Turkish football must blow winds of change with a sustainability move following violence …

Dr. Zeliha Ocak wrote for 12punto on how to increase the brand value of Turkish football and what needs to be done:

"The attack on referee Halil Umut Meler during the Ankaragücü-Çaykur Rizespor match could be a wake-up call for the Turkish football industry.

Football is not just a game; it is also a platform where the enthusiasm and energy of crowds are gathered. However, unfortunately, violence can sometimes overshadow this enthusiasm. At this point, the social impact and responsibility of football come to the fore. It should be discussed how Turkish football can provide better social benefit by getting rid of this image associated with violence.

Globally, football is being reshaped based on sustainability and social benefit, moving beyond being just a part of sports. Leading football clubs are strengthening their images by focusing on their social and environmental responsibilities. Their success is a result of this conscious transformation.

The distressing attack on referee Halil Umut Meler shows that Turkish football urgently needs to be rebranded and supported with effective projects. Football is a platform that can reach large masses, and it should use this power for positive social change. A deep-rooted change plan is required to prevent violence and reflect the true value of football.

The brand value of Turkish football will increase in parallel with this transformation. Globally, the image of football is being restructured around peace and sports. However, the fact that its foundations are built on violence sometimes overshadows these efforts. Therefore, it would be more meaningful to talk about how Turkish football and its rivals are progressing by associating football not just with politics, but with transformation.

The football industry is once again talking in massive numbers!

In 2022, the global football market was valued at approximately 3.1 billion US Dollars, and with the expected growth rate, this figure is projected to reach the 4.3 billion US Dollars level by 2028. Football is not just a sport; it is a real global economy!

However, getting a share of this pie is not easy at all. Clubs derive their income not only from matches but also from perception management and branding efforts. This is also related to how clubs are perceived beyond their performance on the pitch.

This is where brand value comes into play. According to Brand Finance reports, Turkey's football clubs are not yet on the list of the most valuable club brands. However, there is a striking detail: The world's most valuable football brands are reshaping themselves by focusing on social and environmental sustainability.

Factors affecting brand value include perceived quality, awareness, and loyalty. Sustainability efforts strengthen these elements. Unfortunately, Turkish football clubs seem to be lagging behind in this area. Competitors acting at world standards stand out in this field by adopting corporate social responsibility and sustainability standards.

For the future of Turkish football, it is difficult to talk about fair play without basing it on the principles of sustainability and social responsibility. What matters is to take the right steps not only on the pitch but also off the pitch. For example, the fact that Faruk Koca, the president of Ankaragücü who carried out the attack on referee Halil Umut Meler, received a fair play award last year reveals an ironic situation. Processes that proceed without setting the right standards can lead to disappointment for both teams and the public.

The TFF must be aware that football affects the country's image…

Although the world football industry is a great power with its economic and social impacts, it has been late in terms of corporate social responsibility. However, it is seen that the most valuable football clubs are making rapid progress. The fact that Turkish teams have lagged behind in sustainability should be a source of motivation for them to take rapid steps in this area.

Let's forget the referee Meler incident for a moment and look at other football countries! We see that hooliganism and aggression are intertwined with football. However, in these countries, these events are not associated with the national image. The Turkish Football Federation should rethink the effects of football on the public and urgently determine a strategy for social sustainability.

This strategy should address three main issues: the sources of violence in football, the risk analysis of Turkish football, and the redefined vision of the industry.

Although the risk of violence in football is a threat that exists for all clubs, communicating with sustainability helps manage this risk.

Where should Turkish football brands start their transformation…

Football has a very different capital beyond its current values. It is the capital of violence in social perception. We should start the transformation not by imagining where and how we want to be, but by analyzing the values that football carries at its core and the risks this poses for Turkish football. Football is an industry where passive violence is sold to the audience… Today, sports competitions, organizations that attract large masses such as boxing, cage fighting, and football, are actually arenas where social tension and anger are expressed. These sports events aim to allow spectators to release the anger and tension accumulated within them. Even in historical examples such as the gladiator fights of the Roman period, we see that such shows were intended to ensure the emotional balance of society. It does not go unnoticed that modern stadiums and organizations are designed to offer a spectacle to the audience in a similar way to the Colosseum of ancient Rome.

Just as thousands of spectators in the Colosseum were occupied with the death of gladiators or their struggle with exotic animals, the fact that spectators in today's stadiums get caught up in the excitement of football and fill with enthusiasm offers a similar experience. However, in an environment where violence is observed less and is being tried to be prevented today, the success of the most valuable football brands seems to be closely related to the efforts they carry out for social sustainability... Football is not just a sport; it is a platform for social interaction and change. The most valuable brands attract public attention by transforming the theme of violence and creating social benefit.

Football is an industry with a value chain!

Although violence is at the foundations of football, it can be observed even from the advertising campaigns of sponsors that a deep-rooted transformation is being attempted in this regard in the international arena. For example, one of the world's largest beverage companies shot a commercial film with a Colosseum and gladiator theme years ago, featuring Beyoncé, Britney, and Pink. This brand has been a sponsor of the UEFA Champions League for a long time. It signed another three-year contract this year. However, when we look at the brand's new commercials, we see that their mass communications are very different. More affectionate and friendly-themed. It expresses excitement and enthusiasm with different codes… The world is changing! While competitors and stakeholders are keeping up with this change, the Turkish football industry and its clubs do not have the luxury of falling behind the change… Football is an industry with a value chain. Unfortunately, the managers of the Turkish football industry also have a share in what we see on the pitch. I hope that the TFF will take smart actions as quickly as possible and bring Turkish football to the value it deserves in the eyes of the public…

Dr. Zeliha Oçak

News Source: 12punto