From early 2009 to December 2011, I served as a board member, general manager, and CEO at KFC and Pizza Hut, where I led the way. In addition to opening 25 restaurants without taking out loans, granting franchises, and managing cash flow effectively, we also demonstrated our true distinction through our campaigns. For example, we launched the first food product placement campaign on the highly rated Survivor program, multiplying our revenue. Our competitors, seeing the success of every innovation we introduced, were constantly imitating us. Both KFC and Pizza Hut consistently launched campaigns that would attract attention, boost our ratings, and increase revenue.
One of these campaigns, I’m proud to say, was Bursaspor’s championship campaign, which we created for both KFC and Pizza Hut. While Bursaspor, which is currently going through very difficult times and achieved great success in the past by winning the championship, has been widely reported to be closing down, as you can read at: https://www.hurriyet.com.tr/sporarena/turk-futbolunun-koklu-ekibi-bursaspor-kapaniyor-mu-sampiyonlugu-iyi-degerlendiremediler-42368216 , it’s still worth remembering the past from time to time and reminding Bursa sports fans who they are. Always a modest yet ambitious team, Bursaspor, despite experiencing turbulent times and being relegated from the league, stepped up their game, especially during the reign of legendary president İbrahim Yazıcı, and managed to win the championship race, beating Fenerbahçe in the final match. Bursaspor’s legendary president, İbrahim Yazıcı, bears the lion’s share of the blame for this championship.
About President İbrahim Yazıcı
I am sharing the years during which President İbrahim Yazıcı marked Bursaspor’s most successful period, quoted from his website: https://www.bursaspor.org.tr/bs/s/7/88/ibrahim_yazici#:~:text=Ba%C5%9Fkan%C4%B1m%C4%B1z%20%C4%B0brahim%20Yaz%C4%B1c%C4%B1’n%C4%B1n%20cenaze,2010%20sezonunda%20kazan%C4%B1lan%20kupa%20yerle%C5%9Ftirildi .
İbrahim Yazıcı first served on the board of directors under Cavit Çağlar during the 1985-1986 season. He later assumed the presidency during the 1988-1989 season. During Yazıcı’s tenure as Bursaspor president for approximately three seasons, the amateur Bursaspor team was promoted to the First League. Yazıcı entered politics in 1992 and resigned as chairman. During this early period, Yazıcı managed to keep Bursaspor in mid-table. The rise of Hakan Şükür and Yılmaz Vural also coincided with this period. Meanwhile, President Yazıcı accelerated his efforts to improve facilities. New additions and improvements were made to Vakıfköy, and the training ground was illuminated.
After many years, Yazıcı again ran for Bursaspor chairmanship in 2007 and took the position.
Yazıcı assumed the position midway through the first half of the 2007-2008 season and, as his first step, appointed Samet Aybaba as manager, replacing Bülent Korkmaz. By the end of the season, Bursaspor was in mid-table.
The İbrahim Yazıcı administration, which began the 2007-2008 season with Aybaba again, resigned after two consecutive defeats in the first half of the league, and Güvenç Kurtar was appointed manager. Kurtar lasted only seven matches. Following fan outcry, İbrahim Yazıcı and his team dismissed Kurtar and signed Ertuğrul Sağlam.
Bursaspor finished the season in 6th place, missing out on a UEFA qualification opportunity at the last minute.
The İbrahim Yazıcı administration, which began the 2007-2008 season with Aybaba again, resigned after two consecutive defeats in the first half of the league, and Güvenç Kurtar was appointed manager. Kurtar lasted only seven matches. Following fan outcry, İbrahim Yazıcı and his team dismissed Kurtar and signed Ertuğrul Sağlam.
Bursaspor finished the season in 6th place, missing out on a UEFA qualification opportunity at the last minute.
History in the making
The İbrahim Yazıcı administration began the 2009-2010 season with the motto “European Cups are the goal.” Good results in the following weeks led to even bigger ambitions. Once the title race was underway, Yazıcı and his team managed this critical period well. Finally, after 26 years, the league championship trophy came to the Anatolian city. Turkey met its fifth-largest club.
