Lionsgate Makes FreeWheel Exclusive Partner for FAST Channel Inventory
The Development
Lionsgate has appointed FreeWheel as the exclusive ad-serving partner across its nearly 30 U.S. FAST channels, including flagship MovieSphere and 50 Cent Action. The partnership makes Lionsgate's premium streaming inventory available to buyers through the FreeWheel SSP for direct or programmatic purchases via 1:1 deals and curated packages. Lionsgate operates over 40 channels globally, leveraging IP from franchises like John Wick, The Hunger Games, and Twilight. The move comes as FreeWheel data shows 43% of viewers watch FAST content, with 87% of FAST reach incremental to traditional TV campaigns. According to the same research, 53% of advertisers plan to allocate budget to FAST within six months. FreeWheel will now facilitate unified advertising decisions across all Lionsgate-branded U.S. FAST channels, consolidating what was previously a fragmented buying process.
Our Take
This exclusive deal reveals the FAST market's maturation problem: too many channels, too many entry points, too much friction for buyers. Lionsgate is betting that consolidating through one premium SSP will drive higher yields than spreading inventory across multiple platforms. They're probably right. As FAST proliferates, buyers increasingly want one-stop shopping rather than channel-by-channel negotiations. FreeWheel's positioning as the 'world's largest premium Connected TV marketplace' matters here—they're not just aggregating inventory, they're curating it. Expect more studios to follow this playbook, choosing SSP exclusivity over broad distribution. The winners will be platforms that can demonstrate not just reach, but premium positioning and buyer preference.
The Exploit
Action Item
If you're buying FAST inventory from multiple Lionsgate channels individually, consolidate those buys through FreeWheel SSP now to streamline operations and potentially access better package deals before Q1 planning cycles begin.