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Süper Lig

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Turkcell Super League
Turkcell Super League 2007-08
File:Turkcell Super League logo.png
Founded
1959
Nation
 Turkey
Relegation To
Bank Asya 1. Lig
Number of Teams
18
Level on Pyramid
Level 1
European Qualification
Champions League
UEFA Cup
Intertoto Cup
Cups
Fortis Turkey Cup
Current Champions (2007-08)
Galatasaray SK
Most Successful Club
Galatasaray SK, Fenerbahçe SK (17 titles)
Website
Official

The Turkcell Super League (formerly National League, First Football League and First Super League respectively, Turkish: Turkcell Süper Lig) is the top-flight league in Turkish nationwide football, and the most popular sporting competition in the country. It is managed by Turkey's football federation.

Overview

The league was established in 1959 as an attempt to unify some of the many regional leagues around the country. The season begins in August each year and ends in May, with a month-long winter break in December and January. The 18 clubs in the league play each other twice, once at home and once away. The bottom three teams are relegated to the Bank Asya 1. Lig at the end of each season and replaced by three others teams from Bank Asya 1. Lig.

As of the 2005/06 season, the top two teams qualify for the Champions League, with the champions entering the third qualifying round and the runners-up entering in the second qualifying round. The third-placed league team and the winners of the Turkey Cup make up the two Turkish teams that enter the UEFA Cup.

The arrival of private television channels in Turkey in the 1990s created a bidding war for live coverage rights, pouring money into the league and raising footballing standards dramatically. Live coverage rights are currently held by Digiturk, the digital satellite platform, until the contract expires in 2010. Digiturk bought the rights in 2004 for 135.85 million New Turkish lira (US$99 million).[1] On the other hand, Doğan Medya, the company of the Turkish media magnet Aydın Doğan, argues that the contract of Digiturk will expire in 2008. In accordance to this claim, Doğan Medya came out with a new offer of approximately $180 million.[2]

In 2005, the Turkish Football Federation signed a five-year deal with mobile phone operator Turkcell that saw the league's name changed to the 'Turkcell Super League' for five years. It came some years after an abortive sponsorship attempt by Turkcell's rivals, Telsim, in 1999.

Super League clubs, 2007-08

The clubs to play in the 2007-2008 season are listed below, alongside their home towns.

Club Home town Founded in In league since Finishing position last season
Ankaragücü Ankara 1910 1981-1982 8th
Ankaraspor Ankara 1978 2004-2005 10th
Beşiktaş İstanbul 1903 1957 3th
Bursaspor Bursa 1963 2006-2007 13th
Çaykur Rizespor Rize 1968 2003-2004 17th
Denizlispor Denizli 1966 1999-2000 7th
Fenerbahçe İstanbul 1907 1957 2nd
Galatasaray İstanbul 1905 1957 National champions
Gaziantepspor Gaziantep 1969 1990-1991 9th
Gençlerbirliği Ankara 1923 1989-1990 15th
Gençlerbirliği OFTAŞ Ankara 2003 2007-2008 11th
İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyespor İstanbul 1990 2007-2008 12th
Kasımpaşa S.K. İstanbul 1921 2007-2008 18th
Kayserispor Kayseri 1975 2004-2005 5th
Konyaspor Konya 1981 2003-2004 14th
Sivasspor Sivas 1967 2005-2006 4rd
Trabzonspor Trabzon 1967 1974-1975 6th
Manisaspor Manisa 1965 2005-2006 16th

The clubs below took part in the Türk Telekom League A play-offs but failed to clinch the final promotion spot for the 2007-2008 season. The winning team was Kasımpaşa S.K.

Club Home town Founded in Last season in Super League Finishing position in Category A
Malatyaspor Malatya 1966 2005-2006 3rd
Diyarbakırspor Diyarbakir 1968 2005-2006 4th
Altay İzmir 1914 2002-2003 6th

The clubs below were relegated to the Türk Telekom League A at the end of the 2006-2007 season.

Club Home town Founded in In league since Finishing position last season
Sakaryaspor Sakarya 1965 2006-2007 18th
Kayseri Erciyesspor Kayseri 1966 2005-2006 17th
Antalyaspor Antalya 1966 2006-2007 16th

Champions

Only four clubs, also known as the "Big Four" have been champions since the beginning of the Super League: Galatasaray SK (17), Fenerbahçe SK (17), Beşiktaş J.K. (10) and Trabzonspor (6). The first three, all Istanbul-based clubs, are known as Üç Büyükler (Big Three in Turkish).

  • Galatasaray: 1961-62, 1962-63, 1968-69, 1970-71, 1971-72, 1972-73, 1986-87, 1987-88, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99, 1999-2000, 2001-02, 2005-06, 2007-08
  • Fenerbahçe: 1958-59, 1960-61, 1963-64, 1964-65, 1967-68, 1969-70, 1973-74, 1974-75, 1977-78, 1982-83, 1984-85, 1986-87, 1995-96, 2000-01, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2006-07.
  • Beşiktaş: 1959-60, 1965-66, 1966-67, 1981-82, 1985-86, 1989-90, 1990-91, 1991-92, 1994-95, 2002-03.
  • Trabzonspor: 1975-76, 1976-77, 1978-79, 1979-80, 1980-81, 1983-84.


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