Branded entertainment in the United States has caught on for consumer products. It was relatively uncharted territory, however, for an American sports league. The restrictions on music publishing and licensing was a principal reason and justification for the work. Sports teams and leagues play a key role in building popularity and royalties for music, but until now have not participated in the ownership or income stream of those copyrights. So when a sports league plays classic rock music at the stadium during game day, they're paying the major labels that own the content. Moreover, licensing opportunities for musicians and artists have been waning in recent years, and this was a way to get artists paid to participate in something that expands their audience. The program was designed to help the NFL navigate the licensing landscape and control the revenues and royalties on the backend.

The Official Gameday Music of the NFL was comprised of five original tracks that were heard live at the stadium on gameday. Additionally, all 5 tracks were heard live during the Super Bowl (NFL Championship). Videos for the songs were customised for individual teams and played on the jumbotron in the stadiums. They were available for download on iTunes and also released as singles to be heard on the radio. The music was also used by teams in their highlight reels and incorporated into their team websites. James Durbin's 'Stand Up' was a radio single and released on his album.

This is original branded content that is actually charting on the Billboard 100. The music isn't just confined to NFL games but is getting considerable radioplay and outside licensing-requests. The NFL owns this music in perpetuity and it represents substantial equity for the league that will only continue to grow in value. This is the first time that music commissioned by a brand has opened such significant royalty streams for licensing and publishing. The songs are even being played by other sports leagues who, in effect, are paying royalties to the NFL. For the NFL fan, they're finally hearing something beyond the same classic rock catalog. They're experiencing music truly intended for the game and for their own teams, creating a deeper connection to the game itself. Millions of fans heard the songs at stadiums during games, and millions more heard them on the radio or heard them on television over highlight reels and recaps.