12 February 2018

Win tickets to Saturday's Mariners v Wellington A League soccer clash

| Rachel Ziv
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Mariners

Soccer fans across the capital have been waiting for this weekend, with a football double header on Saturday afternoon, beginning with a Women’s League curtain raiser between Canberra United and Melbourne City at 3pm, and the highly anticipated A League match between the Central (aka Capital) Coast Mariners and the Wellington Phoenix at 5.30pm.

The RiotACT has three double passes to giveaway (see below).

It’s set to be a blockbuster match, after the Mariners stunned onlookers last weekend with a 2-1 victory over reigning champions Adelaide United. It was a big win for the team and their new coach, former Socceroos captain Paul Okon.

Direct flights from Wellington to Canberra are expected to bring planeloads of Kiwis, and local football fanatics are counting the days as they celebrate the return of the A League to the nation’s capital after a seven year absence.

It’s the first time an A League game has been played in Canberra since 2009, when the Mariners hosted two home matches against Perth Glory and Adelaide United.

Since then, our small population has been attributed as the reason we are undeserving of our own local team. This seems unfair, given that Capital Football (the governing body of football in the National Capital) states that we now have “a record number of participants, making it the largest outdoor sport in the ACT and its surrounding regions.”

But progress is being made.

The ACT Government and Capital Football have been working with Mariners’ CEO Shaun Mielekamp to establish a relationship that would see a number of the Mariner’s games played at Canberra Stadium. First up are Saturday’s match against Wellington and a second fixture on 5th February against Adelaide United.

The double header this weekend is expected to draw crowds of well over 10,000, including the Chief Minister Andrew Barr and a number of dignitaries.

Another key attendee will be the Mariners’ Business Development Ambassador and die-hard football fan, Ivan Slavich. Mr Slavich is a high profile Canberra businessman, and was a key backer in the city’s 2012 campaign to create a local A League team.

Mr Slavich has embraced the Mariners as a key step towards bringing A League football back to Canberra.

However, he reminds us that unless we get behind the team and show our support, the numbers will reflect a disinterest in the sport and prove to the FFA (Football Federation of Australia) that we are too small to host a team.

“The Mariners are a team dedicated to embracing Canberra,” says Mr Slavich. “They are hosting two of their biggest matches here, and routinely pick the best players from our local clubs to trial with the team.

They are more Canberra than any other national team.

If Canberrans are really keen to have A League football in Canberra, then we need to support them. Vote with your feet, go to the game and prove to the nation that we are deserving.”

Given its proximity to Remembrance Day, the match will also pay tribute to fallen soldiers and observe a minutes’ silence before kick-off.

Tickets to the double header can be purchased from Ticketek from just $15.20. Unless the match sells out, you will be able to buy tickets at the gate, too.

Corporate tickets start at $175. For full details or to book, contact Mr Slavich on 0414 514 555 or at: islavich@ccmariners.com.au.

The RiotACT is giving away three double passes to the match.

To enter, simply leave a comment below explaining what having a local A League team in Canberra means to you.

Entries close Thursday midnight and winners will be announced on Friday.

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Charlotte Harper5:02 pm 11 Nov 16

Congratulations to Timmins, Equilibrium and Alibro who have each won a double pass to the match tomorrow thanks to the Central (Capital) Coast Mariners. See you there, Canberra!

Alibro said :

An A-League team for Canberra? What a capital idea!

I have a dream, that one day, every boy and girl in Canberra will have a team to cheer, football heroes to inspire them, a pathway to fame playing the world game. I have a dream that my home city will be not known for its politicians and roundabouts, but for it’s football team. I have a dream that the successes of Canberra United and Canberra Olympic will be just the first of much footballing glory to come. I have a dream that a team for Canberra will unite our city and that our residents will rise as one, Canberrans proud of their A-League team. I have a dream today!

Every football match I’ve been to has had a relaxed family atmosphere, never a need to read the Riot ACT! 😉 It’s been a long wait for a team, but the wait will make it mean so much more when we finally get a team. For time being- go the Mariners! But eventually I dream of having a team that’s really our own 🙂

While you still dreaming, think up a way that it can be financed without being underwritten by the ACT government and its ratepayer funded cronies.

An A-League team for Canberra? What a capital idea!

I have a dream, that one day, every boy and girl in Canberra will have a team to cheer, football heroes to inspire them, a pathway to fame playing the world game. I have a dream that my home city will be not known for its politicians and roundabouts, but for it’s football team. I have a dream that the successes of Canberra United and Canberra Olympic will be just the first of much footballing glory to come. I have a dream that a team for Canberra will unite our city and that our residents will rise as one, Canberrans proud of their A-League team. I have a dream today!

