FACTORS AFFECTING BRAND LOYALTY IN FOOTBALL: AN APPLICATION ON “THE BIG FOUR” FOOTBALL CLUBS IN TURKISH SUPER LEAGUE

Year 2016, Volume: 4 Issue: 3, 84 - 106, 23.09.2016

Gizem Tokmak Ramazan Aksoy

Abstract

The research aims to investigate the factors affecting brand loyalty in football industry. In order to
achieve this aim, the loyalty of the supporters of Beşiktaş, Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray, and Trabzonspor
called as “The Big Four” since they have the highest brand value in Turkish Super League were
investigated. By using quota sampling method, 662 students of the faculty of economics and
administrative sciences of Bulent Ecevit University in 2013-2014 spring period were reached and
questionaire technique was applied to the sample. The students who were supporters of another
football clubs except from The Big Four, and who were non supporters were eliminated and 557
students were found to be the supporters of The Big Four. In the research, the variables were tested
via Multiple Linear Regression Analysis. As a result of the research, benefits variable from brand
associations and identification variable were found to be the most effective variables on psychological
commitment towards the football clubs. The other result indicated that psychological commitment
variable and benefits variable from brand associations were found to be the most effective variables
on behavioral loyalty towards the football clubs

Keywords

Brand Loyalty, Brand Associations, Identification, Football

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