Complex Networks
Complex Networks is a U.S. youth-culture media and entertainment company built around Complex's coverage of style, sneakers, music, sports, food, and popular culture.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Complex Networks is an American media and entertainment company focused on youth culture and the intersection of streetwear, sneakers, music, sports, food, entertainment, and popular culture. Its roots are in Complex magazine, a bi-monthly print publication founded in 2002 by fashion designer and Ecko Unltd. founder Marc Eckō. The original concept combined the visual attitude of streetwear and hip-hop with the consumer-guide structure associated with Japanese men's magazines. The publication used a distinctive split format that paired conventional editorial material with shopping-oriented recommendations. The business expanded from print into a digital publishing network during the late 2000s. In 2007, it began developing a group of online properties, including NahRight, Nice Kicks, SlamxHype, and MoeJackson. Complex Media was formally launched that year to develop the digital opportunity more systematically. The company subsequently built or acquired specialist brands covering music, sneakers, menswear, food, film, and entertainment. Notable additions and launches included Pigeons & Planes, Four Pins, Sneaker Report, First We Feast, Do Androids Dance, Sole Collector, and Collider. Several of these properties were later integrated into Complex or transferred to new owners as the portfolio evolved. Complex became increasingly dependent on digital video, social distribution, original programming, and advertiser-funded content. Complex TV launched in 2012 as an online platform for original shows, followed by Complex News in 2013. The company also developed branded editorial and video programs for major advertisers and partnered with companies including Mountain Dew, Bacardi, Dr Pepper, Adidas, Nike, McDonald's, Ford, Apple, AT&T, Toyota, Gillette, Levi's, and others. Complex's media model therefore combined editorial publishing, advertising, branded entertainment, commerce, events, licensing, and platform distribution. The print magazine ceased publication after its December 2016/January 2017 issue, completing the shift toward digital media and experiences. Complex TV programming later received distribution through Fuse under the Complex x Fuse banner, while the company also expanded into podcasts, e-commerce, and live events. The Complex Shop, launched in 2019, offered products from numerous apparel and streetwear brands alongside Complex merchandise and collaborations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, ComplexLand provided a virtual replacement for its physical events, using an interactive digital environment that connected entertainment, retail, and content. ComplexCon became one of the company's most important experiential properties. Launched in 2016 in partnership with ReedPop, the festival combines music, fashion, art, food, technology, commerce, and panels in a large-scale celebration of global street culture. Its first edition took place in Long Beach, California, and later editions also used Chicago and digital formats. The event helped position Complex as more than a publisher: it became a platform where brands, artists, designers, collectors, and audiences could meet and transact. Ownership changed several times. In 2016, Complex became part of a joint venture between Verizon and Hearst. Verizon later shut down the go90 service in 2018 after the platform failed to meet expectations. BuzzFeed announced the acquisition of Complex Networks in 2021. In 2024, NTWRK acquired Complex Networks from BuzzFeed for a reported $108 million, according to the cited reference material. Under NTWRK, Complex continues to combine media, commerce, and experiential marketing, with ComplexCon providing an especially visible connection between editorial influence and cultural events. The company remains associated with a large digital and social audience, original video franchises, sneaker and streetwear coverage, podcasts, and cultural programming.
