The Socio-Economic Characteristics of Samsunspor Supporters and their Tendency to Violence

The aim of this study was determined as the evaluation of socioeconomic characteristics of Samsunspor supporters. With this aim, data was obtained from totally 707 supporters through questionnaire method and collected data were evaluated with simple statistical methods such as percentage and frequency. Laborers, officials and tradesmen were the majority in professional distribution. Percentage of the unemployed was determined as 16.9%. Education level of parents intensified at the primary and secondary education. Monthly income was seen to range between 400 and 1500 TL. The rate of computer owners at home were 70.4 % and 48,5% had internet connection. Reasons of internet usage were; 41.2% information, 24.2% newspaper-news, 22% chat. 89.3 % had never visited foreign countries, 78.1% did not have regular holiday habits and 73.4% did not have cars. The majority of the supporters’ leisure time was spent by TV and other activities were recorded to be in minority. Naturally, the preferred program type was sport programs. 77.8% did not have reading habits. 76.2% were non-smokers. Alcohol consuming habits can be accepted to be very high. 13.3% of the supporters had record of previous convictions. Majority (78.6%) do not watch the matches with their families. The rate of watching all the matches was very high with the intention of supporting their teams. Their self-definitions were; 43.3% fanatic, 40.5% temperate, 14.6% aggressive.As a result, it has been determined that the supporters have tendency to violence and aggression. Within this context, sociocultural and economic evaluations of supporter groups should be continuously performed and the individual adaptation problems for the supporters’ integration into the society that appear as the result of these efforts must be solved by means of scientific methods.