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Organization and Basis of Presentation | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Organization and Basis of Presentation | 1. Organization and Basis of Presentation Organization TheMaven, Inc. (the “Maven” or “Company”), was incorporated as Integrated Surgical Systems, Inc. (“Integrated”), in Delaware on October 1, 1990. On July 22, 2016, Amplify Media, Inc. was incorporated in Delaware and on July 27, 2016, it changed its name to Amplify Media Network, Inc. (“Amplify Media Network”). Amplify Media Network changed its name again on October 14, 2016 to TheMaven Network, Inc. (“TheMaven Network”). On October 11, 2016, Integrated and TheMaven Network entered into a share exchange agreement, whereby the stockholders of TheMaven Network agreed to exchange all of the then issued and outstanding shares of common stock for shares of common stock of Integrated. On November 4, 2016, the parties consummated a recapitalization pursuant to the share exchange agreement and, as a result, TheMaven Network become a wholly owned subsidiary of Integrated. Integrated changed its name to TheMaven, Inc. on December 2, 2016. On March 5, 2018, TheMaven Network changed its name to Maven Coalition, Inc. (“Maven Coalition 1”). For additional information, see Note 20. On December 19, 2019, the Company’s wholly owned subsidiaries Maven Coalition 1, and HubPages, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“HubPages”), were merged into another of the Company’s wholly owned subsidiaries, Say Media, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Say Media”), with Say Media as the surviving corporation. On January 6, 2020, Say Media changed its name to Maven Coalition, Inc. (“Coalition”). Unless the context indicates otherwise, Maven, Coalition, HubPages, (as described in Note 3), Say Media (as described in Note 3), TheStreet, Inc. (“TheStreet”) (as described in Note 3), are together hereinafter referred to as the “Company.” Business Operations The Company operates a best-in-class technology platform empowering premium publishers who impact, inform, educate, and entertain. The Company operates a significant portion of the media businesses for Sports Illustrated (as defined below) and owns and operates TheStreet, and power more than 250 independent brands including History, Maxim, and Biography. The Maven technology platform provides digital publishing, distribution, and monetization capabilities for the Sports Illustrated and TheStreet businesses as well as a coalition of independent, professionally managed online media publishers (referred to as the “Channel Partner(s)” or the “Maven(s)”). Each Channel Partner joins the media-coalition by invitation-only and is drawn from premium media brands, professional journalists, subject matter experts, and social leaders. Mavens publish content and oversee an online community for their respective channels, leveraging a proprietary technology platform to engage the collective audiences within a single network. Generally, Mavens are independently owned, strategic partners who receive a share of revenue from the interaction with their content. When they join, the Company believes Mavens will benefit from the proprietary technology of the Company’s platform, techniques, and relationships. Advertising revenue may improve due to the scale the Company has achieved by combining all Mavens onto a single platform and the large and experienced sales organization. They may also benefit from the Company’s membership marketing and management systems, which the Company believes will enhance their revenue. Additionally, the Company believes the lead brand within each vertical creates a halo benefit for all Mavens in the vertical while each of them adds to the breadth and quality of content. While they benefit from these critical performance improvements they also save substantially in costs of technology, infrastructure, advertising sales, and member marketing and management. The Company’s growth strategy is to continue to expand the coalition by adding new Mavens in key verticals that management believes will expand the scale of unique users interacting on the Company’s technology platform. In each vertical, the Company seeks to build around a leading brand, such as Sports Illustrated (for sports) and TheStreet (for finance), surround it with subcategory Maven specialists, and further enhance coverage with individual expert contributors. The primary means of expansion is adding independent Mavens and/or acquiring publishers that have premium branded content and can broaden the reach and impact of the Company’s technology platform. In June 2019, the Company entered into a licensing agreement (the “Initial Licensing Agreement”) with ABG-SI LLC (“ABG”), as amended by Amendment No. 1 to Licensing Agreement, dated September 1, 2019 (the “First Amendment”), Amendment No. 2 to Licensing Agreement, dated April 1, 2020 (the “Second Amendment”), and Amendment No. 3 to Licensing Agreement, dated July 28, 2020 (the “Third Agreement” and, together with the Initial Licensing Agreement, First Amendment, and Second Amendment, the “Sports Illustrated Licensing Agreement”) to license certain Sports Illustrated (“Sports Illustrated”) brands as part of its growth strategy. In August 2019, the Company acquired TheStreet. For addition information, see Note 3. The Company’s common stock is quoted on the OTC Markets Group Inc.’s Pink Open Market under the symbol “MVEN”. Seasonality The Company experiences typical media company advertising and membership sales seasonality, which is strong in the fiscal fourth quarter and slower in the fiscal first quarter. Going Concern The Company performed an annual reporting period going concern assessment. Management is required to assess its ability to continue as a going concern. This Annual Report has been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern, which contemplates the realization of assets and the liquidation of liabilities in the normal course of business. These consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might be necessary if it is unable to continue as a going concern. The Company has a history of recurring losses. The Company’s recurring losses from operations and net capital deficiency have been evaluated by management to determine if the significance of those conditions or events would limit its ability to meet its obligations when due. The operating loss realized in fiscal 2019 was primarily a result of a marketing investment in customer growth, together with investments in people and technology as the Company continued to expand its operations, and operations rapidly expanding during fiscal 2019 with the acquisition of TheStreet and