ABC

ABC shows how a weaker player can trade distribution for a bigger partner's asset. As a weak third network, it put in $500,000 of equity, guaranteed $4.5 million of loans and paid $5 million a year to fund Disneyland. The show ranked second to I Love Lucy and helped lift ABC into the big three. Disney later bought it for $19 billion, gaining ESPN. Lesson: partner early where rivals see a threat.