CCMFC W-League News & Discussion

[tim...]

Member letter today indicated the club is applying for a Westfield W-League licence for 2017-18 season. Great news!

 

[JoyfulPenguin]

Great news and I look forward to supporting a W-League team next year!

 

[tim...]

The Central Coast Mariners are today excited to confirm its intention to acquire a Westfield W-League Licence ahead of the 2017/18 season.
Today, the club formally advised Football Federation Australia (FFA) of its aim and are also preparing to present a proposal to FFA to join the competition from as early as the Westfield W-League 2017/18 season.

Central Coast Mariners’ Chief Executive Officer, Shaun Mielekamp spoke of the excitement surrounding the club’s Westfield W-League bid and what it means for women’s football in Australia.

“The club has been quietly working hard behind the scenes for the last 18 months to understand what a Mariners W-League team will look like and it is with great energy and confidence that today we make the significant step forward on this journey,” Mielekamp said. “It will be crucial that the pathways and representation of not only the Central Coast but the Northern Suburbs and North Sydney regions are strong with our W-League team.

“The ongoing efforts from Mariners Academy Director Ken Schembri and everyone involved with the Central Coast Mariners Academy Women’s program was the final piece of the puzzle for us to now see how in collaboration with our other academies there is truly an exciting model that we look forward to presenting in intimate detail to the FFA.

“I would also like to thank and acknowledge the hard work of Rory Grace, Kym Griffen and Wayne O’Sullivan plus many more fantastic football people in North Shore Mariners who I am yet to meet. Without their involvement, we would never have had the confidence to not only progress our W-League aspirations but plan for a very successful and community minded arm to the organisation.

“In saying this however, now is when the hard work starts and real foundations need to be built. For this to happen we will need to attract the right commercial and community partners to not only ensure viability and longevity but help us create something that all football fans from the Harbour Bridge to the Swansea Bridge can be proud of.

“A vital step for us to ensure we obtain a W-League licence is the immediate investment into improving the facilities at Central Coast Stadium. We have held good talks and are very keen to see those talks quickly turn into progress so it isn’t a barrier that is out of our control that would hold us back.

The first staff appointment of the club’s Westfield W-League bid is Carly Carmichael who has been named the Mariners Westfield W-League Coordinator.

Carmichael, who has been a Mariners’ staff Member in the club’s Community Department for the past five years is a passionate supporter and player of women’s football on the Central Coast and will lead the club’s bid for a Westfield W-League team to be included as early as 2017.

“The appointment of Carly Carmichael to the role is very exciting to see such a great opportunity go to one of our most senior and experienced staff members,” Mielekamp said. “The goal of our W-League team is to become the most entertaining, innovative and community minded female sports brand in Australia.

For anyone wanting to make enquiries about partnership for our Westfield W-League team please email ccarmichael@ccmariners.com.au

LINK: http://www.ccmariners.com.au/articl...p1ljjeh6jsw18ferhxhhoh84#sthash.mNUQigvw.dpuf

 

[Atomic]

So would I be correct in saying that this is a Northbridge initiative? Not that it concerns me too much at this stage, I'd rather have a team playing out of Northbridge than Canberra (which was the case initially wasn't it???). If I was a conspiracy theorist, I would say that this is the thin edge of the wedge... but you know what??? I can't be bothered spending the energy to think that negatively about this announcement.

 

[pjennings]

I don't think so. I seem to remember Shaun talking about it earlier. While it is tied heavily with Northbridge it is also from our Academy and elsewhere. I may have just been talking to him or it may be on one of the podcasts

 

[JoyfulPenguin]

I don't think so. I seem to remember Shaun talking about it earlier. While it is tied heavily with Northbridge it is also from our Academy and elsewhere. I may have just been talking to him or it may be on one of the podcasts

Shaun has said previously that it will be run by and for us if it were to happen. They aren't interested in just someone using our branding.

 

[pjennings]

The Central Coast Mariners are today excited to confirm its intention to acquire a Westfield W-League Licence ahead of the 2017/18 season.
....
“The club has been quietly working hard behind the scenes for the last 18 months to understand what a Mariners W-League team will look like and it is with great energy and confidence that today we make the significant step forward on this journey,” Mielekamp said. “It will be crucial that the pathways and representation of not only the Central Coast but the Northern Suburbs and North Sydney regions are strong with our W-League team.

“The ongoing efforts from Mariners Academy Director Ken Schembri and everyone involved with the Central Coast Mariners Academy Women’s program was the final piece of the puzzle for us to now see how in collaboration with our other academies there is truly an exciting model that we look forward to presenting in intimate detail to the FFA.

