Being Sunday, there are few distractions from the true attraction - sevens
At least rugby wins out amid contrived events designed to marginally thrill the hardy dulled by hangovers
Sunday is a day of rest and not just for the big guy upstairs. It's a somewhat subdued Hong Kong Stadium and why not. Half the town is hung-over while the other half is just not trying hard enough. I mean, it's two in the afternoon and there are still empty seats in the South Stand.
Up in the corporate ghettos they used to have big, thick goons standing guard to keep interlopers at bay but today no need. Later on the senior executives may start showing up with their pleated jeans and knotted cardigans. For now, though, feel free to dig in. This being the 40th anniversary of the event, it's interesting to see how it has morphed.
When it was a two-day gig, Sunday was placed on a pedestal. Tickets were at a premium and all the top honchos were there, including the governor of the day or the chief executive. This time, no one was sure whether our esteemed leader C.Y. Leung would show up.
As the day rolls on, it seems entirely possible that people came out to simply watch rugby
These are questions that were never asked before Friday became day one and Saturday became maximus significance. This year's event actually kicked off earlier on Friday at 1pm so it makes perfect sense that by the time Sunday rolls around the town is a bit knackered.
Ask the touts outside the stadium with the Cockney accents and they will tell you that Sunday is now a hard sell. They started the day asking for HK$750 a ticket and by noon had knocked it down to HK$500. Apparently no tickets on Saturday sold for less than HK$1,500.
Of course, the Village People played on Saturday, the South Stand set a record by being full at 8.30am and there was the always-spirited march-past as well as the introduction of the Magnificent Seven and an inexhaustible streaker.
So what could revive the legion of somnambulists wandering around the place on Sunday?