We are a sports association. Do we have to notify GEMA of our club events?

Yes, you must register your club event with us. Whilst some people are surprised that clubs also have to report their use of music to us, there is a simple reason for this: we, GEMA, represent the interests of music creators by ensuring that their intellectual property is protected and that they are fairly remunerated for the use of their works. After all, composers, lyricists and music publishers need to make a living too. By the way: we are a club too. You can find out exactly how we work at GEMA at a glance.

Public music must be registered:

Anyone who performs, plays or reproduces music in public must pay a fee to GEMA, which we pass on to the artists in the form of royalties (minus administrative costs). This applies to clubs and volunteers just as much as it does to event organisers, catering businesses and private individuals. An event is considered public if it is open to people who have no personal connection to the organiser or who do not have a relationship with one another. Club parties are also generally public because the participants are not friends or relatives, i.e. they do not (necessarily) have a personal connection with one another. 

Register the music in good time:

If music is to be played at your club’s party or even just as background music during a half-time break, please register it with us in advance. You can do this very easily via the GEMA online portal – simply select ‘Calculate price & register music’. It is important that we are able to give our approval before the event takes place. 

Choose the right rate:

Whether it’s a parade, a sporting event, a club party or a live concert: we offer the right rate for every one of your club events. You can find more details in our rate overview.

Some federal states cover the fees for voluntary organisations:

Currently, some federal states cover the GEMA licence fees for voluntary organisations for up to four club events per year. You can find out more about the flat-rate schemes on the relevant pages for Bavaria, Hesse, Lower Saxony and Thuringia.