Category: Sports

Sports – the Perfect Business

Greg Cox asked:

Name an industry that gets free advertising every day in every newspaper around the country? Still thinking? Here is another hint – they have web sites, radio shows, TV shows and entire cable channels dedicated to talking about them and their product? Give Up? The answer is sports.

What an incredible industry. Every morning Jerry Jones’ team has articles written about it. Free color pictures on the front page promoting his brand. Radio shows talking solely about his product for hours on end.

More than 30 million people play fantasy sports. The average player in fantasy sports spends about $110 a year on their fantasy teams, and that is mainly to have “bragging rights”. Some of us can remember back in the 1990’s when people played “rotisserie leagues”. Today ESPN, Yahoo, Sports Illustrated, CBS Sportsline and others have very sophisticated online systems to manage leagues and get you information about your team, players and league standings.

They make a fortune on these sites from advertising because they know they have a market of 18 – 50 year old males earning over $50,000 a year and who spend more than two hours a week playing these games, reading the ads, and messaging their friends about the sports articles. Why are fantasy sports games so popular -because we love sports and the fantasy games feed the love.

In 2004, the CBS and Fox networks spent a combined $8 billion to broadcast NFL games for six years. In 1999 CBS spent $6 billion for the rights to broadcast the NCAA basketball tournament for 11 years. In 2006 Fox and TBS signed a combined $3 billion deal with MLB to broadcast a few games a week plus the post season. In 2001, the NBA signed a six year $3.4 Billion deal with Time Warner. Why are billions of dollars being spent to broadcast sporting events? Because we love sports they are making money on filling that love.

You get the idea. Sports are part of our lives. We have an insatiable appetite for sports. We emotionally connect to players and teams. They are our role models. Entire cities shut down when a championship game is being played or for the victory parade. Corporations invest millions and billions of dollars in sports related media because they can get a return on that investment.

Sports Marketing – Tiger Woods, Lebron James, Michael Jordan and countless others are not only great talents, but they are the stars of carefully crafted marketing plans. These marketing plans are geared towards raising their profile, creating interest in the fan base and expanding that fan base. This does not happen just because Tiger is a good guy. This happens because there are millions of dollars to be made. Thousands of hours are invested into these marketing plans – creating the images, the right words, the right message and the right media outlet.

There is a greater point here – the business of sports has successfully tapped into our emotions and our lives in a way no other business has.

Marketing 101 – When we have read the countless books on selling and marketing, we learned the best way to sell to a person is to tap into that person’s emotions. The ability to create and emotional attachment from the buyer to your product is priceless. Everyone remember the tire ad where the baby was sitting inside the tire giggling and looking cute. You’re not buying white-walled radials – you are buying protection for your children. No price is too steep for that.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could create this type of emotion that for a furniture store? Imagine radio shows talking about trundle beds, recliner sofas and nesting tables. Well it’s hard to get excited about china cabinets the same way we do about football – and we never will. The only things that tap into our minds like sports is politics and religion. Those will too quickly become controversial for the entrepreneur.

Back to selling and our emotions. The greater the emotional attachment people have to a product, the better for us. But not all of us are not going to be as successful at tapping into Joe Public’s emotion-meter with our business idea like the NFL or tire manufacturers. They have a big head start and deeper pockets than the rest of us.

What is an entrepreneur to do? How can you get people loving your product as much as the Pittsburgh Steelers?

Sorry to put it this way, but you probably won’t. But on the bright side, if you can’t beat them join them.

Sell Sports – Sports related businesses have a big plus going for them. You are already tapping into an emotional vibe that is deep-rooted and long-living. No need to try and build that positive feeling. ESPN has taken care of that for us. All you need to do is find some avenues in sports-related business to take advantage of this fervor.

Most of us do not have 700 million sitting around to buy the next NFL franchise coming up for sale. We need to reach for some lower hanging fruit. Let’s consider a couple of business models that allow you to take advantage of the sports machine that have less barriers to entry.

Sports Tickets – The secondary sports ticket market is a $10 billion a year business. Many people reading this are going to say “ticket scalping”. To them we say you are buying a limited supply of a product and reselling it on the open market to the highest bidder. Exactly how different is this from buying and selling houses? If we had the same moral indignation for ticket resellers and we do house flippers, Carlton Sheets would be flipping burgers.