History
Complex Networks began in 2002 as Complex magazine, founded by Marc Eckō, the creator of the Ecko Unltd. streetwear brand. The publication was conceived for young men interested in hip-hop, fashion, and popular culture, while deliberately presenting those subjects across racial and cultural boundaries. Its name developed from the phrase “Ecko.complex,” used in promotion for an Ecko website. The magazine's editorial design drew from both American men's magazines and Japanese consumer publications, combining traditional articles with shopping guides. Its recognizable double-sided and split-format covers helped distinguish it in the crowded magazine market. In 2005, publishing executive Rich Antoniello joined the business, and Noah Callahan-Bever, previously associated with Vibe, became an important editorial leader. Complex became profitable by 2006, enabling the company to invest more heavily in the internet. In 2007, it soft-launched a group of websites that included NahRight, Nice Kicks, SlamxHype, and MoeJackson. Complex Media was formally established later that year to organize and monetize the expanding digital portfolio. The digital strategy accelerated during the early 2010s. Complex acquired Pigeons & Planes in 2011 and launched or developed properties such as Four Pins, Sneaker Report, First We Feast, and Do Androids Dance. It acquired Sole Collector in 2013, strengthening its position in sneaker culture, and purchased Collider in 2015 before selling Collider in 2018. Do Androids Dance was subsequently merged into Complex, while Four Pins was closed. This portfolio approach allowed Complex to address distinct communities while selling advertisers access to a broader youth audience. Advertising and branded content became central to the company. Complex worked with consumer brands including Nike, Adidas, McDonald's, Apple, Ford, AT&T, Toyota, Gillette, Levi's, Dr Pepper, and PepsiCo's Mountain Dew. The Mountain Dew partnership produced Green Label, a branded entertainment and culture site staffed by Complex editorial personnel. In this period, the company increasingly operated like a hybrid publisher and creative agency, producing editorial-style articles, videos, and campaigns for brand partners. It also raised outside capital, including a 2009 financing round reported at $12.8 million from Accel Partners and Austin Ventures and a 2013 round reported at $25 million from Iconix Brand Group. Complex TV launched in 2012 as an online home for original programming. Complex News followed in 2013, and the company later distributed content through partners such as Pluto TV. Its video strategy expanded substantially, with the company shifting much of its content investment toward online video and developing numerous shows for YouTube and other platforms. Podcasts were added in 2019 through a collaboration with Acast, including programs focused on film and pop culture, sports culture, and sneaker history. The company also expanded beyond publishing. ComplexCon, launched in 2016 with ReedPop, brought together fashion, sneakers, art, music, food, technology, panels, and commerce. The first event was held at the Long Beach Convention Center and attracted approximately 35,000 attendees according to the reference material. Later editions included a Chicago event and further Long Beach festivals. During the pandemic, Complex created ComplexLand, a virtual five-day festival where users could explore digital shops, watch programming, and order physical products. The print magazine ended with the December 2016/January 2017 issue. That transition reflected the wider transformation of the business from magazine publisher to digital media and experiential platform. In April 2016, Complex became part of Verizon Hearst Media Partners, a joint venture intended to build digital brands for millennial and Generation Z audiences. The company's relationship with Verizon's go90 service ended when Verizon announced the service's closure in 2018. Ownership changed again in 2021, when BuzzFeed announced its acquisition of Complex Networks. In 2024, NTWRK acquired the company from BuzzFeed for a reported $108 million. The transaction connected Complex's editorial and event assets with NTWRK's commerce and streetwear orientation. Following the acquisition, Aaron Levant's organization reinstated Noah Callahan-Bever as chief content officer and promoted Aria Hughes to editor-in-chief, according to the supplied reference material. ComplexCon also expanded internationally, with its first edition in Hong Kong in 2024. Complex Networks' current identity is therefore a combination of media publisher, video producer, commerce platform, cultural event organizer, and branded-content partner.
- 2024
NTWRK acquires Complex Networks
[1]NTWRK purchases Complex Networks from BuzzFeed for a reported $108 million.
- 2024
ComplexCon expands to Hong Kong
[1]ComplexCon stages its first international edition in Hong Kong.
- 2021
BuzzFeed announces the acquisition of Complex Networks
[1]Complex joins BuzzFeed's expanding digital-media portfolio.
- 2020
ComplexLand introduces a virtual festival format
[1]The company creates an interactive online festival combining digital spaces, programming, and product sales.
- 2019
The Complex Shop launches
[1]Complex enters e-commerce with a store offering products from numerous clothing brands and Complex properties.
- 2018
Collider is sold
[1]Complex sells Collider to former head of video Marc Fernandez.
- 2017
Print publication ends
[1]The December 2016/January 2017 issue is the final print edition of Complex magazine.
- 2016
Complex becomes part of Verizon Hearst Media Partners
[1]Verizon and Hearst acquire Complex through their joint venture.
- 2016
ComplexCon debuts
[1]Complex and ReedPop stage the first ComplexCon in Long Beach, California.
- 2015
Collider is acquired
[1]Complex acquires the film and television news site Collider.
