Fourteenth International Conference on Sport & Society

Abstract

Sports marketing is essential for teams that want to increase their team’s recognition, gain fans, or increase existing loyalty. In this context, it is very important to gain brand value and team loyalty. Many people choose their favorite team from a young age and support them for life. This study measures and analyzes the effect of the brand identity of Dumlupinar Football Club in Famagusta, Cyprus. Fifty Dumlupinar Football Club Academy football players, 9 to 10 years old, participated in the research. The main objective of the study is to understand how the football brands’ identity levels affect football academies’ football players’ support and the brand identity level of their football teams. Social Identity theory is the theoretical framework of the study. Research has shown that brand identity has a direct relationship and preceding key to social identity. In this context, the loyalty of academy players who play for Dumlupinar football club to their clubs within their football groups will be investigated. In the study, this theory was chosen by assuming that if the social identity of this player group is strong, their commitment to the brand of their teams will also be strong. This study’s qualitative and quantitative approaches will be applied through an interview and questionnaire of 50 football academy players.