What Champions Music & Entertainment does

Champions Music & Entertainment, trading as Champions (UK) plc, is a UK-headquartered entertainment booking agency founded in 2003 by John and Matthew Hayes. The company acts as an intermediary between event organisers and a roster of entertainers, musicians, singers, tribute acts, bands, DJs, comedians and celebrity talent, arranging bookings for corporate events, weddings, private parties, festivals, university events, cruises and cultural celebrations, and earning commission on each contracted engagement. The agency delivers across 66 countries through dedicated booking agents handling phone enquiries (0203 7934 042), a website-based enquiry system with budget selectors ranging from £1,000 to £100,000+, and direct client engagement of blue-chip corporations, educational institutions, event planners and individuals.

Operationally, Champions runs a sales-led model supported by a booking agency website and management platform (musicandbands.co.uk) with structured performer profiles, SEO-optimised category pages, a YouTube performance-video channel, social media presence, and email newsletters. The company reports over 100 staff and 125+ agents handling more than 2,500 bookings annually, with offices in Loughborough (headquarters) and Mayfair, London. Its commercial model is professional-services commission-based, with pricing negotiated per event rather than published.

Strategically, the company has invested in category leadership through TEAA "Booking Agency of the Year 2025," an exclusive 2026 deal with X Factor winners Rak-Su, ownership of the National Tribute Music Awards, and recognised appearances on The Sunday Times Fast Track 100 and The Telegraph's 1000 Britain's Brightest Businesses. No external funding rounds, AI capabilities, software modules, or technology integrations are disclosed; the business is a relationship-driven services agency rather than a software platform.

Name

Champions Music & Entertainment

Legal name

Champions (UK) plc

Website

https://musicandbands.co.uk

Company type

Public

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Champions Music & Entertainment is a UK-based entertainment booking agency, founded in 2003, that arranges bands, tribute acts, DJs, comedians and celebrity performers for corporate events, weddings, private parties, festivals and cruises across 66 countries on a commission basis.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Entertainment Booking Services

NAICS

Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures (711410), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Talent Booking Agencies (Live Performance) (MPAIAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Artist Booking, Talent Buying & Agency Services (MPAGAAAF), Live Music Booking (Bands, Soloists, DJs) (HSACAHAA)

Keywords

• Entertainment booking agency
• Live music booking
• Tribute act booking
• Wedding entertainment booking
• Corporate event entertainment

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology, Others

Revenue model

1. Entertainment Booking Commission: The company acts as a booking agency, arranging entertainment acts for events and earning commission on bookings. They contract directly with hirers and pay artists according to agreed terms, retaining their margin from the booking fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Champions Music & Entertainment is a multi-award-winning entertainment booking agency that arranges live entertainment acts — bands, musicians, tribute acts, DJs, comedians, headline talent-show contestants and unique performers — for corporate events, weddings, private parties, festivals, universities and cruises. The agency contracts directly with hirers, negotiates fees with performers, and earns commission on each confirmed booking, sourcing talent from its roster and industry relationships across 66 countries.

Product overview

Champions Music & Entertainment is a multi-award-winning entertainment booking agency (not a software product) that operates as a booking intermediary connecting clients with entertainers, musicians, singers, bands, DJs, comedians, and celebrity talent for events. Founded in 2003 and recognized as Booking Agency of the Year 2025 by The Entertainment Agents Association, the company offers access to talent across 66 countries. Their portfolio encompasses diverse entertainment categories including corporate entertainment, wedding entertainment, tribute acts (organized by decade), headline acts from talent shows, party bands, DJs, university entertainment, festival entertainment, comedy acts, unique specialty performers, world music, and seasonal Christmas entertainment. The company is not a software platform with modules or technical integrations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Corporate Entertainment Booking
• Wedding Entertainment Booking
• Tribute & Headline Act Booking
• Party & Cover Band Booking
• DJ Booking Service Booking service for party DJs, wedding DJs and famous DJs for corporate events, weddings and private celebrations.
• Festival Entertainment Booking Booking service supplying headline and supporting acts for music festivals, family festival entertainment and Pride Month celebrations.
• University Entertainment Booking Booking service for higher education institutions covering Freshers events, graduation ceremonies, proms and decade-themed headliners for student audiences.
• Comedy & Unique Acts Booking Booking service for comedians, impressionists and specialty performers including LED performers, stilt walkers, mirror men, magicians, dance acts and circus performers.
• Religious & Cultural Celebration Entertainment Booking service for Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah celebrations and other religious or cultural family events requiring family-friendly party entertainment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,500 bookings annually for events including weddings, parties, festivals and corporate events
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Ents24: UK-based live entertainment listings and ticketing platform that also surfaces artist booking information for events. Comparable to Champions as a UK-focused live-music intermediary connecting event organisers with performers, though operating more as a ticketing/discovery platform than a hands-on booking agency.
• Function Central: UK entertainment booking agency supplying bands, DJs, and performers for weddings, corporate events, and private parties. Directly comparable to Champions' core wedding and corporate entertainment segments with a similar commission-based agency model.
• Warble Entertainment: UK-based entertainment booking agency for bands, musicians, and performers for weddings and events. Directly comparable to Champions in the live music booking agency space, competing for the same UK wedding and private-party customer base.
• Tailored Entertainment: UK entertainment agency specialising in booking wedding bands, party bands, and tribute acts. Closely comparable to Champions' wedding and tribute segments with overlapping target customer (UK brides/corporate planners) and similar roster-based agency model.

Emerging players

• Encore Musicians: Online marketplace for booking musicians and bands for weddings and events in the UK. Competes with Champions in the same end-market via a self-serve, marketplace-style model that bypasses traditional agent-led booking flows.
• Gigmit: European online booking platform for live music talent that connects event organisers directly with artists. Comparable to Champions' B2B booking intermediary role but with a marketplace/tech-enabled model that threatens traditional agency economics.

Regional players

• Lastminute.com Stargazing: European event and entertainment booking service operated as part of Lastminute.com group. Comparable to Champions as a consumer-facing live entertainment booking intermediary across European markets, though with a different distribution model (OTA-adjacent).

Broad incumbents

• Creative Artists Agency (CAA): Global talent and entertainment agency representing artists across music, film, TV, and live performance. Comparable to Champions as a talent-booking agency, but operating at vastly larger scale and with broader service portfolio across geographies and verticals.
• WME (William Morris Endeavor): Global talent agency representing artists, musicians, and entertainers for live performances, tours, and appearances. Comparable to Champions in the live-music booking space but at much larger scale and with a wider international footprint and service offering.

Others

• Cruise Ship Entertainment Agencies (e.g., Vibe Music Agency): Specialist agencies supplying musicians, bands, and entertainment acts specifically for cruise lines. Comparable to Champions' cruise segment and represents both a competitor and potential channel partner in the niche cruise-ship entertainment vertical.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/ChampionsMusicEntertainment
• Xx.com/ChampsMusicEnt

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Champions Music & Entertainment