Football

4) Football as a place to reach people
Football stadiums are good places for advertisements aimed at certain target groups. However, the bigger clubs are now so expensive that the groups most in need of health information may not be able to go. It may be worth thinking about working with smaller clubs or local weekend leagues to reach certain target groups. This could be by direct contact or advertising on shirts or in stadiums and programmes. Health charities may also find football a good 'venue' to reach people if they are looking to raise money.

5) Football as a way of linking health to people's own interests
Football can be used as a topic to help to engage people on health topics. This has two aspects to it. One can be described as superficial and the other, explored more in 6) below, as more intrinsic to the game. Neither is any better than the other. A 'superficial' approach is where football is used to 'sugar the pill'. This is a variation on the commercial world using footballers to promote their products. So for example, a member of a local team is invited to a health fair. The hope is that people will come to see him and then stay for the rest of the event. Another approach under this heading would be the use of football as a metaphor in advertising e.g. 'Moving the goal posts'. (For an example of how a comic strip character could be developed to engage young men around health issues in a 'superficial' way click here.)

6) Bringing out health related issues within football
As discussed in 2), football is not morally neutral. The professional game has certain topics, values and contradictions embedded within it.  You can therefore use it to engage people in a debate about a range of health matters. These topics and values include:
* Issues round lifestyle associated with player and fan behaviour such as alcohol, drugs, violence, stress, gender roles and class
* Issues round health education skills that often derive from the role of the manager such as decision-making, communication, dealing with feelings and promoting others' self-esteem
* Issues round the wider determinants of health. Examples here include helping others, poverty, racism, the role of government and the media. These are all a reflection of the world that clubs operate in

Social market research will tell you what messages, skills etc your target group may want. It will also show you whether to link football into some of the other approaches on this website such as computer games, magazines or a romantic novel about WAGs aimed at young women. (To read a hypothetical example of how to use football in the workplace to promote emotional health and resilience or prevent stress click here. Alternatively click here for sample questions to a possible football and health discussion game.)

7) Football as a diversionary activity
I originally thought that there were only six ways football could be used to improve health. However, I realise it can also be used in other ways. One is as a diversionary activity, for example to get young people away from drinking on street corners and into the sports hall.

8) Football as a way of changing perception
Theoretically football could also be deliberately used to attempt to change how disadvantaged groups see themselves or are seen by others. Has disability sport done this successfully already? Could the relative success of the English Woman's football team further change attitudes towards women and physical activity?

9) Using football to directly tackle the wider determinants of health
In some circumstances, such as a World Cup tournament, football can also be used to try improve the infrastructure of an area and develop the local economy. This could potentially lead to long or short term health benefits, as well as possible negative side effects. A health impact assessment would obviously need to be carried out at the start to study this. Few policy makers will ever have this kind of global opportunity on their hands of course. Perhaps though the redevelopment of local professional or amateur stadiums may have a similar, if reduced, impact.