A Zynga-Owned Game Becomes Main Jersey Sponsor of Turkish Football Club Göztepe
By Altan / 04/08/25
Göztepe Sports Club has signed a major sponsorship deal with 101 Okey Plus, one of Turkey’s most popular digital games, now owned by global gaming giant Zynga.
The official sponsorship launch took place at Gürsel Aksel Stadium, with Göztepe CEO Kerem Ertan and Zynga Turkey General Manager Buğra Koç in attendance.
“A Milestone Partnership”
Göztepe CEO Kerem Ertan expressed his enthusiasm:
“We are proud to partner with 101 Okey Plus, a digital brand that has reached a wide audience and is one of the leading names in Turkey’s gaming industry. We believe this collaboration will contribute greatly to Göztepe’s growing brand value. I thank Buğra Koç and the entire Zynga Turkey team.”
Zynga Turkey GM Buğra Koç added:
“It’s an honor to bring one of our most beloved local games, 101 Okey Plus, to the field alongside a historic and passionate club like Göztepe. We see this sponsorship as a way to bring the creativity, energy, and community spirit of our gaming audience to football.”
Under the agreement, 101 Okey Plus will appear on the front of Göztepe’s matchday and training jerseys throughout the 2025–2026 season. The partnership will also include interactive fan engagement campaigns and digital collaborations between the club and the game’s community.
From Turkish Success to Global Ownership
101 Okey Plus and its sister game Okey Plus were developed in Turkey by Peak Games — a company founded by entrepreneur Sidar Şahin in 2010. In 2017, Zynga acquired Peak’s card game division, which included the Okey titles, for $100 million in cash.
In 2020, Zynga completed its full acquisition of Peak Games in a landmark $1.8 billion deal — half in cash and half in Zynga shares — making it one of the largest tech acquisitions in Turkey’s history. The deal brought Peak’s hit puzzle games, Toon Blast and Toy Blast, into Zynga’s portfolio, boosting the company’s global daily active users by 60%.
Zynga CEO Frank Gibeau praised the acquisition at the time, stating:
“Peak is one of the best developers of puzzle games in the world, and we’re thrilled to welcome Sidar Şahin and his team to Zynga.”
Today, 101 Okey Plus stands not only as a cultural icon in Turkey but also as a symbol of the country’s growing influence in the global gaming industry.