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Netflix’s Leadership Shake Up…Explained

(Welcome to the “Most Important Story of the Week”, my bi-weekly strategy column analyzing the most important (but often not buzziest) news story of the last two weeks. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. Please subscribe.) Well, I had a simple article planned for this week. Called “Whoa, I Missed It!”, I’d take a gander at a few important-but-under-the-radar stories I didn’t cover while I wrote about all things “Skydance. (Formerly known as “the saga of Netflix trying to buy Warner Bros., but not Discovery, then Paramount-Skydance bought all of Warner Bros. Discovery”.) Alas, that article will have to wait. Netflix made news. Ironically, my “Whoa, I Missed It!” article would have mostly been about “content” strategy decisions, which is also what today’s article is about. But instead of the entire industry, this article will only cover Netflix’s decision to upend their film and TV content teams. Just that! So that’s the full topic of the day. I’m going to tackle the issue in the opposite direction of the way “stuff” flows: uphill. We’ll start at film, then move onto TV, and then onto the CEOs themselves, and the strategy questions that still remain. But we start with the numbers driving this. Let’s dive in. Subscribe Most Important Story of the Week - Netflix Upends Their Corporate Hierarchy I’ve got a lot of thoughts, but we’ll start with the most common response to yesterday’s article. Let’s Talk Stock Price More than one person, responding to what I published two days ago, pointed out that, well, actually, the thing driving Netflix’s actions is this: In short, stock price! Even if Netflix isn’t obsessed with their own share price—they probably are, but, for the record, my strategic advice to every CEO is to absolutely ignore stock prices, which will, ironically, probably help the stock price long-term—most everyone thinks they are. By the way, I prefer market capitalization to stock prices, because it’s a more apples-to-apples way to compare companies: But there’s an even better way to look at it, and it kinda casts some doubt on the entire push here: price-to-earnings. I have a long list of articles that I wish I had written, and chief among them is an article titled, “Am I Still a Netflix ‘Bear’?” meaning someone who thinks Netflix’s stock is overvalued. As of last summer, Netflix had solved their biggest problem—which for me (circa 2019) was the lack of free cash flow—but their stock was CRAZY overvalued. That’s this chart here: Why did Netflix’s stock price increase to a price-to-earnings ratio of 50 last summer? What financial metric changed so quickly? Nothing. Given that, historically, mature entertainment companies average 10 to 20, with 16 being the average, that increase made little sense. Netflix’s stock swoon these last eight or so months wasn’t irrational; the stock price rise last year was. So if you want a really hot Netflix take, here it is: Netflix’s stock price has been going down because the financial industry recovered its senses, not because of any strategic mistake. Yes, that would imply that cleaning house may have been a mistake. That’s why the charts yesterday are so important, because they show that Netflix did have a strategic problem (a lack of hits) and that’s what they moved to address. (One could also argue the industry drastically overrated Netflix’s growth prospects, but that’s a financial industry problem, not a Netflix strategy problem per se. Some growth estimates are just crazy. *cough* AI *cough*) Now, the last time Netflix’s stock price crashed—circa 2022—it gave them an opening. I’d argue Netflix insiders knew they needed to expand post-COVID-19 crisis, adding advertising, cracking down on password sharing, and dabbling in sports. But if they had done that when their stock price was high, it would give folks a reason to second guess their strategy. (Arguably, last year, when Netflix pursued the Warner Bros. merger, it gave the industry a chance to review their business.) Instead, after the 2022 fall, they had the opening to make strategic changes. We may see Netflix pivot again following this latest slide. For example, the “binge versus weekly” conversation is alive and well again. Same for expanding into theaters even more. And adding both linear channels and streaming bundles. And maybe more either social, user-generated, vertical, or creator content. But the first shift came with who is making the content calls. A Message from Our Sponsor Last winter Pulp Fiction was on Netflix. For those same 90 days, it was also free, with ads, on Pluto TV and the Roku Channel. That is not a glitch, and it is not rare. The title has run on 20 different US streaming services since 2019, across 80 separate windows, and for more than 600 of those days it sat on a paid subscription service and a free ad-supported one at the same time. Almost nobody can see this, because when a title leaves a service, the record that it was ever there tends to leave with it. Reelgood keeps that record, dated to the day rather than the month: 4MM+ movie, show and episode titles across 300+ services globally, with timestamped arrivals, departures and moves across SVOD, AVOD, TVOD and vMVPD. Licensing