Ali Koç Talks Fenerbahçe Presidency: No Regrets, but Deep Sadness Over Injustices
Fenerbahçe President Ali Koç spoke about whether he regrets becoming the president of the yellow-and-blue club. Expressing his sadness, Koç also stated that during his presidency, Fenerbahçe has been wronged in a 'reckless' manner.
Ali Koç, the President of Fenerbahçe, spoke to businessman Murat Ülker. In the conversation, President Koç shared striking comments regarding his presidency, referee decisions, financial matters, and other topics.
Does He Regret Becoming President?
When asked, “Are you happy with Ali Koç’s image as a Fenerbahçe supporter today? Or do you ever wish you had never gone through the presidency process that started in 2018? Do you regret getting so involved in football? What has being Fenerbahçe President given you, and what has it cost you?” Koç responded:
‘I Have No Regrets About What I Did for Fenerbahçe’
“Life is not long enough to say ‘I wish’. I have never regretted anything I have done for Fenerbahçe. God granted me the position of President of Fenerbahçe Sports Club.”
‘Not Regret, But Sadness’
“If you sit in this position, you don’t say ‘I wish’; you say ‘I’m glad’. If you are the President of Fenerbahçe, you must fully immerse yourself in football. I don’t have regret about this, but I do have sadness.”
‘Fenerbahçe’s Rights Were Recklessly Denied’
“I am sad because the Turkish football climate is unfortunately getting worse and also contributing to the polarization of society. I am sad because, during my presidency, Fenerbahçe’s rights were recklessly denied, right before my eyes.”
‘IT BOTH GAVE A LOT AND COST A LOT’
The scale of injustice and unfair competition in Turkish football is now evident to everyone. Fenerbahçe’s presidency has both given me many things and cost me many things, but the details are too much for this interview!”
WHY ISN’T HE IN THE SPOTLIGHT?
When asked, “You haven’t been seen at Fenerbahçe matches for a while, and you’re not present as a spokesperson either. Is this a new strategy, or…?” Ali Koç responded:
‘MR. ACUN IS BEING HELPFUL TO US’
“I watch all the matches this season. Sometimes, due to the intensity of my work, I miss some games, but this season I am attending as many home and away matches as possible. Now, Mr. Acun has taken over as the spokesperson for our football team. With his experience in the media sector, he’s been very helpful to us in this regard, and you’re seeing more of him. Of course, when the time comes and it’s necessary, I will speak as well.”
IS THE CHAMPIONSHIP AN OBSESSION?
Fenerbahçe President Ali Koç was asked, “During your presidency, Fenerbahçe has been successful in nearly every sport, especially basketball. Are these successes enough for us? The goal, of course, is the football championship. Is this some kind of obsession for us, or is it the sports public who is stirring this up? Do they see success only as winning the football league championship?” He responded:
‘WE AIM FOR CHAMPIONSHIPS IN EVERY SPORT’
“As Fenerbahçe Sports Club, we use the motto ‘The World’s Greatest Sports Club.’ In all the branches we operate in, we aim for championships, as we should, and most of the time, we succeed. I don’t think there is another sports club in the world with as many amateur branches as ours, consistently achieving top-level success in those branches.”
‘WHEN THERE IS NO SUCCESS IN FOOTBALL…’
“We are the club that has sent the most athletes to the last three Olympics in our country. Unfortunately, when there is no success in football, our achievements in other sports do not receive the value they deserve. In other words, a club that doesn’t have success in other branches and only provides limited contributions to the Olympics can be considered very successful when it achieves success in football. In short, if you’re successful in football in our country, that’s considered enough.”
FINANCIAL MATTERS
Ali Koç also addressed the financial challenges faced by clubs, stating:
“There is a huge gap between the revenues and expenditures of football clubs. There’s an incredible amount of debt accumulated without any proper planning. If an ordinary business accumulated such debt, it would go bankrupt in two days. How did you manage to maintain financial discipline? Was it difficult? What needs to be done for all clubs in this regard?”
‘HEAVY FINANCIAL DEBTS FROM THE PAST…’
“Currently, the income-expense balance of Fenerbahçe’s football operations is not unhealthy at all. There is definitely balance at the operating profit level. However, when you add the burden of interest from the heavy financial debts inherited from the past, there are significant losses at the pre-tax profit level.
‘MAINTAINING THIS IS VERY CHALLENGING’
Thankfully, our government led the way in helping our clubs with a debt restructuring involving several banks. According to this agreement, 50% of all our revenue goes to the banks, and as you can imagine, it’s become much harder for clubs to meet their daily needs and fulfill their commitments throughout the season. With this structure, we also pay 50% interest, which makes it very difficult to sustain.”
‘UNPLANNED DEBT WAS ACCUMULATED IN THE PAST’
“Yes, in the past, there were debts accumulated without proper planning, and relevant authorities allowed it. If this had not been permitted at the time, the situation would never have reached this point. So, clubs are not solely to blame. Today, we have much clearer and stricter rules and processes. We, as a club, are behaving more disciplined, and we must continue to do so. It’s been very difficult, and it continues to be.”
‘THESE FACTORS MUST NOT BE IGNORED’
“However, one important factor that should not be forgotten is that in the last six years, factors like broadcast revenue dropping from $500 million to $96 million, the current situation of the Turkish Lira, rising interest rates, taxes increasing from 15% to 40%, a significant drop in Sport Toto revenues, and the pandemic—external factors that clubs had no control over—have all deeply and negatively affected football economics. These factors definitely should not be overlooked.”
I couldn’t help but think about how this dedication to improving financial stability mirrors the persistence Fenerbahçe has shown in trying to push forward, despite some setbacks. It’s a reminder of how challenges—whether financial or on the pitch—can often shape long-term success.
