow control and data insights for the event organiser
- The Hong Kong Sevens team will leverage this combined solution to offer an enriched fan experience, including a smoother checkout process, optional upgrades, rapid digital entitlements, and deeper analytics to shape future growth
Why This Matters
As live sporting events increasingly compete on experiences as much as on-field action, revenue growth is no longer just about ticket sales. The partnership brings together three specialists:
- Protect Group’s innovative ancillary product ecosystem that drives incremental yield
- Total Ticketing’s agile ticketing architecture is built for Asian and global live‑event markets
- The Hong Kong Sevens’ global‑class platform for rugby & entertainment, with a strong legacy of innovation (e.g., its “Green Sevens” sustainability campaign)
In this way, spectators gain choice, convenience and service – while the event unlocks new monetisation beyond face‑value tickets, such as upgrades, refunds, add‑ons, loyalty layers and data‑driven offerings.
Quotes
“We’re excited to join forces with the Hong Kong Sevens team and Protect Group to bring truly modern ticketing and ancillary‑upgrade choices to fans,” said Pete Gordon, co-founder and Chief Product Officer at Total Ticketing. “Our goal has always been to enable venues and promoters to take full control of their ticket‑flow, cash‑flow and customer data – and this collaboration delivers exactly that. We look forward to delivering enhanced experience for supporters and improved commercial performance for our clients.”
“This partnership marks a key step in how we engage with our global fanbase,” said Bryan Rennie, Executive Director of the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens. “By teaming with Protect Group and Total Ticketing, we’re enabling smarter choices for fans - whether they want flexibility, premium options or seamless digital access – while also strengthening our commercial model for the future.”
“At Protect Group, we’re proud to support an event of the calibre of the Hong Kong Sevens,” said Marc Denny, Chief Revenue Officer of Protect Group. “Our mission is to create new revenue lines and elevated customer experiences for our partners – and by partnering with Total Ticketing and the Hong Kong Sevens, we’re combining best‑in‑class ticketing infrastructure with innovative ancillary solutions. Together, we’ll deliver more value for fans and more yield for organisers.”
Looking Ahead
The partnership will roll out ahead of the 2026 Hong Kong Sevens, taking place from 17-19 April at Kai Tak Stadium. It will include:
- Implementation of refund‑upgrade options via Protect Group’s platform
- Seamless integration with the Total Ticketing system
- Data‑driven dashboards via Pulse for the event organiser
- Fan‑facing digital upgrades (e.g., lounge access, seat‑premium, add‑ons)
- Ongoing measurement of incremental revenue and customer‑satisfaction metrics
With live‑event audiences evolving rapidly, this tri‑party alliance sets a blueprint for how premier sport and entertainment events can modernise their commercial and customer‑experience model.
About the Organisations
Protect Group: A global innovator in customer‑centric technology, Protect Group helps entertainment, travel and sports businesses turn tickets into full‑funnel experiences and ancillary revenue opportunities. Its core products include Refund Protect, Protect Plus and the Pulse Reporting Dashboard (protect.group)
Total Ticketing: Headquartered in Hong Kong, Total Ticketing is a SaaS platform for venues, resorts and promoters. It enables clients to retain control of ticketing sales, data and cash‑flow — and is used by many of Asia’s largest entertainment‑focused properties (totalticketing.com)
Hong Kong Sevens: The Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens is a world‑class international rugby sevens tournament held annually in Hong Kong, organised by Hong Kong China Rugby. It has become a signature festival of sport, entertainment and fan culture (hksevens.com)