Products and positioning
A youth-culture media and entertainment platform that connects editorial authority in streetwear, sneakers, music, sports, food, and popular culture with original video, branded content, commerce, and live experiences.
Magazine and digital editorial brand · 2002
Complex
The flagship Complex brand began as a print magazine in 2002 and evolved into a digital publication covering sneakers, streetwear, music, sports, food, entertainment, and broader popular culture. Its early print identity used split layouts, shopping guidance, and celebrity covers. After the final print issue in 2016/2017, Complex continued primarily as a digital, social, video, and events brand.
Online video and entertainment · 2012
Complex TV
Complex TV is the company's original-video platform, launched in 2012. It has distributed interviews, culture programs, news, entertainment formats, and branded productions through digital channels and later through partners including Fuse. The platform helped move Complex from text-led publishing toward a video-centered media model.
News and video · 2013
Complex News
Complex News was introduced in 2013 as a subsidiary or programming division focused on day-to-day news, interviews, and culture reporting. It supports Complex's wider editorial and video presence by addressing current events and personalities relevant to its youth-culture audience.
Food media · 2012
First We Feast
First We Feast is a food-culture property developed within Complex's media portfolio. It broadened the company's coverage beyond fashion and music into restaurants, food personalities, culinary trends, and food-centered entertainment, helping establish food as a major part of Complex's video and editorial identity.
Sneaker media and podcasting
Complex Sneakers
Complex Sneakers encompasses editorial, video, and podcast content focused on sneaker history, collecting, releases, design, resale, and the people shaping sneaker culture. It extends Complex's longstanding coverage of footwear into recurring programming and specialist audience communities.
Music media · 2011
Pigeons & Planes
Pigeons & Planes is an independent music and rap blog acquired by Complex in 2011. The property focuses on emerging artists, music discovery, interviews, and contemporary hip-hop and alternative music culture.
Sneaker media · 2013
Sole Collector
Sole Collector is a sneaker-culture magazine and website acquired by Complex in 2013. Its subject matter includes sneaker releases, collecting, design, collaborations, and the culture surrounding athletic and lifestyle footwear.
Cultural festival and trade event · 2016
ComplexCon
ComplexCon is Complex's flagship live cultural event, created with ReedPop and launched in 2016. It combines music performances, art, fashion, sneakers, food, technology, talks, brand activations, and retail. The event is designed as a meeting point for street-culture communities and commercial partners, with editions in Long Beach, Chicago, digital environments, and Hong Kong.
Virtual festival and commerce experience · 2020
ComplexLand
ComplexLand was a five-day virtual festival introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Built as an interactive browser-based environment, it allowed visitors to explore virtual shops, view panels and performances, encounter digital installations, and order physical products for delivery.
E-commerce · 2019
The Complex Shop
The Complex Shop is an online retail operation launched in 2019. At launch it offered products from approximately 70 clothing brands, including exclusive collaborations, Complex merchandise, and goods associated with the company's media properties and cultural events.
Controversies
2013
Wale confrontation over year-end album ranking
Rapper Wale contacted Complex writer Insanul Ahmed after Wale's album was excluded from the publication's list of the 50 best albums of 2013. Part of the call, including threatening language about security, was published by Complex. Wale later discussed the dispute publicly and posted material that treated the incident humorously.
2009
Kim Kardashian cover image controversy
A digitally unenhanced image of Kim Kardashian, the cover subject of Complex's April/May issue, was briefly posted online before the enhanced version was restored. The image spread widely and prompted discussion about digital retouching and body image. Kardashian publicly responded that she was comfortable with her body and shared behind-the-scenes images.
Marketing campaigns
- 2024Eminem and Slim Shady: The Face-Off
United States · Digital
Complex paired Eminem with his Slim Shady alter ego in a cover campaign supported by a digital short using artificial intelligence to stage a conversation between the two identities.
Outcome. The short won two Webby Awards according to the supplied reference material.
- 2020ComplexLand
Digital
Complex replaced the physical-event experience with a virtual festival containing interactive spaces, programming, performances, and digital retail.
