Maximum Fun
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
Maximum Fun firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Maximum Fun
- Legal name
- Maximum Fun Media Cooperative Corp.
- Website
- https://maximumfun.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Maximum Fun industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Independent Podcast Network
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Podcast Hosting & Enterprise Solutions (Private/Branded Podcasts) (MPACADAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Creator Tools & Monetization Platforms (Podcasts/Audio) (MPAIADAG), Podcast Ad Sales Networks & Monetization Platforms (MPACADAD)
Keywords
Where Maximum Fun is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Maximum Fun business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Membership/Subscriber Revenue: The vast majority of revenue comes from Maximum Fun Members who pay monthly subscriptions. Direct support from the audience is the primary funding mechanism, with membership described as the core revenue driver for both individual shows and the worker-owned cooperative.
- Advertising/Sponsorship: Advertising revenue is supplementary income. Rates begin at a few hundred dollars per spot on an episode. Packages are available for multi-episode buys across almost all shows. Bullseye with Jesse Thorn advertising is coordinated through NPR.
- One-time Contributions: Non-members can make one-time contributions to support the network. Options exist for both members and non-members to contribute outside of recurring subscriptions.
- Jumbotron Sales: Personal or promotional messages can be purchased for upcoming episodes, providing an additional revenue stream.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Standard Monthly Membership |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | One-time Contribution |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Advertising Spots |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Maximum Fun product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Maximum Fun is a worker-owned cooperative podcast network that produces and distributes a portfolio of artist-owned comedy and entertainment podcasts, including The Adventure Zone, My Brother My Brother and Me, Go Fact Yourself, Mission to Zyxx, and Dead Pilots Society. Its primary funding comes from listener memberships at approximately $5/month, supplemented by advertising, one-time contributions, Jumbotron message purchases, merchandise sales, and live shows.
Product overview
Maximum Fun operates as a worker-owned cooperative podcast network offering a portfolio of distinct branded shows supported by audience membership. The core offering is the Maximum Fun Podcast Network, which distributes multiple podcast shows including The Adventure Zone, My Brother My Brother and Me, Go Fact Yourself, Mission to Zyxx, Dead Pilots Society, Story Break, Round Springfield, and Valley Heat. The network's business model centers on direct audience support through monthly memberships and one-time contributions, supplemented by advertising and merchandise sales. Additional products include Jumbotron message purchases, bonus exclusive content (BoCo), live show events, episode transcripts, and a merchandise store. The network functions as a platform-and-modules architecture where the core network distributes content while membership, merchandise, and live experiences serve as supplementary revenue streams.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Maximum Fun Podcast Network A worker-owned cooperative network of artist-owned podcasts supported directly by member contributions. Distributes multiple comedy and entertainment shows and is funded primarily via listener memberships.
- Maximum Fun Membership Monthly recurring membership (starting at approximately $5/month) that provides listeners with bonus content, exclusive episodes, ad-free or early access experiences, and direct support for the worker-owned cooperative.
- Jumbotron A one-time purchase option that lets supporters have personal or promotional messages featured in upcoming podcast episodes of Maximum Fun shows.
- One-Time Contribution A non-recurring contribution option allowing non-members and supporters to make one-time financial contributions to the network without committing to a monthly subscription.
- MaxFun Merch Store E-commerce store selling branded apparel and promotional merchandise for the Maximum Fun network and its shows.
- Live Shows In-person and virtual live podcast recordings featuring Maximum Fun shows, including Go Fact Yourself and Dead Pilots Society, recorded before live audiences in Los Angeles and Pasadena.
- The Adventure Zone Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying podcast featuring the McElroy family (Justin, Travis, Griffin, and Clint) playing tabletop RPG campaigns, including seasons titled Graduation, Ethersea, Abnimals, and Royale.
- My Brother, My Brother and Me (MBMBaM) Weekly advice podcast hosted by the McElroy brothers (Justin, Travis, and Griffin) answering listener questions with comedic wisdom.
- Go Fact Yourself Game show podcast where co-hosts J. Keith van Straaten and Helen Hong quiz celebrities on topics they claim expertise in, recorded before a live audience.
- Dead Pilots Society Podcast where unproduced TV pilot scripts receive live table reads, presented by Andrew Reich and Ben Blacker with professional actors and live audiences.
- Valley Heat Comedy podcast following freelance insurance adjuster Doug Duguay investigating suspicious activities in Burbank's Rancho Equestrian District.