the Sports Illustrated Licensing Agreement for certain Sports Illustrated brands. The operating loss realized in fiscal 2018 was primarily a result of investments in people, infrastructure for the Company’s technology platform, and operations rapidly expanding during fiscal 2018 with the acquisitions of HubPages and Say Media, along with continued costs based on the strategic growth plans in other verticals. As reflected in these consolidated financial statements, the Company had revenues of $53,343,310 for the year ended December 31, 2019, and experienced recurring net losses from operations, negative working capital, and negative operating cash flows. During the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company incurred a net loss attributable to common stockholders of $38,501,369, utilized cash in operating activities of $56,954,306, and as of December 31, 2019, had an accumulated deficit of $73,041,323. The Company has financed its working capital requirements since inception through the issuance of debt and equity securities. In 2020 and continuing into 2021, the Company has also been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many national governments and sports authorities around the world have made the decision to postpone/cancel high attendance sports events in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19. In addition, many governments and businesses have limited non-essential work activity, furloughed, and/or terminated many employees and closed some operations and/or locations, all of which has had a negative impact on the economic environment. As a result of these factors, the Company experienced a decline in traffic, advertising revenue, and earnings since early March 2020, due to the cancellation of high attendance sports events and the resulting decrease in traffic to the technology platform and advertising revenue. The Company has implemented cost reduction measures in an effort to offset its revenue and earnings declines, while experiencing increased cash flows by growth in digital subscriptions. The extent of the impact on the Company’s operational and financial performance will depend on future developments, including the duration and spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, related group gathering and sports event advisories and restrictions, and the extent and effectiveness of containment actions taken, all of which remain uncertain at the time of issuance of these consolidated financial statements. Management has evaluated whether relevant conditions or events, considered in the aggregate, raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. Substantial doubt exists when conditions and events, considered in the aggregate, indicate it is probable that a company will not be able to meet its obligations as they become due within one year after the issuance date of its financial statements. Management’s assessment is based on the relevant conditions that are known or reasonably knowable as of the date these consolidated financial statements were issued or were available to be issued. Management’s assessment of the Company’s ability to meet its future obligations is inherently judgmental, subjective, and susceptible to change. The factors that the Company considered important in its going concern analysis, include, but are not limited to, its fiscal 2021 cash flow forecast and its fiscal 2021 operating budget. Management also considered the Company’s ability to repay its convertible debt through future equity and the implementation of cost reduction measures in effect to offset revenue and earnings declines from COVID-19. These factors consider information including, but not limited to, the Company’s financial condition, liquidity sources, obligations due within one year after the issuance date of these consolidated financial statements, the funds necessary to maintain operations and financial conditions, including negative financial trends or other indicators of possible financial difficulty. In particular, the Company’s plan for the: (1) 2021 cash flow forecast, considered the use of its working capital line with FastPay (as described in Note 28 to fund changes in working capital, where the Company has available credit of approximately $8.7 million as of the issuance date of these consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2019, and that the Company does not anticipate the need for any further borrowings that are subject to the holders approval, from its Term Note (as described in Note 28) where the Company may be permitted to borrow up to an additional $5 million; and (2) 2021 operating budget, considered that approximately sixty-five percent of the Company’s revenue is from recurring subscriptions, generally paid in advance, and that digital subscription revenue, that accounts for approximately thirty percent of subscription revenue, grew approximately thirty percent in 2020 demonstrating the strength of its premium brand, and the plan to continue to grow its subscription revenue from its 2019 acquisition of TheStreet (as described in Note 3) and to launch premium digital subscriptions from its Sports Illustrated licensed brands (as described in Note 3), in January 2021. The Company has considered both quantitative and qualitative factors as part of the assessment that are known or reasonably knowable as of the date these consolidated financial statements were issued or were available to be issued and concluded that conditions and events considered in the aggregate, do not raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a one-year period following the financial statement issuance date. Reclassifications Certain comparative amounts as of and for the year ended December 31, 2018 have been reclassified to conform to the current period’s presentation. These reclassifications were immaterial, both individually and in the aggregate. These changes did not impact previously reported loss from operations or net loss.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for the general note to the financial statements for the reporting entity which may include, descriptions of the basis of presentation, business description, significant accounting policies, consolidations, reclassifications, new pronouncements not yet adopted and changes in accounting principles. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2197479 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 275 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2134479 Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 250 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2122394 Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2122369 + Details
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