Outcome. The initiative demonstrated a digital alternative for combining entertainment, community, and commerce during pandemic restrictions.
- 2014Triangle Offense
United States
Complex created an NBA-focused website in partnership with Bacardi, connecting basketball culture, entertainment, and branded content.
- 2013Green Label
United States
Complex partnered with Mountain Dew to create Green Label, a branded entertainment and culture website covering music, lifestyle, and youth culture.
Outcome. The property became an example of Complex's publisher-agency model and was reported to attract substantial traffic relative to Mountain Dew's main website.
Brand decisions
2024
Sell Complex Networks to NTWRKM&ABackground
Complex's media, commerce, and event assets aligned with NTWRK's focus on streetwear and culture-led retail.
Action taken
NTWRK acquired Complex Networks from BuzzFeed.
Aftermath
The acquisition connected Complex's editorial and experiential properties with NTWRK's commerce platform and leadership structure.
Reported acquisition price. $108 million (2024)
2021
Sell Complex Networks to BuzzFeedM&ABackground
Digital-media companies were consolidating audiences, advertising capabilities, and youth-oriented brands.
Action taken
BuzzFeed announced the acquisition of Complex Networks.
Aftermath
Complex became part of BuzzFeed's broader digital-media portfolio until its subsequent sale to NTWRK.
2020
Develop ComplexLand as a virtual eventProduct launchBackground
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted physical festivals and retail events.
Action taken
Complex created an interactive browser-based festival with virtual shops, programming, performances, and physical product fulfillment.
Aftermath
The event provided a digital substitute for some elements of ComplexCon and demonstrated the company's ability to combine entertainment and commerce online.
2019
Launch The Complex ShopProduct launchBackground
Complex was extending its audience relationship from content and advertising into direct commerce.
Action taken
The company launched an online store featuring apparel brands, exclusive collaborations, and Complex merchandise.
Aftermath
The shop reinforced Complex's positioning at the intersection of media, streetwear, and commerce.
2017
End the print magazineStrategyBackground
Audience growth and investment were increasingly concentrated in digital publishing, video, social media, and events.
Action taken
Complex ended the print edition after the December 2016/January 2017 issue.
Aftermath
Complex operated primarily as a digital media and entertainment company rather than a traditional magazine publisher.
2016
Join Verizon Hearst Media PartnersM&ABackground
Verizon and Hearst were seeking digital brands with appeal among millennial and Generation Z audiences.
Action taken
Complex became part of the Verizon-Hearst joint venture and was expected to develop content for AOL and go90.
Aftermath
The go90 strategy did not meet expectations, and Verizon announced the service's closure in 2018.
2016
Launch ComplexConProduct launchBackground
Complex sought to turn its editorial influence in street culture into a physical community, commerce, and brand-partnership platform.
Action taken
The company partnered with ReedPop to stage a festival combining fashion, sneakers, music, art, food, technology, panels, and retail.
Aftermath
ComplexCon became a flagship property and later expanded across U.S. locations, digital formats, and Hong Kong.
2012
Launch Complex TVProduct launchBackground
Complex was expanding its audience beyond written editorial and seeking new formats for original content and advertising.
Action taken
The company created Complex TV as an online broadcaster for original programming.
Aftermath
Video became an increasingly important part of the company's content strategy, including later distribution through partner platforms.
2007
Move from magazine publishing into a digital networkStrategyBackground
Complex had become profitable and was responding to growing internet audiences and the fragmentation of youth culture into specialist communities.
Action taken
The company launched and organized multiple digital properties covering music, sneakers, menswear, and related subjects.
Aftermath
The digital network became the foundation for Complex's later video, advertising, commerce, and events businesses.
Recent events
Reported
Mental Canvas announces the $100K Reimagine Drawing Challenge[2]
Mental Canvas, together with partners, announced the $100K Challenge inviting creatives to submit scenes created with Mental Canvas Draw. The challenge runs from July 14 to October 11, 2021.
Reported
AMC Networks and Complex Networks announce Run the Dish partnership[3]
AMC Networks and Complex Networks announced a content partnership to develop Run the Dish, an original cooking show inspired by The Walking Dead and the First We Feast franchise.
Sources3 sources
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