This chapter shows that the explosive development of HPS is driven by its economic value. Sport has become a global industry and global sport properties achieve enormous market penetration through the mass media. Athletes and their international support teams are increasingly exposed to problems and temptations due to the financial rewards they can acquire. We show how general management and marketing models are now applied to HPS and in

LEARNING OUTCOMES

the concluding case study we provide an insight into the day-to-day functions of an international HPS operation – with a specific focus on the commercialisation of sport science research that is being conducted to allow for world-beating performances. This chapter is about the globalisation of sport and how the resulting increase in its economic value can affect HPS. It is important to realise that HPS is simply sport at the highest level of performance possible – just as it was 100 years ago. What has changed and continues to change is the HPS context and the rules by which HPS is being played. The context and the rules continue to be rewritten because of the commercial interests that are invading the HPS landscape.