The sports sponsorship perception of consumers and the effect of sponsorship on consumer behavior

The goal of this study is to examine whether sponsorship has any effect on consumer behavior and, to examine the perception of Sakaryaspor Club supporters on sponsorship in sports. Of the Sakaryaspor Club supporters, this study has been carried out to determine the sports sponsorship perception of the supporters and to determine to what degree the supporters embrace the sponsor company's products, how much they pay attention to, and make use of them. Additionally, from the history to the today of sponsorship, its pros, its goals, its place in Turkey have been examined and the effect on the supporters on sponsorship, as a branch of marketing, has been examined and a vast literature scan has been carried out. In this study, originally developed by Speed and Thompson (2000), where its validity and reliablity in Turkey was checked by Alay(2004), the Sponsorship Evaluation Scale (SDÖ) has been made use of. The study spans 700 individuals. In the resolution of data, descriptive statistics has been put to use, T-Test, One Way ANOVA Correlation and Regression Tests have been carried out. And these have been carried out by the usage of (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) package progam. As the result of the study; Sakarya City citizens and the soccer supporters of Sakaryaspor who have taken the survey have been found out that they are 84% aware of the Özgüllü Brand which is the sponsor of Sakaryaspor. About the aggregate variance of product interest, only 2% have been found out to be outsourced from the supporters behavior directed towards the activity. The study that has been performed herein, shows that the perception of sports sponsorship and perception of the female supporters, lag behind the perception of the male supporters. The interest in the product, the embracing of the product and on the perusal of the product, the sponsor-activity agreement, the image of the sponsor and the company's frequency of being a sponsor and selectivity have been found out to have mutual effect. Where supporters have TL 1500 or below monthly salary and the supporters who have a monthly salary of TL 1501 and above, the perception of the supporters is lower when the salary is low. And the education past and marital status of the supporters do not make any substantial change in the perception of sports sponsorship perception.