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.