• by Wayne Friedman , January 29, 2024

With FAST channels continuing to gain steam -- as well as more interest in sports content -- Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment has struck a deal with Fuel TV -- a company focused on “action sports” -- to create new paid and ad-free streaming channels.

Content from Chicken Soup and Fuel TV will start up across Fuel TV Surf and Fuel TV Snow, as well Fuel TV Skate and Fuel TV Bike channels. 

Fuel TV, which started up in 2003, focuses exclusively on the action sports of surf, skate, snow, BMX, mountain biking and other genres and lifestyle programming.

Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment owns subscription main streaming advertising video-on-demand platforms -- Redbox, Crackle, and Chicken Soup for the Soul.

Fuel TV will run and operate the channels. Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment will contribute 1091 action sports titles, and its Crackle Connex unit will sell the ad inventory.

Chicken Soup also operates Redbox Free Live TV, a free ad-supported streaming television service (FAST) with nearly 180 FAST channels, and 29,000 U.S. kiosks for DVD rentals. 

For the 12-month period ended September 2023, Chicken Soup posted revenue of $368.8 million.

In its most recent quarter, it posted revenue of $65.7 million and a net loss of $429.8 million.