teams price against every prior window. Rights teams check what a licensee actually delivered, and when. Pick a title you think you know: data.reelgood.com/title-availability Film - Dan Lin Want to know why I don’t opine on individual film or TV executives, especially new hires? Dan Lin. As I always caution, it’s really, really, really tough to predict which executives will succeed in new roles and which won’t. The successful head of co-production/finance partner, Rideback, Lin was considered for the head of DC Studios job before taking the job as the head of Netflix. By all accounts at the time, this was a smart hire. (That’s my read of the news coverage anyways.) But now that Netflix has fired Dan Lin, we got a slew of news stories about how he was doing a terrible job. In sports media, Bryan Curtis, new Substack writer/podcaster from The Ringer, calls this the “now you tell us” story, when you only hear the bad news after a star athlete leaves a sports team. In this case, now they tell us that Dan Lin was bad with talent after he got kicked out the door. So was Dan Lin a flop? It’s actually tough to say. While film moves faster than TV, even two years isn’t really enough time to evaluate a person’s output. The new head hasn’t really taken control. As Emily Horgan noted, it takes much longer than two years to produce animated films, so yeah, it’s definitely too early to judge in that domain. As for live-action films, I just published an article by Brandon Katz called “Netflix’s Summer of Bummer”, but I’d point out Netflix had a bad summer two years ago too. Arguably, their best summer came from KPop Demon Hunters last year and Happy Gilmore 2, the latter of which I saw credited to Lin. Then, the stories came out that Dan Lin clashed with talent, both Ben Affleck and Greta Gerwig, classic “now they tell us” factoids to explain his firing. This may have been true, but also should have been expected given that he was given the mandate to bring budgets back in check, especially after Rebel Moon. So if he made folks upset, well, that’s what he was hired to do! But also, he was described as “well-liked” at his hiring! In that case, I’m a bit sympathetic to Lin, since he may have been undercut by senior leadership, as often happens. Basically, a CEO hires a subordinate to be their “bad cop” and keep budgets in check, but then when talent complains, the CEO ends up undercutting them. That’s how I think you end up with a Narnia movie as expensive as any of the other flops, along with a film executive the town no longer likes. As a result, I think that Netflix is now executing a classic “hire the opposite” move by hiring Peter Rice. This phrase comes from my experience following football and basketball coaching decisions, where teams generally hire the opposite of who they just had. If you have an offense-minded head coach, hire the defensive guy. Or in college football, if you have a strong recruiter, then you pivot to an “X’s and Os” type of guy. Or in pro basketball, if you have a very analytically minded coach, you hire the player-friendly guy. I see that here. After dropping Scott Stuber—arguably a talent-friendly executive with lax budget control—Netflix hired the business guy to keep costs in check. Now Netflix is pivoting back to Peter Rice and presumably a more talent-friendly regime. (Disney, by the way, has done this twice: hiring business guys to succeed talent-friendly Bob Iger. It didn’t work out last time.) When it comes to Peter Rice…we’ll see! Maybe he works out, but maybe he doesn’t. I’d actually say the biggest problem is that Netflix still hasn’t solved its “IP Problem”, in that they don’t own much IP, so they just have a lower hit rate. The new executive won’t solve that. (Though buying Lionsgate would help.) Share “Content” - Bela Bajaria I almost published yesterday’s article after this column, but ended up flipping the order, because it told the story so well. So if you want the data for why Netflix is looking at TV to fix their problems, it’s in that article, this graph in particular: I know I just wrote that it’s often hard to judge executives, but Bajaria ran TV for six years and film for three and a half more. That’s more than enough to judge hit rates, and Netflix needs more hits. That’s the story. Since 2023, Netflix hasn’t had as many hit shows as it used to, and many of its previous power house TV shows have ended their runs (Stranger Things most of all). Also, many shows from 2020 to 2022 probably pre-dated Bajaria’s tenure. (That said, one thing may have been outside of Bajaria’s control, which I explain below.) Let’s lump some content strategy thoughts about Netflix and TV into one place: We’re just getting started with this issue, but the rest is for paid subscribers of the Entertainment Strategy Guy, so if you’d like to find out… Why I partially blame Squid Game for Netflix’s latest troubles… What is “the football trap”... Why it might not be the TV shows or films’ fault at all… What change I don’t think Netflix will make... How Bela Bajaria evolved Netflix’s TV strategy in smart ways… Whose departure likely submarined Bajaria’s final few years… One sneaky explanation for Netflix’s content struggles... And a whole lot more... ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support.

