ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT OF FOOTBALLERS: A QUALITATIVE APPROACH

The aim of this research is to investigate the factors determining the organizational commitment of footballers towards the clubs they belong to. ”Phenomenology design”, one of the qualitative research methods, was used , in the research. Research population consists of 15 footballers selected out of the players in football clubs which compete in all league levels in Trabzon city of Turkey. Data collected from the footballers via semi-structured interview form have been examined via content analysis. Findings of the research implicate that for both the amateur and professional footballers, determinant factors on organizational commitment are age, family structure, training status (amateur/professional), league position of their club, incomes received from and outside of the club (material benefits), order of payments, experience and technical-tactical expertise of coaches, club directors, marital status, offered benefits by the club facilities, supporter phenomenon, extra-club social activities, moral value of their club on footballers, feelings of loyalty and affection of footballers towards their club, seeing their club as a step for transfer, feelings of cooperation, unity and interaction bond among footballer-coach-director, contract term and the city where the club is located in.