Not every ticket has a worthy resale value. We need to separate the wheat from the chaffe. We also need to know where to sell our wheat, metaphorically speaking. There are several places that offer a quality education on how to venture into this market. They will educate any novice or intermediate on the secondary ticket market and keep them from making costly mistakes as well as make profitable deals. Look for something that not only gives you a “how-to” manual, but also provides you with information on a moving-forward basis. Ticket sale dates and presale codes are valuable items. The cost of the course is usually recovered in a few transactions.

Sports Memorabilia – While we found no guides on the best ways of breaking into this business, there are some well known technique amongst sports collectors that can help you. Send balls, jerseys, photos to sports stars asking them to sign it. If you include a self addressed return package, the odds of a player signing it and sending it back go way up. A few samples on eBay for sports memorabilia include:

Mariano Rivera Signed Baseball $230 Mariano Rivera Signed Picture $70 Chris Carpenter Signed Picture $139 Ben Roethlisberger Signed Football $325 David Carr Signed Football $225

Not too bad of a return for an investment of a ball and some postage. Start listing on eBay and you are good to go.

For market research all you need to do is go out to eBay and look at some postings.

The perfect business will tap into people’s emotions to remove price from the equation as much as possible. Sports has accomplished this goal. Anything dealing with sports will invoke passion in people. All too often people’s highs and lows coincide with their favorite team. We leave the social commentary on this to other publications. For us entrepreneurs, understanding this emotional tie-in enables us to find opportunities to capitalize on these markets.

Sport Scores and Events on Sports Site

Marcia Henin asked:

It is not a difficult task to get hold of scores and information of favorite sports, since with the arrival of Internet sport admirers may easily get updated information about their sports within a matter of seconds.

On the Internet, people can view sports site that offers updated information about the current sports scores, events, and scores of games such as soccer, tennis, cricket, football, baseball, hockey, volleyball, and many others.

The main advantage of such sports site is the service, which is available at free of cost. In addition, it also broadcast live games to sport fans. Using this web site, people get to understand several things such as sport scores, venue, players, and schedule of the match.

A sports site not only provides news, scores, and events, but also offer various types of online contests to its viewers. By participating in these contests, users can win many prizes. There are several search engines such as Google, Yahoo and MSN to offer updated and comprehensive info about current and happening in the world of sport. Hence, several avid sport lovers tend to browse the Internet to get detailed quick information on sport scores, as it saves lot of time also.

Sporting Events:

People can find various sporting events over the net. The international events include North American Indigenous Games, International Children’s Games and Cultural Festival, Arafura Games, Commonwealth games, Goodwill Games and Arctic Winter Games. The sporting events for youth include Stockholm Summer Games, Dana Cup, Schwan’s USA Cup, and trips for kids.

Baseball sporting events include Caribbean World Series. Basketball events include FIBA world basketball championship for men, Hoop It Up, Las Vegas Easter Classic, and Florida-Georgian All Star Basketball Classic. American football events include Arena Football League Championship.

Live Scores:

Fans can get live scores on the web site for different sports. Some of the web sites include Live Score, Scores Pro, Cricinfo, Live Football Score, Active Scores, and Live Score Hunter. Hence, people do not have to surf through several sport news channel to get their scores. They can simply browse over the Internet to get everything with a single mouse click.

Is There a Future in Unusual Sports Jobs?

Dan Gold asked:

If you tell someone that you are looking for sports jobs to apply for, the traditional positions may come to mind (including work as professional athletes and sports instructors.) But how about if you are eyeing unusual sports jobs instead? Can you name even 5 types of unusual sports jobs that are known by the average American?

Here are some sports jobs that came up through research:

1.Administrator of a Sports Organization – Don’t think that the people who are responsible for organizing sports clubs and leagues are left out in the cold simply because they are not the athletes. Actually, being an administrator of a Sports Organization is quite a demanding job that requires patience and dedication because you need to organize sub-groups within the Organization to work cohesively with one another. And sports organizations are like other organizations in that they have their own brand of internal politics. If you have great people skills, then you might be qualified for this.

2.Athletes of unusual Olympic sports – some sports that fall under this category are Olympic ballet, race walking and…trampoline? Well, these sports were introduced in the Athens 2004 Olympics though it remains to be seen if they will be included in future Olympiads as well.

