Designing effective commercialization mechanisms for football clubs in Iran

One of the approaches towards increasing income and economic development for clubs in countries recognized for their football is registering these clubs as commercial enterprises like other commercial companies and organizations. Therefore, the aim of this study is designing effective commercialization mechanisms for football clubs in Iran. For this purpose, a qualitative research method was adopted, and detailed interviews with 31 experts who were aware of this subject were done. Findings from interview analysis led to two conceptual models of progress path of football clubs and their commercialization mechanisms. Commercialization model is based on four principal major relationships consisting of appropriate sport relationship, appropriate economic relationship, appropriate sport- economic relationship and relationship that exists in Iranian football now, as well as13 micro and detailed relationships. The findings showed that government was the main obstacle on the way towards commercialization of football clubs. The other results showed that many experts were not optimistic about the existing condition.