“I would also like to thank and acknowledge the hard work of Rory Grace, Kym Griffen and Wayne O’Sullivan plus many more fantastic football people in North Shore Mariners who I am yet to meet. Without their involvement, we would never have had the confidence to not only progress our W-League aspirations but plan for a very successful and community minded arm to the organisation.


“In saying this however, now is when the hard work starts and real foundations need to be built. For this to happen we will need to attract the right commercial and community partners to not only ensure viability and longevity but help us create something that all football fans from the Harbour Bridge to the Swansea Bridge can be proud of.

This looks like the club are going to use the W-League team to try and broaden the reach of the club. I like the fact that Shaun is pointing both north and south and claiming territory up to the lower Lake Macquarie. I'm sure the Jets have some involvement there but why not give it a go.

I would imagine with a probable 9 home games we would share the games around a bit. Maybe a double headers with the men at CCS, maybe some with the NYL at the COE, games at Northbridge.

I do find it hard to stand in the blazing sun at the COE for the NYL. If it was to be a double header we really need to bring on that grandstand. While we're at it the Mariners pub would go down a treat as well.

 

[tim...]

The problem with the previous iteraton of this club was that it was essentially a Football NSW venture populated with western Sydney-based girls. Almost a CCM in name-only kind of thing. Played games everywhere.

This time it will certainly be much more identifiable as a CCM team, you'd hope.

 

[shipwreck]

Im just going to address the elephant in the room, how much is this going to cost the club? We cant afford to field a decent mens team, why would we want a Womens team?

 

[JoyfulPenguin]

Im just going to address the elephant in the room, how much is this going to cost the club? We cant afford to field a decent mens team, why would we want a Womens team?

If it can support itself and benefit our brand then why not? I highly doubt the club would be doing it if it couldn't.

 

[shipwreck]

If it can support itself and benefit our brand then why not? I highly doubt the club would be doing it if it couldn't.

Id love to believe that too, but what have we been spending 90% of the cap for and initially scrapped our W-League team due to financial concerns only to come back and apply.

I really hope there are some good incentives from FFA to have a team, the brand recognition thing is great, but lets face it, every dollar spent on having an amazing W-League team that dominates ABC ratings (lol) and gets record breaking crowds of almost 1000 is worth about 10c to the $1 of the mens league.

 

[tim...]

I believe our stock value to FFA would shoot up massively with a W-League side. Without one we're expendable.

I also believe women's sport is growing quite quickly and W-League will be much better backed over coming years.

 

[Jolly_Roger]

I think this is fantastic news and as it has been highlighted, if the club didn't think they could make it work financially, i wouldn't happen. With a daughter who plays in the women's academy, it is fantastic that her and the rest of the girls to have a pathway to the top if they are prepared to work hard enough.

I think it is also worth noting the amazing work that has been done on the women's side of things over the past 12 months. While there is still work to do, the women's academy program is a far cry from what it was two seasons ago. Well done to all concerned!!!!

 

[Forum Phoenix]

Agree with what Timmah said Shipwreck.

Also...

FFA have indicated they will be financially better supporting the womens league - as they should. So I'm sure this has no small amount to do with it.

We appear to be on track to finding our feet financially.

They have training facilities and with COE worse case but ideally CCS hopefully a venue that will bring in revenue where before this was purely an extra expense and something they were ill equipped for just for the men alone.

I'm sure this is a pretty important lobbying piece with the FFA but also when it comes to our bid for stadium management... as per what strikes me as a clever, if perhaps not so subtle, piece of leverage by Sean.

“A vital step for us to ensure we obtain a W-League licence is the immediate investment into improving the facilities at Central Coast Stadium. We have held good talks and are very keen to see those talks quickly turn into progress so it isn’t a barrier that is out of our control that would hold us back.

If council sits on their hands and it costs the coast a womens team in the national competition... it will make for some very ugly press and community outrage.

They can also hopefully/likely attract different sponsors to the womens team.

Sounds like they're receiving support in terms of the administration and organisation by new parties - not just something else for an over worked club admin to try and manage.

We are a development club with top development facilities. Makes sense that we engage and support both sides of the market.

So multiple factors I think. Part financial. Part branding. Part politics. And part being just more ready and the timing being right.

And finally... It's the future.

 

[nebakke]

Shaun commented on it on the podcast last month, saying that the FFA has made it clear that it is their target/expectation for every A-league team to have a W-league team as well... The way it sounds to me when he is talking these days, I think they're doing their best to meet all and any requirements the FFA might invent for the week, preferably before anyone else, in order to incur a little bit of favour and maybe get some of the heat off us.
Other than that, the W-league is now included in the Fox coverage so, while it might not be a lot, there's bound to be a bit of additional sponsorhip money to come out of an extra team as well I think... Every cent helps.

Not to mention what FP and Timmah have already said about the commitment to actually developing the sport, rather than just providing an entertainment spectacle for people who want to see men play football...