SUPPORTERS of Central Coast Mariners Football Club will be given an access all areas pass into life at a leading Hyundai A-League Club when a special six-part documentary series entitled ‘The Code: Life with the Mariners’ launches on Fox Sports Australia in 2013.
Please click the video above to view the promotional teaser of ‘The Code: Life with the Mariners’.
SUPPORTERS of Central Coast Mariners Football Club will be given an access all areas pass into life at a leading Hyundai A-League Club when a special six-part documentary series entitled ‘The Code: Life with the Mariners- launches on Fox Sports Australia in 2013.
In cooperation with Central Coast Tourism, Destination NSW, and Onion TV, Central Coast Mariners FC can today announce the details of an exclusive project to allow fans into the Club-s inner-sanctum throughout A-League season 8.
Tracking the team-s journey throughout the most anticipated season in Australian football history, ‘The Code: Life with the Mariners- will provide supporters with unprecedented access to the dressing rooms at the Central Coast Mariners Centre of Excellence, Bluetongue Stadium and around the competition, as well as crucial team meetings and video analysis sessions.
In addition to charting the progress of Graham Arnold-s side throughout the campaign, ‘The Code: Life with the Mariners- will uncover the personalities within the Club, discover the team of people behind the team, highlight how the Mariners have become Australia-s “little Club that could”, and ascertain the long-term ambitions of the Central Coast-s only professional sporting franchise.
Central Coast Tourism have partnered with Central Coast Mariners FC to ensure the crew from Onion TV can spend maximum time tracking the yellow and navy-s quest for glory both domestically, and in Asia-s top club tournament, the AFC Champions League.
Newly appointed Chief Executive at Central Coast Tourism, Robyne Abernethy, said the series will not only highlight the Club and its talented players and coaches, but also the picturesque Central Coast region.
“The production of this TV series is an opportunity not only for fans to go behind the scenes of the Club, but it will highlight the lifestyle and culture of the players nationally, and the area where they choose to live,” Abernethy said.
“The Central Coast is one of Australia-s premier waterfront destinations. We expect the airing of ‘The Code: Life with the Mariners- will create awareness of the region as a holiday option for the audience to come and enjoy the lifestyle of a Central Coast Mariners- player,” she said.
Central Coast Mariners Chairman, Mr Peter Turnbull, said the Club is proud to have been selected by the producers to partake in the project.
“This documentary series will be another feather in the cap of the Mariners,” Turnbull said. “We will be the flag bearer for the Hyundai A-League in terms of this type of venture, and will be able to present the competition in the positive way that it deserves.”
“I am sure Fox Sports, ours fans and all A-League supporters will be delighted with the end product, as Onion TV have been following the side since the start of the season.”
“It will be a wonderful series, and really give the viewers a great chance to see what it takes to be a professional footballer in the A-League.”
“It will also show some of the personal lives of the players and staff, and see how they cope with the constant pressure of having to perform,” he said.
Filming of ‘The Code: Life with the Mariners- began in October 2012 and will continue until April 2013.
Nick Piper, Director/Producer of Onion TV, said the A-League focussed series has the potential to be their best production yet, with the company-s small crew having honed their production process on similar series with rugby-s HSBC Waratahs and Queensland Reds, and netball-s Adelaide Thunderbirds.
“Football was always the aim of a concept like this, for a number of reasons,” Piper said. “There-s the global reach of football, but also it is exciting times for the A-League in Australia. It is very vibrant, there are marquee signings, record crowds and ratings.”
“(But) the story here is very culture-based and very community-based. With the Mariners off the field is as important, if not more important, than on the field at times.”
Piper said the Club has been welcoming and helpful in the documentary process thus far.
“The Mariners have been very, very open,” he said. “They have a great understanding of the need for a product like this.”
“Sure, it takes time to gain the trust of the coaching department and also the players, but I think the culture of the Central Coast Mariners is a fair indication of how they-ve embraced us. Everyone has been very relaxed and very kind and giving.”
Piper added that he expects the greater football community, not only Mariners fans, will embrace the series.
“I think the football community is a very special one,” he said. “There is a real need in Australia, a thirst and a hunger, for the whole football community to see the sport grow. I think we will get as many people watching this because they love the sport of football in Australia as you will genuine Mariners fans.”
The Mariners are the only professional sporting Club from the New South Wales Central Coast. Despite existing in the smallest per capita market of all ten Hyundai A-League Clubs, the Club routinely punches above its weight on and off the football pitch.
Indeed, in just seven seasons of existence, the Mariners have claimed the Hyundai A-League Premiership twice, featured in three Hyundai A-League Grand Finals, and participated in two AFC Champions League campaigns.
By virtue of their top-of-the-table finish in the 2011/12 Hyundai A-League, Central Coast Mariners will compete in the 2013 version of the AFC Champions League, facing off against Asia-s elite once more.
‘The Code: Life with the Mariners’ is supported by Central Coast Tourism and the NSW Government through Destination NSW and its Regional Tourism Partnership Program.
