ClicknClear, a specialist music rights tech and licensing company for performance sports, has struck a deal with Warner Chappell Music.
The deal comes two years after ClicknClear struck a deal with Warner Music Group to license its catalog to the performance sports market.
ClicknClear says that more than 1,000 publishers and labels use its platform, including Universal Music Publishing, Sony Music, Warner Music, BMG, Kobalt, Concord, Downtown, and “hundreds” of independents.
ClicknClear’s proprietary technology currently manages over 26 million music rights.
ClicknClear said in a press release that it has recently signed new deals with the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) and International Skating Union (ISU) and claims that its platform “offers the music industry access to approximately $1 billion of additional untapped annual revenue, out of a total addressable market of over $2.4 billion, with further sports in the pipeline for 2024″.
The FIG and ISU deals designate ClicknClear as the official music licensing platform for these sports globally, encompassing everything from grassroots to elite levels of the sports.
ClicknClear’s platform allows athletes and coaches to legally use music for their routines.
Switzerland-headquartered FIG is the oldest established international federation of an Olympic sport. It has more than 160 national federation members globally. Meanwhile, the ISU, founded in 1892, has over 100 national federation members. These national federations oversee the activities of many millions of artistic gymnasts, rhythmic gymnasts, and figure skaters worldwide.
For Warner Chappell Music, the partnership presents an opportunity to gain additional income from its catalog while simplifying licensing processes for athletes and sports organizations.
“To be able to simultaneously announce partnerships with one of the world’s most successful music publishers and two prestigious global choreographed performance sports is a strong validation of our technology platform, the quality and dedication of our team, and the momentum behind our business,” said ClicknClear’s Founder and CEO, Chantal Epp.
“The addition of Warner Chappell’s catalog of songs and compositions means we have even more great music readily available on our platform for our sports.”
Chantal Epp, ClicknClear
“The addition of Warner Chappell’s catalog of songs and compositions means we have even more great music readily available on our platform for our sports, while the addition of the FIG and ISU will enable Warner Chappell to join all our publisher and label partners in accessing additional sources of revenue.”
Epp added that the deals mark progress in ClicknClear’s goal of building a “frictionless relationship” between the music industry and choreographed performance sports.
ClicknClear tackles the challenges associated with incorporating music into choreographed performance sports. Its technologies encompass rights management, licensing, and license verification.
The company says it aims to combat copyright infringement, safeguarding music users while ensuring fair compensation for creators.
“We know that athletes use our songwriters’ music to inspire them as they perform. This partnership with ClicknClear will make it easier to ensure our writers are appropriately remunerated for their work wherever it is used around the world and reduce cases of copyright infringement in sport.”
Daniel Lang, Warner Chappell Music
“We know that athletes use our songwriters’ music to inspire them as they perform. This partnership with ClicknClear will make it easier to ensure our writers are appropriately remunerated for their work wherever it is used around the world and reduce cases of copyright infringement in sport,” said Daniel Lang, VP, International Digital Licensing and Society Relations at Warner Chappell.
This news follows ClicknClear’s 2023 deal with the US National Federation of State High School Associations to enforce the licensing of its music partners’ catalogs for use in cheer, dance, gymnastics, show choir, and marching band by all 19,500 US high schools.
Elsewhere at Warner Chappell, the music publishing arm of Warner Music Group recently struck a partnership with Small World Records, the label and publisher founded by Ghanaian music entrepreneur and artist SmallGod. It also inked a deal with iconic singer-songwriter Dido, covering both her upcoming music and her catalog around the same time.
The publisher’s catalog also includes the works of songwriter Rick Boardman, producer, DJ and songwriter Nia Archives, singer-songwriter Amy Allen, and catalogs represented by Brazilian music publisher Deck, South Korea’s MZMC Inc. and 153/Joombas, among many others.
Warner Chappell is run by Guy Moot as CEO and co-Chair, and Carianne Marshall as COO and co-Chair. The company recently extended their contracts through March 31, 2028.
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