Who Actually Benefits from the AVN — Because It Is NOT The Porn Stars
The Adult Video News (AVN) Awards, often referred to as the “Oscars of Porn,” present themselves as a celebration of artistic and sexual expression, rewarding excellence in the adult entertainment industry. But beneath the surface, they function primarily as a mechanism of industry control, shaping perceptions, directing profits, and reinforcing hierarchies in ways that serve corporate power rather than the interests of the many women contributing to adult work.
Is it the creators? Is it the industry?
The adult industry, much like mainstream media, operates within a concentrated framework of ownership. A handful of major companies — MindGeek, Vixen Media Group, and a few others — control a disproportionate share of the content, distribution, and revenue. These entities are deeply intertwined with the AVN Awards, using the event as a means to shape industry norms, dictate market trends, and manufacture consent among performers.
By positioning the AVN Awards as a prestigious institution, the industry legitimizes itself while deflecting attention from deeper labor and exploitation concerns. The illusion of prestige — glamorous red carpets, acceptance speeches, and press coverage — functions as a form of ideological control, suggesting that success in this structure is not only possible but desirable. In reality, the performers who achieve this recognition represent a small fraction of the industry, often those most aligned with corporate interests.
Who Truly Benefits?
The AVN Awards claim to uplift performers, particularly women in the industry, but we must ask: Who reaps the primary benefits? While some individuals gain temporary visibility, the lasting economic and structural advantages largely flow to production companies, distributors, and advertisers. This mirrors the broader capitalist model where workers generate value, but the surplus is captured by those who own the means of production.
The awards also create a competitive environment in which performers must conform to certain marketable archetypes to be recognized. These archetypes — youthful, conventionally attractive, often racially coded — serve industry profitability more than the diversity of workers’ experiences. Thus, the AVN Awards do not celebrate the full spectrum of women in the industry; they celebrate those whose labor is most profitable to the industry’s dominant players.
The Role of Advertising and Corporate Influence
The AVN Awards function as an advertising spectacle, integrating sponsors and product placements throughout the event. Much like in mainstream media, the real power lies not in the performers receiving the awards, but in the corporations funding the event. Just as traditional journalism is compromised by corporate interests, the AVN Awards are structured to reinforce the existing economic order, ensuring that performers remain dependent on centralized platforms and studios rather than gaining true financial independence.
Even independent and amateur performers — those who utilize platforms like OnlyFans or cam sites — find themselves subject to the same mechanisms of control. The awards may include some of these figures, but only as long as they remain within the profitable confines of industry narratives. Those who challenge these narratives — by demanding better pay structures, speaking out against exploitation, or advocating for unionization — are rarely given the same platform.
Sex Work, Free Choice, and Structural Coercion
Proponents of the AVN Awards often frame them as empowering, arguing that they provide performers with recognition and agency. But this perspective assumes that participation in the adult industry is purely a matter of free choice, ignoring the structural coercion at play. Economic necessity, lack of alternative opportunities, and systemic inequalities often funnel women into precarious conditions within the industry.
The AVN Awards do not change these fundamental realities; they merely mask them. The framing of porn stardom as an aspirational goal distracts from the widespread issues of unpaid labor, workplace mistreatment, and financial precarity among adult performers. Like other labor sectors under capitalism, the industry relies on a steady supply of workers willing to endure unfavorable conditions in the hopes of upward mobility — a mobility that, for most, remains elusive.
- MindGeek (owns Pornhub, Brazzers, Reality Kings, etc.) reportedly makes over $500 million per year, with most of that revenue coming from ad sales, premium memberships, and data monetization.
- OnlyFans alone made over $5.5 billion in 2022, taking a 20% cut from performers’ earnings.
- Many performers earn high individual incomes, but the platform’s cut ensures that the biggest financial winners are the owners and investors, not the creators.
Studio Porn Companies (Vixen, Brazzers, Wicked, etc.)
- Pays performers per scene, usually between $500-$2,000 for women and $300-$1,500 for men.
- Meanwhile, a single scene can generate tens of thousands of dollars in revenue through sales, licensing, and ads over time.
- Major studios are estimated to bring in $100M+ annually while performers only see a small one-time payment for their work.
Award Shows & Events (AVN, XBIZ, etc.)
- AVN and XBIZ make their money from sponsors, ticket sales, and vendor booths.
- Big companies pay thousands to tens of thousands to sponsor the event and promote their brands.
- While performers may get recognition, most aren’t paid to attend and often have to fund their own travel.
Who Really Profits?
- Tech Platforms — Hosting and monetizing content while paying creators the least.
- Studios & Distributors — Paying low one-time fees for content that generates long-term revenue.
- Event Organizers & Award Shows — Using performers’ presence to attract sponsors and sell VIP access.