Every football match I’ve been to has had a relaxed family atmosphere, never a need to read the Riot ACT! 😉 It’s been a long wait for a team, but the wait will make it mean so much more when we finally get a team. For time being- go the Mariners! But eventually I dream of having a team that’s really our own 🙂

Having a team in Canberra means a great option over the warm summer season to cheer on a local side. It’ll avoid the whole-day trips to Sydney just to get a ‘fix’ and the well-after-midnight treks home.

Can’t wait to get out and enjoy the game with friends (and hopefully the thunderstorm stays away)!

It means my grandchildren can play the greatest game for the greatest city – their city.

TimothyFriel said :

Just think of how fun it would be to correct people almost every weekend when they ask “are you going to the soccer this weekend?” – “It’s football mate!”
Canberra loves to get behind our sporting teams, particularly the home-grown underdogs (CBR Brave I’m looking at you), and having a Canberra A-League team would provide another opportunity for Canberrans to join together under one colour.
And finally, the growth of Canberra as a sporting capital should continue to motivate investment in larger (and potentially enclosed – yay cold winters!) sporting arenas

You are welcome to invest your own money in another stadium but don’t expect other ratepayers to do so.

Soccer in Canberra already has a strong grassroots community of people who are out there playing the game (or indoors for futsal). The support for the likes of Canberra Olympic has already proven that there is a real appetite for competitive soccer here, and as a fast-growing sport in Australia, a local team playing in the A-League could really give Canberra its own sporting identity, fed by the abundance of local players who are ready to take that step up. Bring it on!

TimothyFriel7:00 pm 09 Nov 16

Just think of how fun it would be to correct people almost every weekend when they ask “are you going to the soccer this weekend?” – “It’s football mate!”
Canberra loves to get behind our sporting teams, particularly the home-grown underdogs (CBR Brave I’m looking at you), and having a Canberra A-League team would provide another opportunity for Canberrans to join together under one colour.
And finally, the growth of Canberra as a sporting capital should continue to motivate investment in larger (and potentially enclosed – yay cold winters!) sporting arenas

Stevie Hopes5:10 pm 09 Nov 16

How good would it be having Tim Cahill walk out on GIO stadium? That is reason enough to support an A-League team for Canberra!

Good on you Ivan for your ongoing dedication to bring quality football to Canberra.

I think the Mariners initiative is great. Although I don’t support them, I support the mighty Sydney FC. I will be going along on Saturday to support football in Canberra and I hope all you other ‘real’ football fans do the same.

Having a Canberra A-league team will give me another excuse to teach my 3-year-old nephew the Tim Cahill goal celebration!

An A-League team in Canberra would mean many things to many people in our community.

It would consolidate and help to build upon the incredible foundations laid by our successful W-League team (2 x Premiers, 2 x Champions) and FFA Cup representatives in re-establishing Canberra’s football identity on the national stage. It would inspire and provide development pathways for junior footballers, with some no doubt following in the footsteps of local products that have gone on to represent Australia at the highest level (Juric, Zelic, Valeri, Rogic). It would provide opportunities for developing community spirit, with football bringing people of all backgrounds together like no other sport.

It would give me a reason to go out to the stadium to scream my head off for 90 minutes every second weekend during the summer.

My nephews ‘love’ their football. They play for Tuggeranong United and Tom Rogic is their hero. They do not get to see a lot of professional football in Australia and haven’t really taken to the A-League because of this. Having a Canberra A-League team will no doubt increase participation and awareness for all the younger players in the region and as Davosss said, provide a clear pathway for young Canberran players.

What does an A-League team for C.A.N.B.E.R.R.A mean to me?

C.ommunities and local clubs coming together to celebrate our city
A.ll ages, cultures, genders and backgrounds can play and support football
N.ew Zealand’s capital has a team – why not Australia’s capital?
B.uilding Canberra’s reputation around the country
E.very young football player needs local heroes and role models to inspire them
R.aiders, Brumbies, Brave, Capitals… teams of all types are strongly supported in Canberra
R.ogic, Valeri, Zelic… our future Socceroos from Canberra need a pathway
A.sia is the future – a team playing the world game will connect our city to our region

I currently have some guests visiting from Solomon Islands and Vanuatu – they’re both football fans and it would be great to be able to bring them along to the game!

I’ll hit things off then.

I’m already a proud Canberra football supporter and I think that having a Canberra A-League team would build upon the positive name Canberra Football has already received through the FFA Cup success of Canberra Olympic and Tuggeranong United. It would give us a national footballing identity which we haven’t had since the Cosmos days. Also, having a local A-League team would provide a clear pathway for the young players in the Canberra comp. Only positive things can come from it (except going broke).

I’m already going to the game but hope a few free tickets might bring some mates along!

It means “deja vu” to me.

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