LOS ANGELES, June 25, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As millions of viewers rethink the growing cost of entertainment, Black-owned streaming platform “eel” officially launches during BET Weekend with a clear and decisive vision for the future of streaming: make premium entertainment free, unfragmented, and rewarding.
Consumers today are facing unprecedented subscription fatigue. Between streaming platforms, music services, sports packages and live TV subscriptions, households are managing more entertainment subscriptions than ever before. Rising monthly costs, password-sharing restrictions, and increasing price hikes have led many consumers to cancel paid services or seek free alternatives. Against that backdrop, eel enters the market as a free, ad-supported streaming platform designed to deliver movies, TV shows, music videos, sports, documentaries and live television, all in one destination. Launching across web, mobile and connected TV devices, eel is available on the web at www.watcheel.com, iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV and Google TV, giving audiences the flexibility to watch wherever they choose.
Founded by award-winning filmmaker Majiye Uchibeke, eel is built on a simple belief: entertainment should be easier to discover, more accessible, and should not require viewers to constantly add another monthly bill.
“Streaming has become fragmented,” said Uchibeke, Founder and CEO of eel. “People subscribe to one app for movies, another for music, another for sports, another for live television, and every few months another price increase arrives. We believe entertainment should be consolidated instead of spread across countless apps.” Uchibeke continues by saying, “Just as importantly, we believe streaming shouldn’t only take from viewers, it should give something back. That’s why we created Watch & Win, where we’re giving our viewers the opportunity to be rewarded simply by being a user.”
Watch & Win is a monthly viewer sweepstakes designed to reward eel users. Beginning in August 2026, one viewer each month will receive a $250 cash prize. Users can sign up now and opt in for reminders when the sweepstakes open. Winners will be announced on eel’s Instagram and TikTok, @watcheelhq.
For Uchibeke, the launch of eel represents the culmination of a journey defined by resilience, perseverance and purpose. Just two weeks after arriving in the United States in 2015 to pursue filmmaking, he lost his mother, a tragedy that became a lifelong source of motivation to honor her legacy of kindness, activism and positive change. A year later, he lost the government scholarship that had funded his education after a change in political leadership ended the program. Facing financial uncertainty while navigating Hollywood as both an immigrant and a Black filmmaker, Uchibeke continued pursuing his craft, supported by mentors who believed in his vision.
Today, he is an award-winning filmmaker whose work has earned international recognition, including the Directors Guild of America for Outstanding Documentary Direction and finalist recognition from the BAFTA Awards. Through eel, he now combines his background in filmmaking with years of experience in streaming and digital media to build a platform focused on accessibility, discovery and opportunity for audiences and creators alike.
As a Black-owned streaming platform launching during BET Weekend, a celebration of Black entertainment, creativity and culture, eel also aims to expand opportunities for diverse stories and voices while making premium entertainment accessible to everyone. The company applauds platforms like BET for their longstanding role in elevating Black artists, filmmakers, musicians and creators, and views its own launch during BET Weekend as a celebration of that continued cultural impact.
With the streaming industry’s continued shift toward ad-supported and free streaming models, eel aims to offer consumers with a compelling alternative that brings entertainment, technology and community together in one destination.
Watch & Win Sweepstakes Disclosure: NO PURCHASE, PAYMENT, OR VIEWING REQUIRED TO ENTER OR WIN. A purchase, payment, or viewing will not improve your chances of winning. Open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia (excluding U.S. territories), subject to the eligibility requirements in the Official Rules. Void where prohibited. See the Official Rules at www.watcheel.com before the promotion begins for complete details, eligibility requirements, entry methods, prize information, and restrictions.
About eel
eel is a Black-owned, free ad-supported streaming platform bringing together movies, TV shows, documentaries, music videos, sports and live television into one entertainment destination. Available across web, mobile and connected TV devices, eel is committed to making premium entertainment more accessible while helping audiences discover diverse stories from around the world. Through its Watch & Win program, eel is also reimagining viewer engagement through incentive-based audience participation by giving its viewers the opportunity to earn monthly cash rewards simply by being a user.
Media Contact
Majiye Uchibeke
Founder & CEO, eel
maj@watcheel.com
www.watcheel.com
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
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