Alliance Entertainment Secures Exclusive Home Entertainment Rights to Heated Rivalry
Alliance Entertainment announced that its Alliance Home Entertainment division has secured the exclusive physical and electronic sell-through home entertainment rights to the Crave Original series, Heated Rivalry, from Sphere Abacus. Under the agreement, Alliance Home Entertainment will oversee the DVD, Blu-ray, and transactional digital release of Heated Rivalry - Season 1. The series will debut on digital transactional platforms in June 2026, followed by physical releases in Q4 2026. "Alliance Home Entertainment will collaborate closely with the series' creators to develop a range of premium, collection-worthy physical editions designed to meet the passion and expectations of Heated Rivalry's devoted fanbase," the company stated.
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- Industry Recognition: Three AMPED Distribution executives have been named in Billboard's 2026 Indie Power Players list, highlighting AMPED's influence and leadership in the independent music sector, which further solidifies its market share.
- Business Growth: AMPED experienced a 39% year-over-year revenue increase in the first nine months of fiscal 2026, driven by continued growth in physical music sales and expanding demand from independent retail channels, showcasing significant achievements in a competitive market.
- Strategic Positioning: AMPED's physical-first strategy distinguishes it within the independent music industry, especially as many competitors remain focused on digital streaming distribution, indicating the company's keen insight into market trends.
- Team Contribution: The recognition of AMPED executives reflects not only individual efforts but also the dedication of the entire team, enhancing the trust independent labels and artists place in AMPED, thereby driving the company's global business development.
- Exclusive Rights: Alliance Home Entertainment has secured exclusive physical and electronic sell-through rights for the first season of Heated Rivalry, set to debut on digital platforms in June 2026 and physical formats in Q4 2026, addressing high demand in the North American market.
- Premium Releases: The series will feature a range of high-end collectible editions with elevated packaging and exclusive content, aimed at engaging its passionate fanbase, thereby enhancing brand loyalty and driving sales.
- Market Potential: Based on Rachel Reid's bestselling book series, the show has demonstrated strong cross-platform momentum, with a notable resurgence in novel sales following the series premiere, indicating its long-term value in the premium home entertainment market.
- Strategic Partnership: The collaboration between Alliance and Sphere Abacus will integrate product development and market execution, ensuring a fan-driven release strategy that further solidifies Alliance's leadership position in the entertainment industry.
- Significant Revenue Growth: Alliance Entertainment reported a net revenue of $258 million for Q3, reflecting a 21% year-over-year increase, which underscores strong market demand and sales growth, further solidifying the company's position in the music and video markets.
- Net Income Improvement: The company achieved a net income of $2.3 million, up 25% from the previous year, demonstrating sustained profitability, although gross margin has declined, the overall financial performance remains robust.
- Strong Product Line Performance: Vinyl revenue increased by 15% to $99 million, CD revenue surged by 90% to $39 million, and collectibles revenue grew by 48% year-over-year, indicating success in the company's diversified product offerings.
- Cautious Future Outlook: Despite the positive overall performance, gross margin decreased from 13.6% to 12.8%, and adjusted EBITDA grew only 4%, highlighting pressures from rising costs, necessitating close attention to market changes and leadership transitions affecting the business.
- Significant Revenue Growth: Alliance Entertainment reported net revenue of $258 million for Q3 2026, marking a 21% year-over-year increase, which underscores the company's strong performance in the collectibles market and solidifies its position in the industry.
- Enhanced Profitability: The net income rose by 25% to $2.3 million, with adjusted EBITDA reaching $5.1 million, reflecting targeted investments in technology and platform capabilities that have bolstered profitability and financial flexibility.
- Product Line Expansion: CEO Walker emphasized the company's efforts to expand its collectibles business through the launch of Alliance Authentic and Endstate, with multiple new product announcements expected in the near future, which will further drive revenue growth and enhance market competitiveness.
- Optimistic Market Outlook: Although management did not provide formal guidance, Walker expressed confidence in future developments, focusing on high-value collectibles and brand expansion, indicating the company's pursuit of long-term growth opportunities in a rapidly changing market.

- Strategic Brand Transformation: Alliance Entertainment is repositioning Movies Unlimited from a traditional retailer to a collector-centric brand platform, aiming to enhance gross margins and customer lifetime value through high-value collector behaviors, thereby achieving sustainable long-term growth.
- Value Creation Model: The new platform focuses on high-value behaviors such as preorders and limited editions, which are expected to increase average order value and repeat purchase rates, thereby strengthening competitive advantages over traditional retail models.
- Enhanced Personalization: The Movies Unlimited website integrates AI-enhanced discovery systems that provide personalized recommendations and adaptive merchandising, aimed at improving customer service efficiency and responsiveness, thus enhancing user experience.
- Expansion Potential and Capital Efficiency: The platform offers a repeatable framework for launching proprietary products and IP-focused fan destinations, leveraging shared merchandising, technology, and fulfillment infrastructure to minimize incremental fixed investment and improve return on invested capital.
- Limited Release: Alliance Entertainment is set to launch a limited edition of 2,000 Ozzy Osbourne figures on April 18, 2026, exclusively available at independent record stores, aiming to enhance the celebration of independent music retail and attract significant collector interest.
- Market Opportunity: This release marks the debut collaboration between Alliance Entertainment and Handmade by Robots, indicating the company's expansion into music-related products, with plans to introduce new series for every Record Store Day, thereby enhancing brand influence.
- Product Innovation: The Ozzy figure features Handmade by Robots' signature 'knit-look' design, crafted from high-quality vinyl for durability and display appeal, which is expected to attract a broad consumer base and drive sales growth.
- Strategic Expansion: Since acquiring Handmade by Robots in December 2024, Alliance has rapidly expanded the brand's retail footprint and licensing pipeline, with upcoming releases featuring characters from major franchises like Sanrio and Jurassic World, further solidifying its leadership in the entertainment collectibles market.







