- Title: Turkish Super League revamp aims to boost revenues, success
- Date: 13th May 2016
- Summary: ISTANBUL, TURKEY (MAY 13, 2016) (REUTERS) **** WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **** VARIOUS OF OPENING CEREMONY FOR NEW SUPER LEAGUE HEADQUARTERS (FROM LEFT TO RIGHT): TURKISH FOOTBALL FEDERATION CHAIRMAN, YILDIRIM DEMIROREN, TURKISH SPORTS MINISTER, SUAT KILIC, CLUBS' ASSOCIATION CHAIRMAN GOKSEL GUMUSDAG AT CEREMONY OFFICIALS AT CEREMONY GUMUSDAG, DELIVERING HIS SPEECH AT OPENING CEREMONY LOGO OF CLUBS' ASSOCIATION GUMUSDAG LEAVING TURKISH FOOTBALL FEDERATION CHAIRMAN, YILDIRIM DEMIROREN, WALKING ONTO STAGE DEMIROREN ADDRESSING TO OFFICIALS OFFICIALS LISTENING VARIOUS OF DEMIROREN AND KILIC TALKING CAMERAMEN FILMING (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH FOOTBALL FEDERATION CHAIRMAN, YILDIRIM DEMIROREN, SAYING: "The goal of the project is to boost the revenues of our clubs, to bring under control the financial balances of clubs, to get clubs acting more closely together. We as the federation support this sacrificing some of our own revenues because when you look at the structure in particular Anatolian clubs gain 90 percent of club revenues come from television rights. When clubs, in particular Anatolian teams act on their own they end up in a difficult situation in terms of sponsorship revenues. We believe that with this new structure with them acting together under the name Superleague A.S. the revenues of Anatolian clubs in particular will increase." GUMUSDAG, BEING INTERVIEWED CAMERAMAN FILMING (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) CLUBS' ASSOCIATION CHAIRMAN, GOKSEL GUMUSDAG, SAYING: "I believe that the proper structuring of clubs, institutionalised management and professionalism will in the future boost the quality of football, the market value of football, harmonisation with financial fair play criteria, and will enable clubs in the long term to escape from the swamp of debt." HEAD OF THE ASSOCIATION OF EUROPEAN PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUES, LARS-CHRISTER OLSSON, BEING INTERVIEWED (SOUNDBITE) (English) HEAD OF THE ASSOCIATION OF EUROPEAN PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUES, LARS-CHRISTER OLSSON, SAYING: "It is great for the development of the professional game here in Turkey because the fact that it is done in cooperation between the union of clubs and the federation is promising because I think you have to have various sides on board if you are going to be successful. But this is a very promising step I think." CAMERA SCREEN SHOWING OLSSON BEING INTERVIEWED CLUB CHAIRMEN AND MANAGERS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) HEAD OF THE ASSOCIATION OF EUROPEAN PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUES, LARS-CHRISTER OLSSON, TALKING ABOUT WHICH LEAGUES THE SUPER LEAGUE SHOULD LEARN FROM, SAYING: "I think it should be a pick. Good learning from all kind of different leagues depending on which area they would like to develop. I think they are very good models for good governance for example, which are important, they are good models for creating stable finances and there are good models for developing talents. So, I think Turkish Union of clubs should look into different leagues to find the best examples." DEMIROREN, GUMUSDAG AND CLUB MANAGERS LEAVING
- Embargoed: 28th May 2016 16:28
- Keywords: Turkey Soccer super league
- Location: INSTANBUL, TURKEY
- City: INSTANBUL, TURKEY
- Country: Turkey
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA0014HN6CLB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Turkey's Super League is set to be revamped under a plan to raise club revenues, bring spiraling debts under control and boost international success as the country aims to become among the top four soccer nations by 2020, officials said on Friday (May 13).
The move to bring the clubs under the umbrella of a Super League A.S. company comes as clubs in the 18-team league struggle with low attendance levels and debts piled up during years of heavy spending.
The plan, outlined on Friday by the heads of Turkey's soccer federation and clubs' association, is yet to be passed into law but is crucially backed by President Tayyip Erdogan, a semi-professional player in his youth who follows soccer closely.
"The goal of the project is to boost revenues of our clubs, bring their financial balances under control and get them acting more closely together," Football Federation Chairman Yildirim Demiroren told Reuters after an opening ceremony in Istanbul.
Under the plan, the association will hold broadcasting rights tenders, held in the past by the federation. Demiroren said the project would benefit in particular Anatolian clubs who have always been in the shadow of the 'big three' Istanbul clubs.
This would result in the federation sacrificing revenues as it focuses more on the national team and referees, he said, adding that work on the related legislation was continuing and was expected to be finished by October.
There is a lot banking on the success of the revamp as clubs face growing pressure to boost their finances. In March, Galatasaray was banned by UEFA from European competition for a year for failing to meet financial regulations.
Spending on celebrity players and opaque ownership structures, leaving clubs exempt from much of the oversight of commercial law, have left teams in the league saddled with 4.2 billion lira ($1.4 billion) in debt, around half owed to banks.
But through stronger oversight and cooperation the new deal seeks to increasing income through broadcast and commercial agreements, providing a robust financial structure for clubs, officials said.
"I believe that the proper structuring of clubs, institutionalised management, professionalism will in the future boost the quality of football, the market value of football, harmonisation with financial fair play criteria, and will enable clubs in the long term to escape from the swamp of debt," Clubs' Association Chairman Goksel Gumusdag told Reuters.
Galatasaray, one of the "big three" Istanbul clubs, won the UEFA Cup and Super Cup in 2000 but since then Turkish clubs have failed to reach the finals of European competitions.
Besiktas, boosted by the opening of a new stadium on the shores of the Bosphorus, are on the verge of being crowned Turkish champions this season ahead of Istanbul rivals Fenerbahce.
The plan outlined on Friday attracted support from foreign officials at the meeting, with the head of the Association of European Professional Football Leagues saying the cooperation between the federation and association was "very promising".
"I think it should be a pick. Good learning's from all kind of different leagues depending on which area they would like to develop," he said, citing the Premier League and Bundesliga as models. "I think in the long term there are very good opportunities here," Lars-Christer Olsson told Reuters. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2016. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None