ESPN Cue Sheets

[LuvMusic]

ESPN, as far as I know, never pays royalties to writers and publishers. I’ve noticed over the last several weeks that hundreds of non-series cue sheets from ESPN/SportsCenter have been pouring like mad into my ASCAP profile. What’s even weirder is that all the dates are from 2014-2015. I contacted the library that placed the track for me and they said it wasn’t worth appealing due to the fact that ESPN doesn’t pay royalties. When I asked who filed the cue sheet, the library said that it must have been ESPN. Which brings me to my main question – If ESPN doesn’t pay royalties, then why are they bothering to file cue sheets with PROs?

[Michael Nickolas]

Is ESPN not paying royalties because like the Scripps networks all of the music for their shows is direct licensed? Or is it because ASCAP doesn’t survey the network? Maybe your next question about the new cue sheets should be to ASCAP.

[LuvMusic]

ESPN doesn’t pay royalties because they are built into the direct licensing deals with the publishers/libraries. I’ve already put in an appeal with ASCAP . I’m not expecting any money – I’m just appealing strictly on principle. I normally wouldn’t care about this, but its hard to ignore the sheer avalanche of SportsCenter cue sheets that keep adding up every day in my PRO account. Why are these cue sheets being processed if no one is getting royalties? According to Forbes, ESPN’s brand value is 14.6 BILLION dollars. They can’t afford to pony up a few shillings in royalties to writers and publishers?

[Michael Nickolas]

It is disappointing. Between direct licensing and the dreaded survey it’s surprising we get any pay at all sometimes.

[D Rey]

I have also had this happen but it was accompanied by pay. Entries in my works catalog showing up 3+ years late in the form of cue sheets. Pay for each placement ranged from 10 to 30 bucks.

+1 for being surprised we are paid at all. I have been seeing an avalanche of placements showing up in my TuneSat for x games and other things on ESPN over the past several months again, I doubt I will see money from them. Maybe in a few years if I’m lucky.

Very frustrating, was told by BMI I have no recourse. Licensing catalog wont even return my emails about it. What’s the point of having music on TV if I can’t collect?

[Author]

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