Your team has a prototype training bag from its supplier in China and a credential for a tournament. Before booking a camera crew, send the organizer the shot that opens the campaign. A coach demonstrating the bag in a controlled space and an athlete using it before a match tell two different stories. The access needed for each is different, too.
Separate the program from the permissions
On November 2, 2026, the WTA’s official announcement of its partnership with TikTok described three distinct opportunities: a planned exclusive draw ceremony livestream on TikTok, GamePlan hubs for eligible tournaments, and creator access through the WTA Creator Club. The release describes the partnership. It does not specify a sponsor’s filming permissions or the advertising rights that come with an individual creator’s access.
Run the ONCE shot clearance check
Give the producer one row for each shot the edit cannot do without. Write what the shot must show, which crew and equipment can enter the location, when they can record, exactly where and how the resulting clip can run, and what replaces it if permission falls through. Record who confirms each item. Spell out the intended territory, term and use: the creator’s post, a brand ad, and a cut sent to retail partners are different requests. Have the people responsible for access and usage check the same row before committing the crew.
For the training bag, suppose the ad needs to show where a wet towel goes. A contracted coach can demonstrate the separate compartment in a cleared training space, provided the sample and final product match. The sourcing team can verify that before the shoot. If the promise is instead that a named athlete used the bag at the tournament, the coach’s demo cannot substitute for it. Secure the approvals that support the claim or change the brief.
Quote the event footage as a decision
Ask for a base edit built from cleared material and a separately priced option for the shots that require event access. Set a clearance deadline and agree what costs are due if access is pulled. Give the brand a short alternate script it can approve before travel. The production budget should follow the story: spend for access when the event itself supplies evidence the audience needs. For the wider campaign, see ONCE’s video production services.
