Çarşı (supporter group)

Group Çarşı
Founded	1982
Motto	Çarşı is against everything
Website	www.forzabesiktas.com

Beşiktaş Çarşı Grubu (shortly Çarşı) (English: the Group Bazaar) is the best known supporter group of Turkish sports club Beşiktaş. They locate themselves on Kapalı Tribün (English: Covered Stand) in the football matches and known for their expressed common views on up-to-date topics, organized way of acting, and genuine manner of chanting.

There are lots of catch-words of the group, “Çarşı, Atatürk hariç her şeye karşı!” (English: ‘’Çarşı is against anything except Atatürk!”') is probably the most famous one.

In May 2008, Çarşı repealed themselves unexpectedly. However, the post-epilogue discussions are still continuing due to intellectual conflict between the supporters.

Definition

In Turkey; Beşiktaş, Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray are accepted as the biggest three clubs (Trabzonspor is the fourth occasionally), as they are the most successful ones in Turkish football history, having the highest number of supporters. There are also numerous supporter groups of many teams, i.e. Ultraslan for Galatasaray, Genç FB for Fenerbahçe, Group Yalı for Göztepe A.Ş. or Timsahlar for Bursaspor. The name of groups would be related to team’s name or badge, the symbol of the city, or a specific place inside the city. The name 'Çarşı' is also an example for this situation.

Çarşı literally means Downtown in Turkish. In 80s, the young people of Beşiktaş district who were supporting Beşiktaş J.K., were usually spending their time around the bazaar, located in the centre of the district. They were living, coming together and supporting the team together in that specific place. This lifestyle led them to found the group with the name of Çarşı in 1982.

Çarşı is basically accepted as a supporter group. It is also believed that Çarşı is not a certain group, it is more likely a common way of acting, including the common beliefs of the supporters; therefore Çarşı is a dignity, or a form of common soul of the Beşiktaş supporters. According to a definition which is written by a well-known fan Alp Batu Keçeci, Çarşı is described as an abstract notion rather than a basic and solid fan group.

What is Çarşı?
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This definition collected positive reactions of the supporters and it was embraced in course of time. Many of the internet fan forums have given place for this article.

Characteristics

Çarşı separates itself from other Beşiktaş fan groups by its members' attitude during the matches, and with their placards. The group was formed in early 1980s and their fame began to spread in 90s. Çarşı does not have a homogenous structure and it does not consist of a certain group of people with a specific identity. People from different social backgrounds, cultural environments, and ethnic origins are assembled at the group even though they support opposite ways of thinking in terms of politics or ideologies. An all-around antagonist image and attitude represent the basic characteristics of the group.

Name of the group comes from the central market place of Beşiktaş district, where is located in downtown, near by the Istanbul Bosphorus. Beşiktaş Çarşı contains many restaurants, bars, a big fish market, and also numerous cosmetics, clothing and technology shops. There the fans assemble and spend their daytime with various activities until the matches. It is possible to see the fans on match days, wearing black-white jerseys at the fish restaurants and bars. Also, the newly produced chants by Beşiktaş fans are usually sung and embraced for the first time in Beşiktaş Çarşı.

After their meetings, fans generally walk to the home ground, İnönü Stadium with passing the pavement near by Dolmabahçe Palace. They generally prefer to arrive there about 2 or 3 hours before the matches; however, majority of people do not get in the stadium instantly. They also like to hang around the stadium just before going in, for different reasons such as meeting their friends, to have some drink or chanting for adaptation right before the matches. In Istanbul, supporters live in both European and Asian side of Bosphorus, and so do Çarşı members. The Asian side habitants go to stadium by both road and sea transportation, but sea transportation is used more frequently. The fans mainly get on the ferries from Kadıköy or Üsküdar districts, where they can arrive Beşiktaş approximately in 20 minutes. There are both directly related members of group and just normal supporters who want to be a part of action; also it is likely to see many university students among the members. Therefore, the group stand out with its quip, witty and humorist aspect. Çarşı generally react the topics and incidents with an unexpected manner.

Çarşı utilize some symbols to express their opinions. One of them is a derivative form of letter A as it used in the notion of anarchy. However, Çarşı states that they re-shaped the symbol with extending the low ends of the letter to show the difference. Hence, they use the letter as a symbol of rebellious soul (Turkish: ‘’Asi Ruh’’). This notion has been an inspiration as to the name of the TV documentary Asi Ruh dedicated to the group which was begun in 2007, the group's 25^th anniversary, and which was out on DVD in 2008.

The assortment of support is very wide, it is possible to see the fans from teenagers to the age groups near the 60-year-old or older. The fans would wear the official team products as well as the products based on Çarşı.

Defunction and reactions

On 28 May 2008, Çarşı concluded its presence by a farewell letter written by Alen Markaryan, arguably the main cheerleader (Turkish: ‘’Amigo’’). During the Press Gala of ‘’Asi Ruh’’ documentary, Markaryan declared that they decided to repeal the group after the discussions which questioned the group’s position as coming before Beşiktaş J.K. itself for the supporters. According to the newspapers, some subsequent reactions came up even in the gala. Discussions are yet to be finished. In internet forums, some users cite that they are proponent to the decision, but also showing the tendency to keep the group's ideology and legacy. On the other hand, there are also users who believe that Çarşı can not be concluded like a defunct organization.

External links

• Forza Çarşı, Official Çarşı Website
• Beşiktaş Çarsi Fan, Unofficial Website

References