In the 2010-2011 season, Bursaspor competed in the UEFA Champions League group stage for the first time in its history. At the end of the season, they finished 3rd in the Süper Lig. This result was Bursaspor’s second-best finish in its history, following the championship, and qualified the club for the UEFA Europa League.
In the 2011-2012 season, Bursaspor achieved the feat of reaching the Turkish Cup final after a 20-year hiatus, and by being a finalist, they secured a spot in the European Cup the following season.
In the 2012-2013 season, Bursaspor qualified for the European Cup for the fourth consecutive season, finishing among the top teams with two weeks remaining in the league.
İbrahim Yazıcı, during his 10.5-year presidency, achieved unbreakable records and elusive titles, including being a member of the board that won the Federation Cup, leading the team to consecutive European competitions, and winning the Süper Lig championship.
The great president, İbrahim Yazıcı, who devoted a significant portion of his life to Bursaspor, suffered a heart attack early Sunday morning in Bursa after the Orduspor-Bursaspor match on 4 May 2013, and passed away on 7 May 2013. His funeral was held on 9 May 2013. The first ceremony was held at Bursa Atatürk Stadium. The great president’s body was laid to rest in the same spot where he had lifted the championship trophy three years earlier. The trophy won in the 2009-2010 season was laid next to Yazıcı’s body.
I take this opportunity to offer my condolences to the great president, İbrahim Yazıcı, and to all his family and loved ones, who were also friends of ours. May he Rest In Peace.
The relationship between restaurant campaigns and football
As a football fan, I followed the entire season with interest during Bursaspor’s championship win in 2009-2010. During my management career at KFC and Pizza Hut, I was already required to monitor the competitions and, when necessary, tailor campaigns to sporting events. Football, which garnered the highest ratings, was an integral part of our campaigns. That season, the championship race continued down to the final match. To recall that period, you can read Bursaspor’s championship story at https://www.ntv.com.tr/spor/bursaspor-nasil-sampiyon-oldu,yOg1mJaW40OZdvi_xIz7lA .
During the 2009-2010 season, Fenerbahçe’s manager, Christoph Daum, was well-known to the Turkish football community. Fenerbahçe’s breakout signings included Brazilian Roberto Carlos and Spanish Daniel Güiza. Brazilian captain Alex de Souza, Turkish-born Colin Kazım, Uruguay’s national defender Diego Lugano, and Brazilians Deivid and Baroni were also prominent players on the team. At the time, Fenerbahçe, a team at the top of the Turkish league, entered that season, as it does every season, with a championship ambition.
Galatasaray’s unfortunate season
Fortunately for Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray, Turkey’s most successful European team with the most trophies won, unfortunately fell behind towards the end of the league and lost its hopes under the management of Frank Rijkaard, the internationally renowned and well-regarded manager of Barcelona that season. Despite featuring such excellent players as Abdel Kader Keita, in my opinion one of the best players in history, Lucas Neill, one of Australia’s best defenders, Brazilian Elano Blumer, and Caner Erkin, one of the young stars of the era, Galatasaray was left with a significant point difference, struggling with Beşiktaş for third or fourth place in the final match of the league.
Bursaspor, on the other hand, despite its modest roster, which no one could have imagined, had built its own championship chances with a performance that could defeat the best teams with a compact team play and even bring down the Anatolian teams that faced it to their knees. Even Bursaspor’s stars at the time were modest players. Among their standout players were Argentinian Pablo Batalla, Sercan Yıldırım, Volkan Şen, Ozan İpek, Ali Tandoğan, and Ömer Erdoğan. Still, no one believed Bursaspor could claim the title. Personally, I began to believe Bursaspor could win the championship that season for two reasons. First, the gap with Galatasaray widened in the second half. Second, they faced Fenerbahçe, the biggest contender for the title in the second half of the season, coming from a 2-0 deficit to win 3-2. Therefore, in recent weeks, I’ve been convinced that Bursaspor also had a serious chance of winning the title. Here’s a summary of the match that made me think Bursaspor had a shot at the title:
I’m talking about Bursaspor, which had led the league for a long time, but had fallen behind Fenerbahçe in recent weeks after their draw with Galatasaray. Yet, they managed to stay in the title race until the final week of the season. In the final week, the green-and-whites were scheduled to host Beşiktaş at home, while Fenerbahçe hosted Trabzonspor at home. All eyes were on the field for the green-and-whites, and all ears were in Istanbul. If Fenerbahçe dropped any points, Bursaspor could win the championship.
