Architects of success spoke at Frutti Extra Bursaspor, which managed to become one of the flash teams of this year by catching a great form graphic. Club President Sezer Sezgin and Uludağ Beverage Group Vice Chairman Ömer Kızıl talked about how their work in harmony was reflected in success and how they established a family environment beyond the club-sponsor relationship.
Architects of success spoke at Frutti Extra Bursaspor, which managed to become one of the flash teams of this year by catching a great form graphic. Club President Sezer Sezgin and Uludağ Beverage Group Vice Chairman Ömer Kızıl talked about how their work in harmony was reflected in success and how they established a family environment beyond the club-sponsor relationship.
Here is what Sezgin and Kızıl told:
“We want to create an exemplary and sustainable structure for Turkey”
Sezer Sezgin: We founded Bursaspor in 2015. We set off from the 3rd league. For the first two years, we had no sponsors. Later, Durmazlar, one of Bursa’s respected families, became our name sponsor. Thank you very much for their support so far. When we entered the Super League, we had no sponsors. We went to Uludağ family for in-field led advertisements. Omer Kizil brother is very relevant and intelligent in these matters. When we shared this, a light went on in his head. Omer brother thinks and acts very quickly on these issues. The events were over in 3-5 days and we became Frutti Exstra Bursaspor while we were away to Darüşşafaka.
Up to this point, I, our manager Nedim Yücel and our managers have made great sacrifices. But with Ömer Kızıl’s involvement in the business, our work has become much lighter. We do not have an ordinary sponsorship relationship with Frutti Extra. In such relationships, a price is determined, that price is deposited into the account, and there is no other communication. We cooperate with Uludağ Gazoz from jersey sales to basketball hot dogs to grandstand organizations. We run the club together. I personally know that 70 percent of the work at Ömer Kızıl’s desk is related to Frutti Extra Bursaspor. He spends a lot of time on these things. These also make us very happy.
Omer Kizil: Third year of our sponsorship. When we started, there was no covid in our world. There is war now. There was no war. Hopefully it will stop soon and the pain will end. We entered a world we did not know. Our biggest advantage is Bursaspor’s A.Ş. it was. At the same time, there would have been big problems without the community club and A.Ş. We set off on a good road. We have a corporate company and brand value. We have 49 different products. We also sponsor other places. But Frutti Extra Bursaspor is by far the place we provide the biggest financial support. There is such a beauty. We put our most valuable brand here. In the future, we put the brand of the company that will grow the most in Europe and Turkey. Bursaspor is also a big brand. We have our own division of labor. We learned new things, and they learned too. They learned the marketing side, we learned the basketball side. There is nothing hidden here. No one has a hidden agenda. Everything we do is open and based on mutual trust. As we set out, we started this business to become ‘an example for Turkey, a sustainable basketball club’. It’s a really thoughtful strategy. Our goal is to be a corporate basketball club. Even if we’re not here tomorrow, this business must be sustainable. If we can get it there, everything will be fine.
Sezer Sezgin: There are many bad examples like Eskişehir, Sakarya and Trabzon. They all came out, then fell and closed the club. In fact, they looked at us that way at first. Maybe if Uludağ family had not been there, we would have closed down too. Our revenues are melting in dollars. For example, 10 years ago, we were receiving an average of 40 thousand TL per game from İddaa, and we still get the same amount of money. It is completely subsidized by Uludağ. At the beginning of the season, we set a budget and extend our feet according to our quilt. We plan what we will spend at the beginning of the season. After that, our general manager and coach sit down and make the squad. Nobody interferes in their business.
“The interesting and funny story of the establishment of the basketball branch…”
Sezer Sezgin: The start of basketball in Bursaspor was a great coincidence and unplanned. I was a substitute member in the management of the late İbrahim Yazıcı. There were 4 candidates in Congress. Atatürk Sports Hall and the flags of the teams playing in the First League hang there. İsmet Demirel, one of the important names of Bursaspor, came to me and said, ‘The flags of Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray and Beşiktaş are hanging above. Why don’t we have a flag? Tell the president to say he’s starting a basketball team while he’s giving the speech. He said, “There are many members who love basketball here, they change the votes.” He said. He said “set it then”, then we came this far. Even when we were in the 3rd league, the hall was full. A little bit of fans pushed us and we saw today.
Omer Kizil: Our dream in this brand is to establish a system that is 100% sustainable. Despite these exchange rate increases and the melting of incomes, we are close to being sustainable. Here, we received the reward of the good sportive management of Sezer President and General Manager Nedim Yücel. During this difficult period, we sold Egemen Güven and Aleric Freeman to Euroleague clubs. At least we narrowed down that incredible gap. Our goal is to play the Play-Offs every year, to create an exemplary structure, to be a candidate for the cup, and then to become the champion. We are Turkey’s largest exporting beverage company. We are ahead in beverage export with 35 million dollars. We export to 49 countries such as Germany, Romania, Iraq and Australia. Since we entered basketball, we became the country sponsor of the Euroleague in Germany. We became the Final-Four sponsor. We thought that basketball would grow in Germany. We wanted to take that train and carry our brand to Europe. But Covid intervened. Final-Four received from Germany. All our dreams have been shattered. But now we are in the Play-Offs in the Eurocup. We are moving slowly but with the right steps. This gives us pleasure.
“Nilüfer Municipality gives great support…”
Sezer Sezgin: Having your own facilities comes first in basketball. Nilüfer Municipality allocated us the training hall we use as our current club. Thanks, they support us a lot. We’re making this our sanctuary. We brought the flooring from Atatürk Sports Hall here. The seats came from Abdi İpekçi. Frutti designed the interior of the hall. We have a 5 year contract and have a nice facility.
Omer Kizil: In this organization, the biggest sponsor is Frutti Extra and the second is Nilüfer Municipality. The municipality stands behind Bursaspor like a door. They provide incredible support. Without this place, these things wouldn’t exist. Everyone is putting their hands on the stone.
Sezer Sezgin: Bursa is one of the most difficult communities in Turkey. It is one of the most difficult to like communities. But the audience integrated with the team. Because they see the struggle. That’s what the community wanted. They want to see a team that fights to the end. At the end of the struggle, of course, they want success. The atmosphere in the hall is very nice right now. No swearing at all. Families and children watch the game together.
“If we win 3 games, we are in the final…”
Omer Kizil: After I started this business, we started to look at the account and the book. That’s two-thirds of the business’s expense budget. One hundred percent of the income is TL. The rate increase is ruining this place. Our ticket sales price was 1 dollar on average, with the success it came to an average of 4 dollars excluding the field. Families with children and spectators who know basketball are coming. It’s a great social activity for all of us. I never thought it would be this fun. Now, our husband and friend are all running to the matches together.
We are currently in Play-Off in Eurocup. If we win three games, we will play the final and we can go to the Euroleague. The most productive investment for the promotion of a city is sponsorship. Football is in the first place in the world, and basketball is in the second place. But there is a big difference between the money invested there and the money invested here. It is necessary to proceed with the right projects. You can’t make them happy if you take money from a sponsor and leave it. You can’t get sustainability from anyone. You have to create happy sponsors. Of course, we have Bursaspor in our hearts, but we put our brand in this business. The brand has to come somewhere. For now, we are very happy with this sponsorship.
