NEWS

As football fans await the beginning of Euro 2008 at the weekend, the main sponsor of the National Team is heightening the excitement and preparing to introduce a television commercial it has produced. The 23-member National Team has received 23 million dollars in sponsorship revenue from its 16 sponsors, 8 of which are designated as “main” sponsors.  The “main” sponsors, Garanti, THY, Coca-Cola, Turkcell, Ülker, Efes Pilsen, Mercedes-Benz and TTNet and “technical” sponsors Nike are supporting the Turkish National Team, along with the “official” sponsors, Petrol Ofis, Iddaa and Sarar and the “official suppliers”, Yurtiçi Kargo, Acıbadem, Powerade and Teknosa.

While the German and English teams have one “main” sponsor, the Greek team has 3.  In this regard, Italy is the country whose 15 official sponsors most closely resembles Turkey’s sponsorship status.  With all of the National Team sponsors competing for recognition, the “main” sponsors in particular are endeavoring to “differentiate” themselves with their efforts.

Everything stops for football

The video clip that was prepared by Ülker used 18 members of our National Team as actors.  The music in the film is Helldorado's famous "A Drinking Song", but with Turkish lyrics.  An advertising film produced by “main sponsor” TTNet was made with the mothers of the national players as the actors.

TTNet Marketing Communications Director Fethiye Tanat says, "Mothers play a large part in their children’s success. This film has an element of gratitude for the mothers of our national players."

Turkcell is using its old advertising film but they are handicapped because some of the players in the film are no longer with the team.  While Efes Pilsen will not be introducing a TV ad because the advertisement of alcoholic beverages is forbidden, Garanti Bank’s new film which uses robots is the subject of much anticipation.

By the way, firms that wish to use footballers in their films must make separate agreements with the players since the Turkish Football Federation does not have the right to interfere with players’ images.

The cost of becoming a main sponsor of the National Team is 3 million dollars. The Turkish Football Federation wants to limit the number of main sponsors to 10 firms. In this situation, the total support a team would receive from main sponsors would be 30 million dollars.  If one company wanted to be the “main sponsor”, it would have to pull 30 million dollars out of its pocket.

Marketing Turkey General Publishing Manager Günseli Özen Ocakoğlu says that, except for the sports sector, no firm assumes a sponsorship along with other firms for the same organization.  "However, if the business I sports or the National Team it becomes a different story,” said Ocakoğlu.

Saying that for an organization to have so many main sponsors makes it difficult for any of them to come to the fore, Ocakoğlu added, "For example, go to the Turkish Football Federation's web site and look at the Fatih Terim section. There you will see the names of 4 main sponsors behind him in a photograph, but Efes Pilsen’s name can’t be seen. The ones that can be seen create a conflict."

On the other hand, there is a surprise waiting for the National Team when they go abroad, says Ocakoğlu. Foreign companies which sponsor sports, especially companies with international connections, employ correct strategy when it comes to the sponsorship of sport.

30 million dollars is difficult for one sponsor

Ülker Sport Sponsorship Director Hakan Aydınol says that although it would be an advantage for one company to be the sole sponsor of a team, being one of many sponsors has its own advantages.  Aydinal, emphasizing that he does not share the opinion that the National Team should have one main sponsor, said, “There might be at least 4 – 5 sponsors but they should be from different sectors. The Turkish Football Federation executive is also leaning that way.  It would be very impossible for one sponsor to contribute the amount of 30 million dollars.”

Aydınol said that multiple sponsors introduce various products and marketing strategies to differentiate themselves from each other, and added, “Ülker’s utilization of its widespread distribution network will help the brand name to stand out from other sponsors.”  

Stating that the National Team is a good product, Aydınol said, "Our sponsorships of Fenerbahçe, Beşiktaş and Galatasaray bring us an annual income of 4-6 million dollars. If you compare this point, the National Team is a lot more lucrative.

Aydınol, who was satisfied with the TV commercial and the video clip that was produced for the National Team, says he is waiting impatiently to see the TV commercial produced by Garanti bank.  

As for Marketing Turkey General Publishing Director Günseli Özen Ocakoğlu, his favorite TV commercial is the one produced by TTNet he says. Ocakoğlu’s second, third and fourth choices are the films created by Coca-Cola, Turkcell and Garanti.

Ocakoğlu indicated that the TV ads that are dished up prior to the championship are expected to continue to benefit the sponsors during and after the matches played in the championship.  

SPONSORS OF THE NATIONAL TEAM

Main Sponsors: Garanti, THY, Coca-Cola, Turkcell, Ülker, Efes Pilsen, Mercedes-Benz and TTNet
Technical Sponsor: Nike
Official Sponsors: Petrol Ofis, Iddaa and Sarar
Official Suppliers: Yurtiçi Kargo, Acıbadem, Powerade and Teknosa

Greece has 13 sponsors

Greece has a total of 13 sponsors supporting its National Team in the Euro 2008 championship, three of which are “gold” sponsors.  Germany has one “general” sponsor and a total of 21 sponsors altogether. Last year’s champion, Italy, has a total of 21 supporters, 15 of which are “official” sponsors.

England, which did not participate in the European Football Championship, has one main sponsor and 3 official sponsors.

23 million dollars in revenue

In the two months after Hasan Doğan's appointment as president of the Turkish Football Federation the National Team’s income from sponsors rose to 23 million dollars. Doğan says the organization’s target for the end of the year is to raise sponsorship revenue to 35 million dollars.