“Where’s Bursaspor’s campaign?”
I vividly remember the coordination meeting we held with all the department managers a few weeks before that final match. Most of our managers at the time were Fenerbahçe fans. The operations managers at KFC and Pizza Hut were die-hard Fenerbahçe fans. When we discussed the details of the campaign we would be running during championship week, they presented the campaign specifically for Fenerbahçe. They had completed all the preparations. They’d even booked us on all the billboards in Istanbul, and they were now reporting the results to us.
At that weekly coordination meeting, I asked where Bursaspor’s campaign was. Some of our colleagues laughed at my question. I told them I was serious and reminded them that they needed to prepare a campaign for Bursaspor as well.
That week, when they started work with our marketing department and operations managers, they reluctantly prepared Bursaspor’s campaign, as if to say, “Let’s get Serhan Bey’s hopes up.” They genuinely believed those preparations were a waste of time. Nevertheless, the team, driven by their professionalism, crafted a truly impressive campaign. Their two-week campaign, celebrating Bursaspor’s championship, was ready with a variety of options, from the adorable crocodile, Bursaspor’s symbol, eating pizza and fried chicken, to a variety of visually appealing options. We also made reservations and secured our spot on all the major billboards in Bursa.
Striking Results of the Last Week
Now, let’s move on to the final championship matches of the 2009-2010 season… On 16 May 2010, Bursaspor entered the Beşiktaş match singing their Champions League songs… The people of Bursa believed they could win the championship. However, almost everyone in Turkey, except for the people of Bursa, thought Fenerbahçe, the favorites and leaders, would win the title.
That day, history was made when Fenerbahçe drew 1-1 with Trabzonspor. Trabzonspor, which I call the capital of sports, practically prevented Fenerbahçe from winning the championship and paved the way for Bursaspor to win.
The Fenerbahçe fans, who entered the pitch that match with the wrong championship announcement, suffered a profound trauma beyond the title itself. They experienced a similar pain to what they experienced in Denizli, this time at their home turf in front of Trabzonspor. Initially celebrating the championship, only to realize it was due to erroneous information, the entire stadium erupted in utter chaos, and tragic events we cannot condone took place. Here’s what happened that dramatic match and what followed:
Bursaspor, taking advantage of Fenerbahçe’s home drop, defeated Beşiktaş 2-1 in a match played around the same time, becoming the second Anatolian team after Trabzonspor to win the championship trophy, etching their name in the history books. I once again wholeheartedly congratulate Bursaspor.
Our Successful Bursaspor Campaign
As soon as the final whistle blew, I called our marketing manager that evening and pushed the final button on Bursaspor’s campaign. We launched Bursaspor’s campaign without delay. Naturally, that night, we also told our agencies to cancel Fenerbahçe’s campaign and start Bursaspor’s campaign. We covered the entire city of Bursa with KFC and Pizza Hut visuals for two weeks. We ran a special advertising campaign. Our sales increased three to fourfold in those two weeks. It was an extremely beneficial move for us.
The Monday morning after the championship night, at the coordination meeting held with all the teams, the majority of whom were Fenerbahçe fans, were completely devastated. They were rightfully upset, especially by the disgraceful events that took place in the stadium. As a Galatasaray fan, I didn’t joke about this sensitive issue or push their buttons. I simply offered my best wishes for a speedy recovery and best wishes for the coming seasons. At the first coordination meeting after Bursaspor’s championship, many were surprised when my prediction came true, but some members of the team congratulated me. The common ground we all shared was our joy at the increasing turnover in Bursa.
I’ve recounted this historic event from my own perspective. I hope it’s been helpful to our colleagues working in the retail sector. Finally, I’d like to offer them this advice: The sector is incredibly dynamic. Whether you do something right or wrong, you can see the tangible results very quickly. Never compromise on professionalism and never lose sight of the possibilities. Don’t leave anything to chance, even if it’s a sentimental matter.
I wish you success!
When Bursaspor won the championship, one of the most striking newspaper headlines was: IF THE WORLD IS THIS, BURSA IS THE KING
Tag: education
