A weird rumor started floating around Tumblr yesterday, stating that Steven Universe barely makes Cartoon Network any money. The source blog was originally amethirstyperidrunk, but it has since been deleted. Interesting, considering the bold claims the user was making in the post.
As of the making of this BCB post, the Tumblr post has gathered over 7,000 notes, which is a fair amount. But I believe the lack of evidence on the post quickly caused it to lose steam - and perhaps resulted in unwanted attention for the original poster.
Yes, some Cartoon Network shows have been cancelled in the past. Shows like Young Justice were cancelled because of low toy sales. But I've seen plenty of places be sold out or have low stock of SU merch due to fans being eager to get their hands on anything Steven Universe related. Sure, some of the SU stuff is weird, but overall the merch sales seem to be great. And Steven was just featured in the new Cartoon Network Battle Crashers game. I don't think that would be happening if CN was looking to can the show, now would it?
I mean, take a look at the ratings for sales of The Answer on Amazon.
#30 in Books > Children's Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction
#31 in Books > Children's Books > Growing Up & Facts of Life > Friendship, Social Skills & School Life > Emotions & Feelings
#116 in Books > Children's Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy & Magic
Not too shabby! And that's just one type of merch. Anything from Hot Topic or Toys R Us or the Cartoon Network Shop or Target is officially licensed and helps keep the show on the air. Ratings for a show can be awesome, but they aren't what brings in money. Leaks are not going to drive the show into the ground, because we'll still be buying the merch and the episodes on DVD or off of iTunes.
Not to mention, shows of the same caliber as Steven Universe, such as Adventure Time and Regular Show (which also both share the 11 minute format that SU does), are on their respective 7th and 8th seasons. Regular show is now ending on it's 8th, and Adventure Time will be ending on its 9th. Neither were cancelled, and both have had great 5+ year runs so far.
So, if you see that post going around, because it's still circulating, it seems to be pretty baseless. Lack of episodes re-airing or some episodes being censored overseas doesn't really affect toy or episode sales. That's where money is, not in the ratings. And censored or not, no matter where fans live in the world, if merch is provided, it'll be bought.
The reason to not look at spoilers or leaks is because it could ruin the perfectly crafted story Sugar and the Crewniverse have laid out for us. That's all. If you have cable, do watch the show live. If you want SU merch, get it! Support the show in every official way you can, because we do want to see it stick around for a long time.
Lastly, a few words from CN intern MKatwood:
Prefacing this by saying this is my personal opinion and not that of my employer.
Some people have been asking me (since i work at CN) if I think this is true and like as far as I know… no, not at all? Leaks and spoilers are so, so incredibly insignificant to executives, they have basically no impact on viewership at all. Steven Universe’s fanbase has grown exponentially in the past few years and it’s become a huge show that CN pours lots of resources into. All the analytics and general opinion of SU at Cartoon Network are positive, it has come into its own and is one of CN’s biggest properties right now.
As far as the serialized nature of the show, Cartoon Network knew what Steven Universe was when they picked it up. There’s not any considerations you can make that they didn’t account for when they chose SU from the hundreds of pitches they get every year. And the way people consume television is changing, so CN is adapting. The serialized nature of Steven Universe makes it perfect for binge-watching sessions which is how people watch TV now (this is also the reason behind the bomb format)
SU is making plenty of money, it’s doing really fine. Cartoon Network has decades of experience in kid’s television. They’re owned by a billion dollar corporation. They aren’t in any financial trouble. They renewed it through season 5. I’m all for encouraging people to watch the show live and support the show, but this feels like fear-mongering without any source at all.
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