An examination of the trust level in amateur football sports clubs from the perspective of fans

Football is a phenomenon that significantly influences various aspects of Society through its economic, social, and cultural dimensions. Supporters develop loyalty through their emotional attachment to clubs and shape consumption related behaviors accordingly. Fan trust and a sense of belonging are considered important factors not only for professional clubs but also for amateur football clubs. This study examines supporters' trust levels in amateur football clubs using both quantitative and qualitative methods. The data collection tools included a Personal Information Form, the "Trust in Sports Club Scale" developed by Açak and Karademir (2019), and a semi-structured interview technique. The scale, structured as a five-point Likert-type instrument and consisting of 22 items, comprises three sub-dimensions: trust in the coach, trust in the club president, and trust in the athlete. Qualitative data were obtained through a semi-structured interview form consisting of three open-ended questions developed based on expert opinions. The research was conducted in Yozgat, Turkey. Quantitative data were collected from a total of 602 participants, including 192 women and 410 men. In the qualitative phase, 13 participants (4 women and 9 men) were interviewed. The findings aim to reveal how trust in amateur sports Clubs varies based on demographic variables. The Results are expected o contribute to the literature on supporter relations in amateur football club. Quantitative finding syndicated that trust levels significantly differed according to demographic factors such as gender, occupation, education level, and socioeconomic status. Notably, female participants demon started higher levels of trust in club presidents, coaches, and athletes compared tomale participants. The analysis of qualitative data revealed that athlete' Professional career development, team solidarity, and dedicated performance were key factors shaping trust perceptions. 2025, xii + 93Pages Keywords: Football Club, Fans, Trust