Hive Stadium launched at Picnic on the Pitch

Live music, community games, player and coach Q&As, charity fundraising and prize giveaways all took place on the playing surface at Hive Stadium, where fans and players alike joined together to kickstart the exciting new partnership with Hive, Edinburgh Rugby’s new Official Energy Partner and Naming Rights Partner of the club’s 7,800 capacity ground.

Today’s Picnic on the Pitch event marked the start of an exciting period for the newly named ground, with the club’s Scottish Building Society Pre-Season Series fixtures against Connacht and Bath on consecutive Friday nights (29 September and 6 October) and Scotland Women Test against Spain – part of the team’s preparations for World Rugby’s new global competition, WXV, (Saturday 30 September) all taking place over the next three weeks.

Sean Everitt’s men will then host their first competitive match in the BKT URC against South African side, Emirates Lions, on Saturday 28 October (kick-off 5pm).

Edinburgh Rugby Managing Director Douglas Struth hailed the new partnership which will see Edinburgh Rugby and Hive collaborate on several exciting projects in the coming seasons, with sustainability and the journey to Net Zero at the forefront of the wider deal.

He said: “It was fantastic to see fans of all ages, players, club staff and our brilliant sponsor family gather for today’s Picnic on the Pitch event, kickstarting an exciting new partnership with Hive.

“To see our senior squad with their own families, and our supporters alongside them, mingling and socialising is exactly what we’re about at Edinburgh Rugby.

“We’re a family club and that feeling of connection – whether it’s to your customers or fans – is a shared value that our partnership with Hive can be built on.

Struth added: “We’re really excited for the new season and with the support of Hive, the club’s newly named Hive Stadium will continue to be a vibrant home for all, situated at the heart of our community.”

Gav Murray, Hive Director, said: “We are thrilled to launch the new Hive stadium naming alongside our partners at Edinburgh Rugby, with an event that truly celebrated the special bond the supporters have with the club.

“This is the start of an impactful partnership and we can’t wait for the new season to start.”

Edinburgh Rugby’s deal with Hive comes as Scottish Gas, part of Centrica, and the largest home energy supplier in the UK, partner with Scottish Rugby to help the rugby community across Scotland reduce their energy bills and carbon footprint.

The wider deal will involve more than 130 active clubs in all five playing regions of Scotland and could reduce energy consumption by over 50%.

The partnership is set to act as a catalyst for all communities to start transforming their buildings into healthier, more comfortable, more resilient places to work and play on the journey to zero-emissions.