There are two main differences between sports massage and deep tissue massage such as: Massage Therapist qualification. Massage techniques. First, a massage therapist that can provide a sports massage has more knowledge and professional qualification than a massage therapist with the first level of soft tissue manipulation. To become a Sports Massage Therapist, one needs to get a specific course of study divided into three different levels of qualifications. The course of study can last between 1 to 3 years. Second, sports massage utilizes more advanced massage techniques than deep tissue massage. Despite both types of massage therapy acting on the deeper layers of muscles and fascias, sports massage is a more thorough treatment of every single muscle of the area affected by muscle stiffness or muscle injury.