How Much of Seinfeld Did the Creators Keep?

David Rosenthal says it is reported that Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David each own 15% of Seinfeld. He says they have all the leverage. Ben Gilbert says nobody thinks the show is going to be worth much, and there is no risk. David Rosenthal says they can take the project to any production company in Hollywood. Choosing Castle Rock lets them write the deal terms. The exact terms never come out. The only people who know are Jerry Seinfeld, Larry David, Castle Rock, and Shapiro and West.

Ben Gilbert says public reporting leaves about 65% for Castle Rock. Sony owns the distribution right and usually takes 15% off the top, which dilutes everyone else. Ben Gilbert says he has seen 15 and 30, and there is lots of reason to believe the fee is 15. David Rosenthal says syndication profits on billions of dollars then run 15% to Sony, about 15% each to Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, a little less after the Sony dilution, about 5% to West and Shapiro, and about 50% to Castle Rock and its successors. David Rosenthal says Seinfeld is going to make billions and billions and billions of dollars, and each of them gets 15% of that.

Ben Gilbert says that in interviews, when someone says Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David made hundreds of millions, or throws out over $600 million, they call the number preposterous, insane, or ridiculous, or say it is not the right number, without saying how far off it is. David Rosenthal says the unlikely stand-up special becomes probably the most valuable deal in the history of television for Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David.