KevOnStage Signs Industry-Changing Deal With Tubi. What Does This Mean for the Future?
By: Isaac Laguer
Black people continue to transcend the game again. This past week, KevOnStage and Tubi announced what Deadline is calling Tubi’s most expansive creator partnership yet. Within this multi-year and multi-project partnership, KevOnStage Studios is set to produce two more seasons of their hit show Safe Space, a new scripted workplace comedy, original films, and KevOnStage’s first comedy special for a major streamer.
Not only is this deal great for KevOnStage by giving him stability, but it is also great for the industry. In a world where big corporations have more faith in franchises and already established IP, it’s refreshing to see streamers backing their creators. I believe this will not be the last time we see a deal like this.
We live in a world where anybody can be a creator with free platforms like YouTube and Tubi. Creators and smaller companies are starting to realize they can reach more people and have more control than they might on platforms like Netflix, HBO Max, etc.
The fact is, YouTube is quietly becoming the ultimate streamer. It is the one platform that connects the high-quality content consumers love from the paywall companies with the social aspect of platforms like X or Instagram. Add the fact that America’s favorite word is “free,” and there WAS no way to beat it.
The keyword in that sentence is “WAS.”
That is because until KevOnStage Studios signed this deal, creators were usually responsible for footing the bill themselves.
To dive into this deeper, let’s use Druski’s company, 4Lifers Entertainment, as an example. 4Lifers is Druski’s production company for quite literally every project he has made, from his skits to his YouTube shows. For this example, we’ll focus on shows like Could’ve Been Love and Could’ve Been Records.
In a podcast interview, Druski claimed to have spent almost $3 million on Could’ve Been Love alone and has also said he spends a lot on Could’ve Been Records. Although the other 5.53 million people subscribed to Druski on YouTube, and I think it’s worth the investment, going based on ad revenue alone, the return is hardly enough to break even if we’re talking from a business standpoint.
This is why creators put ads of their own in the videos to try and recoup the cost. And we all know when a video is filled with ads, we immediately turn off.
This is why I believe Tubi’s deal with KevOnStage is absolutely groundbreaking. Tubi is putting its trust in its creators by footing the bill so they can do what they do at the highest level possible while still maintaining their control.
I believe more creators should be given deals like this by free and creator-driven platforms. Now, I’m not saying every content creator should get a deal, but creators and companies that produce on the same level as KevOnStage Studios or 4Lifers Entertainment, even companies like MrBeast or AMP, should get deals that help foot the bill.
Because as my fellow producers know, this game is EXPENSIVE. It wouldn’t hurt to have a little support from the platforms we create content for.
