Planning Your 2027 Music Budget Starts Now
Budget season is here. The NFL is in full swing and the holidays are around the corner. Budget conversations tend to center on video boards, giveaways and promotions, and music licensing too often gets whatever is left over. That is one of the most common mistakes we see EVERY year.
Popular music makes an emotional and lasting connection with fans. When a recognizable song hits the speakers, people react before they have time to think. They sing, they clap, they turn to the stranger sitting next to them. A familiar track carries memories and emotion that fans bring through the gates with them, which is why the right song at the right moment can turn a good night into a great one. The same songs give team video content and social posts something fans want to watch and share.
Licensing that music costs money, and the price goes up every year. Labels and publishers rarely renew a track at last year’s price. Increases of 10, 15, or even 20% on the renewal of the very same contract are common. A team that budgets for flat pricing is likely to run short before the season ends.
Timing matters as much as dollars. Teams that get their requests in early give everyone room to clear music properly. Late requests narrow the options and leave little time to work through issues. Many NBA and NHL teams refresh in January with new opens and hype videos as they plan a playoff push and the second half of the season. Those projects clear best when the planning starts now.
The Score sends every team a Sports Music Survey each month, and each completed survey earns a $50 credit toward our licensing fees. That adds up to nearly $600 a year for about five minutes of time each month. The labels also get the honest feedback they need.
Major League Baseball planning is trickier this year with the possibility of a work stoppage. The Score is working with teams to keep licenses open-ended on start dates so they are covered whenever the season begins (let’s hope for late March).
The Score has served teams and leagues for over 20 years, and we are the industry leader and an authority in sports music licensing. We can help with budgets, renewals and timelines. Teams can reach John Adams at john.adams@thescore.us to discuss music, budget and timing needs.