Control Play
Control Play is a private entertainment technology company, founded in 2004, that provides a cloud-based platform combining licensed music, music video, digital signage, and automation tools for restaurants, bars, bowling centers, family entertainment centers, and roller skating rinks across North America.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersLondon, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Control Play does
Control Play is a privately held entertainment technology company founded in 2004 that provides an all-in-one cloud-based platform for managing music, music videos, digital signage, and audio messaging across single or multiple commercial venues. The company serves restaurants, bars, sports bars, bowling centers, family entertainment centers (FECs), and roller skating rinks, with named enterprise customers including Sky Zone, Bowlero, MainEvent, and Famous Dave's. Its core technology combines proprietary software (Playlist Builder, Automation Engine, Multi-Location Management, Remote Access) with a commercial-grade hardware player (Control Play TV Player) and 20+ years of licensed music and video content cleared through ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC for commercial use. A specialized sub-brand, Control Play SK8, addresses roller skating venues with session-specific playlists, clean family-friendly content, song requests, and Experience+ interactive games.
The business operates on a subscription-based revenue model combining SaaS platform access, licensed content rights, hardware sales, and included managed support services. Pricing is custom and not publicly disclosed; customer acquisition is driven by demo bookings, 30-minute setup calls, and free action planning sessions supported by an inside sales team and field sales for enterprise accounts. Marketing is anchored by an extensive vertical-focused blog, tutorial video library, industry conference participation (e.g., RSA Convention 2026), and earned media in trade publications such as Bowling Center Management.
The company is headquartered in London, Canada, but its operations (US phone number, EST support hours, customer base) are predominantly North American, with no disclosed geographic expansion beyond the USA and Canada. Control Play is bootstrapped with no funding rounds, acquisitions, or leadership changes disclosed, and operates with an 11-50 employee base led by Co-founder Jim Juniper, Chief Playlist Officer Adam, and Playlist Specialist Lee Murphy.
Control Play firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Control Play
- Legal name
- Control Play
- Website
- https://controlplay.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Control Play is a private entertainment technology company, founded in 2004, that provides a cloud-based platform combining licensed music, music video, digital signage, and automation tools for restaurants, bars, bowling centers, family entertainment centers, and roller skating rinks across North America.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Control Play industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Venue entertainment management software
- NAICS
- Music Publishers (512230)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Performing Rights Organizations (PROs) & Public Performance Licensing (MPAIAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Sync Marketplaces & Licensing Platforms (MPAIALAG)
Keywords
Where Control Play is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Control Play business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Software Subscription (SaaS): Recurring subscription model for access to the Control Play entertainment management platform, remote control features, automation tools, and multi-location management capabilities. Includes software updates and ongoing platform access.
- Licensed Content Access: Subscription includes access to licensed music and video libraries with commercial usage rights. Content licensing from ASCAP, BMI, SESAC covered under the service agreement.
- Commercial-Grade Hardware: Sale of Control Play TV Player and associated hardware equipment for venue installation. Commercial-grade systems designed for 24/7 operation in demanding environments.
- Support Services: Included unlimited support via phone, chat, email, and remote access. Industry-leading support team available Monday-Sunday, 9AM-2AM EST.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Custom enterprise solutions for multi-location operators |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Control Play product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Control Play provides a cloud-based, all-in-one entertainment management platform that lets commercial venues centrally control licensed music, music videos, digital signage, audio messaging, and scheduling across single or multiple locations from any web-enabled device. The offering combines proprietary software, commercial-grade hardware (Control Play TV Player), and a 20+ year curated licensed content library, with specialized configurations such as Control Play SK8 for roller skating venues. Revenue is generated through recurring subscriptions bundled with content licensing and hardware sales for venue installation.
Product overview
Control Play offers an all-in-one entertainment management platform consisting of the core Control Play Platform, the proprietary Control Play TV Player hardware, and specialized solutions like Control Play SK8 for roller skating venues. The platform integrates playlist building, digital signage, licensed music/video content libraries, Experience+ interactive content, and remote access control into a unified system. Venues can manage music, messaging, video, and automation across single or multiple locations from any device, with scheduling capabilities for dayparted content delivery.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Control Play SK8: Specialized solution for roller skating venues to create better sessions with clean music, remote control, games, and audio messaging.
