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.