- Podcast Advertising / Sponsorship Spots Advertising spots on Maximum Fun shows (Bullseye advertising coordinated through NPR's National Public Media), priced starting at a few hundred dollars per spot, with multi-episode packages available across almost all shows.
Quantifiable outcome
- Majority of revenue comes directly from audience members
Companies that use Maximum Fun
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Maximum Fun technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration8 records
Maximum Fun partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- NPRcoreFor advertising on Bullseye with Jesse Thorn, listeners and advertisers are referred to NPR's National Public Media for coordination. Bullseye is distributed through Maximum Fun but advertising is managed through NPR's advertising infrastructure.
- RecurlycoreRecurly handles all payment processing for Maximum Fun, managing monthly subscriptions, payment reminders, and processing ongoing payments. They are PCI-DSS Level 1 compliant and recognized on the Visa Global Registry of Service Providers.
- SimplecastcoreSimplecast provides podcast hosting and distribution infrastructure for Maximum Fun shows, enabling streaming and downloading of episodes across platforms.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Maximum Fun competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- iHeartPodcasts: Broad incumbent operating one of the largest podcast networks with hundreds of shows across genres. Overlaps with Maximum Fun's content categories but competes from a vastly larger distribution and ad-sales footprint.
- Stitcher: Former independent podcast network and app (now part of SiriusXM) that produced and distributed original shows. Comparable historical positioning to Maximum Fun as an indie podcast network before scaling via acquisition.
Direct peers
- Relay FM: Founder-led, listener-supported podcast network of independent tech and culture shows. Closest analog to Maximum Fun in business model (direct member subscriptions, no VC), scale (small team), and programming approach (curated slate of artist/host-led shows).
- Wondery: Major podcast network (now Amazon) producing a diverse slate of branded narrative and entertainment shows. Comparable as a multi-show podcast network, though at materially larger scale and with corporate ownership.
- Gimlet Media: Original independent podcast network (now Spotify) known for a curated slate of high-quality narrative and culture shows. Comparable as a portfolio-style podcast network, though now backed by a large platform owner.
- Headgum: Independent comedy podcast network of artist-owned shows, similar in programming focus and independent, non-corporate ethos to Maximum Fun.
- Radiotopia (from PRX): Public-radio-affiliated podcast network of independent, creator-driven shows supported by listener donations. Comparable as a mission-driven, donor/membership-supported indie podcast network with a curated show portfolio.
- Earwolf: Comedy-focused podcast network (now part of SiriusXM) hosting multiple artist-led shows with an emphasis on personalities and live events. Directly comparable content mix (comedy, pop culture) to Maximum Fun's flagship slate.
- The Incomparable: Member-supported podcast network focused on pop culture and entertainment, financed primarily through annual subscriptions. Mirrors Maximum Fun's membership-first, no-ads-required model for a niche audience.
- Crooked Media: Independent podcast network built around original creator-led shows (Pod Save America, etc.) with both ad revenue and direct listener support via founding memberships. Comparable as an indie network monetizing through ads + listener contributions.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Maximum Fun social profiles
Digital presenceMaximum Fun compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Maximum Fun financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Maximum Fun leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Maximum Fun funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Maximum Fun 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 Maximum Fun
What does Maximum Fun do?
Maximum Fun is a worker-owned cooperative podcast network that produces and distributes a portfolio of artist-owned comedy and entertainment podcasts, including The Adventure Zone, My Brother My Brother and Me, Go Fact Yourself, Mission to Zyxx, and Dead Pilots Society. Its primary funding comes from listener memberships at approximately $5/month, supplemented by advertising, one-time contributions, Jumbotron message purchases, merchandise sales, and live shows.
Is Maximum Fun a public or private company?
Maximum Fun is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Maximum Fun founded?
Maximum Fun was founded in 2011. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Maximum Fun based?
Maximum Fun is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does Maximum Fun make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership/Subscriber Revenue is the primary driver. The others are advertising/Sponsorship, one-time Contributions and jumbotron Sales.
Who are Maximum Fun's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are iHeartPodcasts and Stitcher. Direct peers are Relay FM, Wondery, Gimlet Media, Headgum, Radiotopia (from PRX), Earwolf, The Incomparable and Crooked Media.
Does Maximum Fun have an API?
No public API is recorded for Maximum Fun.
What industry is Maximum Fun in?
Maximum Fun's product category is Independent Podcast Network. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPACADAF, Podcast Hosting & Enterprise Solutions (Private/Branded Podcasts), with a secondary code of MPAIADAG, Creator Tools & Monetization Platforms (Podcasts/Audio). Its SIC code is 7900.