University Games on budget

National University Games will attract hundreds of competitors to Dunedin, inject more money into the city economy and provide a feast of high-quality sport for the public to watch, organisers say.

Otago University Students Association club development officer James Grubb said the planned event was likely to attract 600 to 1000 competitors, from campuses including Auckland University, AUT and Victoria University of Wellington.

Mr Grubb, who is also a member of the games organising committee, said the three-day event, which starts on April 22, had been unofficially termed ''the Austerity Games''.

Association officials said determined efforts had been made to keep costs down because of difficult economic times, overall financial pressures facing students and the effect of the Voluntary Student Membership legislation on some student associations.

Games participants would pay a basic $50 entry fee, considerably lower than some earlier fees of more than $100, although competitors would also have to meet some other associated costs, Mr Grubb said.

''We're fully focusing on sport,'' he said. But despite the ''back to basics'' approach and tight financial controls, there would be no shortage of high quality, exciting sport.

The main venues will be Logan Park and the Edgar Centre.

Social dinner events, which had previously been part on University Games were not being organised this year.

Only about a dozen sports - mostly team events - will be played, considerably fewer than when the games were last staged in the city in 2004. They include badminton, bowls, cricket, football, hockey, netball, rugby sevens, touch, ultimate - a team game involving frisbees - and volleyball.

Volunteers are being sought to help with some of the events. Offers can be made via cdo@ousa.org.nz.