Sports Events Consultation

Tariff SE was last amended in 2007 and since this time, our research indicates that the way in which music is used at sports events is more varied, for example, emerging sports such as E-Sports use music for far longer than traditional sports, such as football and rugby. The proposed tariff is designed with simplicity in mind, streamlining the licensing purchasing process by including all sports under one tariff to adhere to this change in music use. By way of example:  

1. Build music (music used to build the audience’s anticipation before the sporting action) is now often longer than 10 minutes – the current allowance under Tariff SE). 
2. Sporting venues now have additional “fan zones” (an area outside or away from the sports venue) where music is audible prior to the event and so shall be considered as part of the overall duration of music audible. 
3. All customers currently opt for using ground, entry and exit music rather than picking one or two of the options only.  As all customers require a licence to all three of these types of music use, we propose licensing all uses as one charge. 
4. Sports such as E-Sports are increasingly utilising music throughout the action with background music consistently being audible to both players and the audience.
5. The duration of many sports events has also increased, so we propose to build in additional durations to cover this extended time. 

All commercial sports events that utilise music in the following ways:

1. General background music around the ground along with music used as the attendees enter and exit the venue
2. Build music used to encourage attendees to their seats and build anticipation of the sporting action
3. In-game background music used whilst the event is underway
4. In-action music used when, for example, a goal is scored
5. Featured entertainment that appears at the start, middle or end of the event, such as a live performance or DJ set.

Please note – caps on duration will be applied. For further information please visit:

1. We have increased the allowances for build music (which was previously limited to 10 minutes), to provide venues additional flexibility for the use of music in this way.
2. We have included a new charge for in-game action background music as we have found that there are a number of sporting events (such as E-Sports) that utilise background music during the sporting action. This is based on the ground music charge.
3. We have included additional duration bandings for integral music to provide extra flexibility for the market.
4. The charge for boxes and the minimum fee remains the same.

Whilst we already request music usage information for featured music across all usage types under the Tariff, we propose to clarify this requirement to ensure that sporting events are reporting those specific music usages on a recurring basis and/or those usages triggered by specific actions within the event such as a goal being scored.

The proposal for the new schemes can be found in the consultation document above. Responses to the proposal can be made via the link to the online response form.

Your feedback will be used to help us form a comprehensive picture of perspectives on the new licence. Feedback will also help us to understand how the proposed licence will be received and identify any potential issues or concerns.

Once the consultation period has ended, we will examine all the feedback we have received. A summary of the responses will be made available on the PRS for Music website. Stakeholders will be notified before the final scheme is published.

If you use, play, or perform music in your business or organisation, the chances are you need a music licence. After business costs, all the licence fees collected are then processed, allocated and distributed to the talented music creators that we represent. By purchasing a licence, customers are supporting the future of music by helping to ensure its creators are paid for their work, so that the people who write, perform and record it can continue making the music we all love.

There are several methods to track the music being played in different environments, including surveys on businesses, audits of music use and by tracking radio play cue sheets, that allow us to distribute the licence fees collected as accurately and efficiently as possible. 90% of all the money collected goes to the songwriters, composers, and publishers of the works in our licensable repertoire we only deduct our running costs.

Our distributions are normally made four times a year, in April, July, October and December. We aim to include payments in the second quarterly distribution after the event has taken place. For example, music performed in May would be included in the October distribution.