Canberra is "in danger" of becoming a professional football "black hole" after Capital Football "failed to strike a deal" to extend a partnership with A-League side Central Coast Mariners, according to Eamonn Tiernan of the CANBERRA TIMES. Mariners CEO Shaun Mielekamp confirmed the club was "exploring other options" 12 months after the ACT government and Capital Football announced "a vision to bring A-League action to Canberra." Mielekamp met with Capital Football CEO Phil Brown in Sydney on March 28 to "discuss keeping the Mariners in Canberra next season." Mielekamp left the Sydney meeting with the understanding Brown would "begin negotiations with the ACT government on behalf of the Mariners." However, a government spokesperson said that "no one had made contact about extending the deal with the Mariners." Brown and Capital Football declined to comment. Mielekamp said, "We've had no contact [from the ACT government], we were relying on the relationship with Capital Football so we've ruled out [returning] next season" (CANBERRA TIMES, 5/11).