3.Another of the unusual sports (not necessarily classified as an Olympic-grade sport) is competitive hot air ballooning. In this sport, you may not need to be physically fit but you do have to get a license to operate a hot air balloon. Some events in hot air ballooning competitions are races (dubbed tasks) such as the Hare and Hound Task, and the Fly In task. This is one sport where gender is not a factor.

4.Foxhunting is another unusual sport where women can compete equally with men, mainly because it is the horse that does the running and the rider is just along for the ride. Too bad for the fox, but great fun for the riders and horses who have a keen sense for the hunt. One risk though is that riders can fall and break something, especially when the hunt gets fast and furious. If you want to help in foxhunting, you can care for the horses before and after the hunt.

5.Sepak takraw may be considered unusual by people from the West but is one sport that has been around for centuries in Asia. It is like a combination of gymnastics, volleyball and soccer where players vault a small ball made of woven rattan into the air and over the net into the side of the opposing team – where hopefully it will fall so they can score a point. A game of sepak takraw should be seen to be believed, since hands and arms are not allowed to touch the ball. You can only loft the ball into the air with your legs and feet, over a net which is around as tall as the player. Talk about agility. Athletes for sepak takraw do not come along very often, so they certainly qualify as an unusual sports job.

The future of unusual sports jobs such as those mentioned here rests on whether enough people want to hire the people who take part in the unusual sports jobs. More power to them then.

The Most Popular American Sports Today

Nathan Martyn asked:

There is no doubt that American sports are big business today, with new stadiums and arenas cropping up all the time and sports paraphernalia sales wracking in a huge amount of cash. While the popularity of American sports remains consistent, the list has evolved over the years as the American public has embraced a variety of sports and celebrity players. We have the top five American sports, with a list that may surprise you. For example, while tennis and soccer are both frequently viewed offerings worldwide, neither made the cut for the top five American sports on this list.

1. Baseball

Baseball has long been thought of as the all-American sport – ranking right up there with apple pie and Chevrolet cars as the stuff that this great country was founded on. Baseball can still boast the fact that it is the longest played sport in America, and is the one pastime that has been able to transcend racial prejudice and political problems. The sport came from the English version of cricket, and is still one of the top sports in America today.

2. Football

Football came to this country in the latter part of the nineteenth century, when teams began representing their colleges in this sport. Within a few decades, the sport turned professional, with the first Super Bowl being played in 1935. This sport has overtaken baseball as the most popular sport in this country, undoubtedly fueled by the many gifted players who have become celebrities of sorts across the nation. Today, the Super Bowl is the most viewed television program in the country.

3. Basketball

Basketball is a popular sport in America, but this pastime also has global popularity with Russian players now joining the ranks of the NBA. This sport has also gained a following from the many well known players that have excelled in the sport. Probably the most famous basketball player to date is Michael Jordan. Basketball season is a nice way to span the season between football and baseball for many sports buffs.

4. Hockey

Hockey did not originate in the United States, but it has certainly become a well known sport in this country. Most major cities boast a major league hockey team, and many host minor league and college teams as well. Hockey originated in Canada and one of the appeals of the sport is the fact that these two countries play so closely together. Wayne Gretzky may be the most famous hockey player to have ever played, and he has continued his legacy in the coaching realm in recent years.

5. Golf

Tiger Woods may be one of the top reasons that this sport has made the top five list in the United States. Most golf aficionados never get tired of watching this amazing athlete in action. Golf is equally popular around the world, especially in Scotland where it originated.

Sports are a fantastic way to bring people together and have certainly become a popular pastime for many. These five sports are the most common to find in American households today, with something for every sports fan in this country.

Sports Betting Basics – Why you Can Win at Sports Betting!

Jesse Penfold asked:

The most profitable forms of what society classifies as “gambling” really aren’t gambling at all. Professionals do not consider themselves gamblers of their chosen profession, either do sports bettors or poker players. It is an investment.

I am a sports fan and my knowledge helps, but you don’t have to be. I am first and foremost an investor, earning a living from sports betting. In order to turn sports betting from a gamble to an investment the most critical factor is learning how the sports betting industry works.