Products and services
- Control Play Platform An all-in-one, cloud-based entertainment management platform that enables venues to control music, music videos, digital signage, messaging, and scheduling across single or multiple locations from any web-enabled device. Sold to commercial venue operators such as restaurants, bars, family entertainment centers, bowling centers, and roller skating rinks.
- Control Play TV Player Commercial-grade all-in-one hardware player designed for reliable 24/7 operation in demanding venue environments. Integrates seamlessly with screens, speakers, and AV equipment to deliver the Control Play platform output.
- Control Play SK8 A specialized version of the Control Play platform tailored for roller skating venues, providing clean curated music libraries, family-friendly content, session-specific playlist control, remote access, song requests, audio messaging, and games for 2-3 hour skating sessions.
Quantifiable outcome
- Research suggests brand-specific music can drive 9.1% increase in overall sales compared to shuffled popular songs; dessert sales can increase 15.1% with brand-aligned music
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Control Play
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Control Play technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature9 records
Control Play partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Control Play competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Rockbot: B2B music and engagement platform for venues including bars, restaurants, hotels, and entertainment facilities. Directly comparable offering of licensed music, jukebox functionality, and digital signage for commercial venues.
- Cloud Cover Music: B2B streaming music service providing licensed background music for businesses including restaurants, bars, retail, and entertainment venues. Direct peer in the commercial music streaming space.
- TouchTunes: Interactive music and entertainment platform for bars, restaurants, and entertainment venues with digital jukebox and licensed music library. Comparable as a venue-focused music and entertainment hardware/software provider.
- Soundtrack Your Brand: Spotify-backed B2B music streaming platform for businesses, including bars, restaurants, and entertainment venues. Direct competitor offering licensed commercial music via cloud-based platform — competing for the same customers as Control Play.
Broad incumbents
- Mood Media: Global leader in in-store music, digital signage, and sensory experiences for retail, hospitality, and entertainment venues. Directly comparable as a full-stack commercial music and signage platform serving similar end markets at much greater scale.
- Stingray Digital: Canadian-based music, media, and technology company providing commercial music, digital signage, and in-store entertainment solutions to businesses globally. Comparable as a broader incumbent in commercial music with international footprint.
- Spotify for Business: Commercial offering from the world's largest music streaming platform, providing licensed background music for businesses. A formidable incumbent competing on brand recognition, content depth, and global scale.
- SiriusXM for Business: Commercial music service from SiriusXM providing licensed music programming for businesses including bars, restaurants, and entertainment venues. Comparable as a broad incumbent in commercial music streaming.
Emerging players
- Jamendo Licensing: Music licensing platform offering commercial use rights for independent music in venues and businesses. Comparable as a licensing marketplace, though focused on independent music catalog rather than mainstream commercial hits.
- BrandNewSound: Smaller commercial music streaming service focused on curated playlists for businesses including restaurants and entertainment venues. Comparable as a niche player in the B2B commercial music space.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Control Play social profiles
Digital presenceControl Play financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Control Play leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Control Play funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Control Play M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Control Play
What does Control Play do?
Control Play provides a cloud-based, all-in-one entertainment management platform that lets commercial venues centrally control licensed music, music videos, digital signage, audio messaging, and scheduling across single or multiple locations from any web-enabled device. The offering combines proprietary software, commercial-grade hardware (Control Play TV Player), and a 20+ year curated licensed content library, with specialized configurations such as Control Play SK8 for roller skating venues. Revenue is generated through recurring subscriptions bundled with content licensing and hardware sales for venue installation.
Is Control Play a public or private company?
Control Play is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Control Play founded?
Control Play was founded in 2004. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Control Play based?
Control Play is headquartered in London, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Control Play make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Software Subscription (SaaS) is the primary driver. The others are licensed Content Access, commercial-Grade Hardware and support Services.
Who are Control Play's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Rockbot, Cloud Cover Music, TouchTunes and Soundtrack Your Brand. Broad incumbents are Mood Media, Stingray Digital, Spotify for Business and SiriusXM for Business. Emerging players are Jamendo Licensing and BrandNewSound.
Does Control Play have an API?
No public API is recorded for Control Play.
What industry is Control Play in?
Control Play's product category is Venue entertainment management software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAIAKAA, Performing Rights Organizations (PROs) & Public Performance Licensing, with a secondary code of MPAIALAG, Sync Marketplaces & Licensing Platforms. Its NAICS code is 512230 and its SIC code is 7900.