The effects of coronavirus on sports industry

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ahmet Bulgurcuoğlu, academic staff from the School of Physical Education and Sports, pointed out that the sports industry is experiencing problems due to the coronavirus epidemic in general, and ports clubs and similar enterprises providing sports services are not able to establish a supply and distribution chain.

It was pointed out that the sports industry is ranked as the first in terms of overall turnover in all sectors, besides military spending in the world, there are problems especially in three areas due to the coronavirus epidemic in our country and the world.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bulgurcuoğlu reminded that the most revenues in the sports market are television revenues and sponsorship revenues, “Broadcasting and sponsorship revenues are determined by the number of people participating in sports activities. However, the cessation of participation in sports activities due to the coronavirus epidemic has adversely affected all revenues”.

Mentioning the importance of the media in the sports industry, Bulgurcuoğlu said, “The media conveys the news of sports and activities to more than one audience at the same time, but with the decrease in participation in sports activities, serious problems occurred in employment and cash inflow in the sports economy”.

It was recalled that there is an increase in the production of sports-related goods and services due to the interest in sports all over the world, and that the number of people working in the production activities of the sports products has increased, however, "this situation has reached to the point of disappearance as a result of the current epidemic crisis,” said Bulgurcuoğlu.

Explaining that the organization and functioning structure of the sports economy varies compared to the operation of other economies, Bulgurcuoğlu underlined, “the demand for the product or service in the sports economy is very important. With the reduction of the impact of the coronavirus on communities, in economically developed countries, both the public and the entrepreneurial sector are more likely to invest in sports organizations ”.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bulgurcuoğlu said that knowing the marketing principles and strategies in the sports industry during this process and guidance of sports clubs, event owners and athletes will help overcome the problems.