Facts:

– the best team in sports will usually win

– line makers are very good at setting markets (lines, overs/unders)

If you do your research on the lines set and the results over the last few years you will be astonished at how accurate the forecasts are (trust me I have done it). Now for those new to sports betting you might be discouraged at these facts, however you shouldn’t be as it proves my next fact:

– THE OUTCOME OF SPORTING GAMES ARE NOT RANDOM

This is key to changing your perspective on sports betting as opposed to other forms. In reality it makes a professional sports bettor no different than your avid investor or stock broker, but rather than analysing corporations to predict performance, we analyse sports teams to predict performance. Now this is where things get really interesting, most people new to sports betting or those with a casual interest believe they are playing against the bookmaker or line maker. This is not true. The line maker’s are not posting a prediction of who will win and by how much when they set their lines. Rather they are trying to anticipate what the general public think in terms of who will win and by how much.

Why?

Well the bookmakers, like the professional gamblers, are in this as a business. They do not gamble either, and as a result generally their goal is not to gamble on the outcome, but split the public’s bets (as close to half on each side as possible). This way they earn profits by the juice they take on each bet. Thus the professional gambler and the book makers are pursuing two very different goals. These differences open up a great deal of opportunities for the sports bettor as they are not limited by the public opinion.

In essence – am educated sports bettor is actually playing against the casual sports bettors who set the public opinion. Once you realise this, consider who has the advantage:

– the casual sports bettor or fan who spends a few minutes each day keeping abreast of the sport; or

– the experienced & expert (full time) sports bettor?

EXACTLY.

How do you become an experienced and expert sports bettor? This is not an easy step, it takes time and effort. Our expert team at Cha-Ching has been doing this for a number of years. We have learnt all the strict rules surrounding the sports betting field and innovated our own. We crunch decades of data from our specified sports, which is used in combinations with other strategies to gauge the differences in public opinion what will actually happen. We are in effect “grinders”.

But you can do this too, with the Internet the information is more widely accessible than ever before (both information on expert sports betting and actual sport statistics). Alternatively you can pay for these services from others and make your living work free – however touting services are typically a scam so it is important to choose a reputable provider.

It is all out there for you to take advantage of, the only question now is, will you?

Why Sports Lovers Should Consider Whats Happening With Dish Network

Kapsat asked:

A lot of people like to get satellite television just for the extra sports channels. Yet, sometimes it can be hard to tell which satellite television providers have the extra sports channels as part of their package or if it one of those “extras” that you have to pay more for. It can be frustrating to upgrade to a satellite television provider and find that they do not even have as many sports channels as your old television provider did. There is also the issue of your new provider possibly having hardly any sports channels to chose from. It is one thing to be missing a few channels but a totally other thing to be restricted to like five sports only channels. So how can you know that when you upgrade to great satellite television with the intent of getting great sports channels and a grand sports selection that you will get what you want? You need to go with a satellite television provider that has a whole section that is dedicated to sports! Well with Dish Network they simplify things to a short and sweet point and do exactly that.

With Dish Network you get exactly what you want from your satellite television provider because with Dish Network they are so dedicated to catering to you that they have whole service packages that revolve around sports. With Dish Network you can chose to set your sports entertainment up the way you want it. With Dish network you can have a grand selection of 4 college games sports channels, 35 “multi” sports game sports channels, 9 soccer, baseball, hockey, football, and basketball channels, and the ever- changing pay-per-view sports channels. This kind of sports selection is sure to keep you entertained for all your relaxation hours. Also the best thing about Dish Network is that f you do not like college sport you do not have to have them in your package deal. You can select they way you want your sports entertainment to be. Dish Network also provides to you a variety of sports channels that are accessible in high definition.

Having sports channels in high definition brings a whole new game to the entertainment table. High definition really brings out the vibrant colors and in your face sound of the game park. The high definition sports channels are so clear and realistic looking that you feel as if you are right in the bleachers at the game. It makes watching sports from home that much more enjoyable.

With sports from Dish network you can really get exactly what you want and have it delivered to you at a great price. Dish Network makes it possible for you to optimize your sports entertainment set up to the best it can possibly be with the grandest selection there is to offer. You can be the house that has all the game barbecues because you will get the most sports channels on the block. With sports from Dish

Network you will never be bored and never miss a game!

Get Sports Event Tickets for Every Season!

Al Terry asked:

Sports event tickets can carry a sports fan from game to game, all year round. There is a sport for every season and while it’s great to play these games yourself, they are even more fun to watch live.

A World of Sport

No matter what time of year it is, you can always find a sports league swinging into full action, building up to their championship series. Recently, with the advent of globalization, a range of new sports has become internationally popular. Games like rugby and cricket have begun to gain fan followings in Canada and the United States. There are a number of games that have adapted to suit the different climates of the world. Ice hockey, for example is popular in countries like Canada, while field hockey is the game of choice in warmer climates.

