The viability of co-op depends on what content creators want from a patronage/crowdfunding platform: scenario 1: If artists just want a straight monetary pass

The viability of co-op depends on what content creators want from a patronage/crowdfunding platform: scenario 1: If artists just want a straight monetary passthrough, then artists-owned entity like ASCAP (collects music royalties) may be workable. ASCAP is "boring", but it does what it needs to do. scenario 2: However, if artists want a payment platform that evolves towards a combination of Facebook+Medium+Ticketmaster+Slack+Youtube+cdn+etc, a co-op model will be underfunded. (In this scenario, you'd have to imagine that there would be future features that artists don't even know they want.) In the marketplace of ideas, it's possible for both business models to be offered. E.g. artists sign up for co-op platform because it's 2% fee instead of VC-backed Patreon for 5% fee. However, it's possible for artists en-masse to abandon the co-op business for the VC-funded business because its enriched platform gives them ability to earn more which overshadows the higher 5% fee.