I'm more than a shade disappointed that Luke hasn't taken time out to look at the potential fallout from this deal...who are AVN's biggest advertisers? Hustler/VCA and Vivid.
Vivid already have an upcoming legal beef with Playboy over money they are owed from their TV deal...do you think they will want to be indirectly subsidising Playboy's legal defence or any counter-action, whilst also running the risk of a retaliatory critical shitpanning and/or blackout in the pages of AVN?
I would guess no.
Same again...is Larry Flynt going to want to help one of his biggest competitors (in various different markets) get rich? No again.
If this story is true (and that's a
big if until it's confirmed), then I think XBiz (or perhaps some yet-to-be seen third party) will stand to do very nicely out of the whole thing on an 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend' basis.