While sports event tickets are in demand the world over, the definition of what a sport is differs from place to place. Some people would argue that, video games are a sport, while others would say it isn’t. Bowling, billiards, and golf are seen as more relaxed, non-violent sports that are focused on precision rather than speed. In other sports like boxing or football, both speed and muscle power play an important role.

Watching the Pros

There is nothing quite like getting sports event tickets to a professional sports game. This is why, tickets for the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB are so high in demand. In fact, for some of the more popular teams, people often put their newborn’s name on the waiting list for season tickets. In this way, their child can get coveted season passes when they are older! This just shows how big a business professional sport has become today.

The reason for this is that, it is a sheer joy to watch expert players display their skills, either in a game of tennis or a rowdy game of rugby. But many people have criticized professional sports for a number of reasons. One of the biggest problems is the elevation of team players to celebrity status. Oftentimes, a player will simply play to suit himself, instead of helping the team. However with professional team sports, it’s the whole team that matters, not just a few good players.

An interesting point to note about many professional team sports is fan loyalty. The Toronto Maple Leafs, for example, has a very strong fan following in the NHL, called Leafs Nation. They are also the most valuable team in the league. However, the team has not had a championship win since 1967 and have struggled in recent years. And yet, Leafs Nation continues to be a strong support for the team, and every single Maple Leafs game has been sold out since 1946. This is how important and strong a good fan base can be.

With the advent of the internet, getting sports event tickets has become a lot easier. Sports fans can now attend events all around the world by just logging on to a ticket vending site. You can order any sports event tickets by finding an authorized ticket vendor and ordering online.

Sports Memorabilia History

Linda Polansky asked:

You might learn sports memorabilia history from your grandfather, who lived to tell the tales of rare moments in history, because he was at the event and saw the action up close and personal. These sports memories are fond ones, and are related on days when the children gather around on the porch because rain is keeping them from playing in the yard.

People place a lot of importance on sports memorabilia history, because it is that history that helps them support their families. Sports memorabilia retailers learn a lot about the sports that surround their business, and know truly collectible items are genuine when they see the various holograms attached to the sporting products that they have in their sports memorabilia collectibles inventories.

Other people prefer to reflect back on the sports memorabilia history by viewing historic football games that were captured on video tape. These tapes explore all of the mythical history that surrounds football clubs, and tell about the rich history of any football franchise. The early days of baseball, football and hockey can be viewed time and again, to all family generations that want to learn about sports memorabilia history.

In sports memorabilia history there is a great amount of humor, and commentary to be heard during games gone by the wayside, but preserved on audio tapes that reflect the blow by blow sports memorabilia history in its true form. Some of these sportscasters are no longer with us, but a part of them remains behind in sports memorabilia history caught on tape.

Other sports memorabilia history items will make time stand still. When you can hold sports memorabilia history in your hand, by forming your fingers around a collectible baseball that was signed by the great Stan the Man, Stan Musial, then you have a true piece of history that comes directly from a man who was awarded Most Valuable Player three times, and played in 24 All-Star games.

Perhaps you would want to own a piece of sports memorabilia history that was hand-signed by a man that broke many records. When you hold a bat signed by the great Hank Aaron, you have in your hands the tool used to make him the lifetime leader in total runs batted in and total bases earned.

This piece of history does not occur but once in a lifetime, and when you have this type of sports memorabilia history in an honored corner of your living room, encased behind a glass display case created especially to display this sacred piece of history, then you are indeed rich in sports memorabilia history.

Sports memorabilia history is reflected in the achievements of such greats as Peyton Manning, Michael Jordan and Larry Bird. The stellar records that these people amassed over a lifetime career, are true reflections of sports memorabilia history.

When a persons accomplishments are so staggering that everyone that views them will be impressed to know that Peyton Manning threw a football more than 33,000 yard, and scored more than 240 touchdowns during his still active career. A hand-signed National Football League football will be a great gift for any Indianapolis Colts fan to enjoy for years to come.

Where are You Getting Your Sporting Goods?

Danny Wright asked:

Sporting goods have a large industry in society because of how much impact sports has on the world. People buy sporting goods of all kinds including sports apparel, team apparel and sports equipment. The best way to narrow down where to look for your sporting goods is to determine what you are looking for.

The internet is the most convenient place to look for the item you want. You can find a plethora of different sports stores online that sell anything and everything related to sports. Although you do have to pay for shipping and wait for your item to be mailed to you, the options you will have will be far greater than those in the actual stores.

So where do you even begin to start looking you may wonder. If you want sports equipment, there are several nationwide sporting goods stores that sell a variety of sports equipment. Places like Sports Authority and Dick’s Sporting Goods have stores all over the United States. These stores are convenient because you can find all equipment for all sports at one place as well as footwear, sports apparel, outdoor apparel and golfing equipment.

The downside to purchasing sporting goods at a generic store like these is that you may not find the highest quality stuff on the market. Certainly you can find quality items, just not always the top of the line. In order to find the top of the line sporting goods you will want to go to a store that specifically sells what you are looking for. If you want soccer equipment, go to a store that specializes in soccer. If you want a specific baseball bat, going to a baseball specific store will give you a greater chance of finding it.

Another type of sporting goods that brings in a lot of business is team sports supplies. The best way to show you passion for your favorite NBA team or NFL team is to sport their attire. Whether you want a team’s hat or a favorite athlete’s jersey, there are stores online and shops you can visit to find what you’re looking for. One of the most notable stores for team supplies is online at Eastbay.com. You will find everything imaginable at this site, plus some.

There is a plethora of sporting goods stores around the world for all different kinds of items. From sports equipment to sports apparel to your favorite team items you can purchase online or in person at various stores. Just keep in mind, if you know what exactly what you want, the easiest route might be to purchase your sporting goods online.

Sports Massage For Sports Injuries

Shaun Parker asked:

Suffering an injury from sport is inevitable for professionals and amateurs alike. Whatever your chosen sport, be it football, golf, tennis, cricket or running, you will undoubtedly pick up the odd niggling injury or something more serious. Sports massage has become an important element not only for sports training and competition, but also for the prevention and treatment of sporting injuries.

Obviously prevention of the injury is better than treatment but the majority of injuries in sport are caused by overuse, misuse or abuse of the body. Many sports injuries are avoidable by proper preparation before an event (warming up) and easing down after an event (cooling down). Sports massage therapists tend to see most injuries as a result of failure in coordination; this is particularly true at the beginning of the sporting season when the athlete’s expectations exceed their ability. Sports injuries also increase near the end of an activity when fatigue affects coordination or in the opening minutes of the match or event when stretching hasn’t been performed properly. So what are some of the common sports injuries and how can sports massage help?

Many sporting injuries are a result of a sprain or strain. A sprain affects the ligaments (the bands of elastic tissue that hold joints together and limit movement) and a strain affects the muscles. A common sports injury treated with sports massage is a sprained ankle. When the ankle turns inward and under the leg, the outside ligaments are damaged (over stretching or tearing). The injury will require first-aid to begin with followed by rehabilitation and strengthening. During rehabilitation, sports massage can be employed and the sports massage therapist will use a method called ‘friction massage’. This method reduces the development of scar tissue or breaks down any built up scar tissue that has already developed.

Anyone who has watched a football match or an athletics event would have at some point seen the footballer or athlete pull up grabbing the back of their leg. This is a common sports injury known as a hamstring strain. There are three hamstring muscles that flex the knee joint and extend the hip. The strain occurs when the hamstring muscles are at their maximum length (when the tibia is stretched out and the foot is about to strike the ground). The symptoms are a short sharp pain at the back of the leg followed by spasms, swelling and bruising. Sports massage treats hamstring injuries using deep tissue massage techniques. A method called ‘petrissage’ can be applied to separate and realign muscle tissue preventing scar tissue from forming. This sports massage method also encourages better circulation of blood and fluids to the area aiding healing and recovery time.

Runners, dancers or anyone involved with sports that require jumping will be aware of a sports injury known as ‘plantar fasciitis’. This injury is an inflammation of the tendon that runs over the arch of the foot (which can sometimes rupture). Symptoms of the injury include pain under the inside of the heel or around the outside border. Stretching the plantar fascia tendon is an important part of rehabilitation and strengthening. Sports massage reduces tension in the tendon by applying deep pressure stroking movements to stretch out the fibres.

These are just a few of the sports injuries that a sports massage therapist can help you with. Sports massage should play an important part in your regime whether you are suffering with an injury or not. A trained sports massage therapist can also educate you on stretching exercises and footwear to help keep your body in good condition before, during and after physical activity.