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Oct 24 • 3:25 PM EDT • Entertainment • entertainment.substack.com
Deep dive
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TST Best Bets: October 24, 2026

A full week later, it’s still hard to wrap my head around what we witnessed in college football last week.In unprecedented fashion, five of the top seven nationally ranked teams lost outright, throwing the sport’s balance of power into disarray.A lesser gambler might want to stay away from college football this week until things settle down, but we remain undaunted.For all of your college football betting picks, here are today’s TST Best Bets, brought to you by BetOnline.ag. Click here to join.

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Oct 24 • 12:46 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
ESPN's College GameDay picks Week 8's biggest games

Here is a look at who the College GameDay crew predicts to win Week 8's biggest games.

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Oct 24 • 12:07 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Celtics Hold Valuable Draft Assets Ahead of Important Weekend Decision

The Boston Celtics' G League affiliate, Maine, holds three picks in the 2026 NBA G League Draft, offering a chance to add young talent. The post Celtics Hold Valuable Draft Assets Ahead of Important Weekend Decision appeared first on HEAVY.

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Oct 24 • 11:28 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Fantasy Football Week 7 Deep-Sleepers: Bam Knight, Caleb Douglas, and 3 Others

Bam Knight and Caleb Douglas are two of five total deep-sleepers to pick up and start in Week 7 fantasy football.

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Oct 24 • 9:47 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Apple Store Pickup System for iPhone Duo Just Went Live Again in U.S.

The option to reserve an iPhone Duo for Apple Store pickup resumed in the U.S. around 8:10 a.m. Eastern Time today, but our spot check has revealed little to no availability for all configurations right now, so keep checking back. Apple Store pickup was offered for just a few minutes after iPhone Duo pre-orders began last Friday, and the option then disappeared until now.

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Oct 24 • 8:12 AM EDT • Technology • macrumors.com
NFL Week 7 picks: Experts overwhelmingly favor 49ers over Falcons

The 49ers look to keep their undefeated season alive in Week 7.

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Oct 24 • 8:03 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Big Ten staff picks for Week 8

The staff of Nittany Lions Wire shares its picks for this weekend's Big Ten action.

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Oct 24 • 7:14 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Preview: Bruins look to stay on pace against Sharks

Just the facts Know your enemy Game notes The Sharks come to Boston on a two-game wining streak. They picked up a win Thursday night, beating the Ottawa Senators 6-2. Tonight’s game ends a six-game road trip for the Sharks where they are 3-1-1. It’s a fairly quick turnaround as the Bruins and Sharks will […]

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Oct 24 • 7:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
☹️ Negative (-3%)
Reno Experience District puts 12 acres up for sale as a pickleball facility moves forward
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Oct 23 • 8:43 PM EDT • Entertainment • mynews4.com
Mississippi health officials urge flu vaccinations as season approaches

With flu cases being diagnosed earlier than usual in some parts of the country, the Mississippi State Department of Health is urging families to prepare before flu season picks up.

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Oct 23 • 7:58 PM EDT • Health • wdam.com
George Pickens upgraded to full practice Friday

Cowboys WR George Pickens on track to play after a full practice Friday

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Oct 23 • 7:02 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Is the Kings’ Role for Murray Causing His Decline?

After a record-breaking rookie year, Keegan Murray’s plummeting efficiency and Sacramento’s roster instability spark trade rumors. Can the former top pick reclaim his shot amidst a chaotic rebuild?

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Oct 23 • 6:06 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
NFL Week 7 betting advice: Eagles-Cowboys pick and props

Are you betting on the Birds?

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Oct 23 • 5:12 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
😐 Neutral (0%)
Apple Store Pickup for iPhone Duo Starting to Resume But Very Limited

The option to reserve an iPhone Duo for Apple Store pickup is starting to return on Apple's online store, with the system live again in countries such as Australia, China, Japan, and South Korea. Unfortunately, our spot check revealed extremely limited availability right now, with few to no time slots available for all configurations.

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Oct 23 • 4:16 PM EDT • Technology • macrumors.com
Giants Draft Pick Makes Immediate Impact in Pro Debut

San Francisco Giants 17th-round pick Tanner Mally carried his elite college hitting into professional baseball.

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Oct 23 • 4:00 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
“Yaga”, “Clayface”, and stop-motion fantasy film “Wildwood ”top this week’s Must List

A “Baby-Sitters Club” podcast and a new stage production of “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” round out our picks for the weekend of Oct. 23.

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Oct 23 • 3:00 PM EDT • Entertainment • yahoo.com
Bulls' Caleb Wilson Earns Praise from Raptors Star Scottie Barnes

The No. 4 overall pick in 2026 had the chance to receive advice from the No. 4 overall pick in 2021.

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Oct 23 • 11:11 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Five Science Fiction Movies to Stream Now

In this month’s picks, alien encounters, sinister deepfakes, fantastical time loops and postapocalyptic woe.

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Oct 23 • 11:00 AM EDT • Science • nytimes.com
61 Switch 1 & 2 Games You Should Check Out In Nintendo's 'Halloween Sale' (Europe)

Every game we scored 9/10 or higher, plus a personal pick

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Oct 23 • 10:45 AM EDT • Technology • nintendolife.com
Matthew Golden is outpacing other 2025 first round picks

Golden’s redemption tour is well underway.

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Oct 23 • 10:02 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
iPhone Duo Says 'Hello' to You Personally

As expected, the iPhone Duo greets you personally if you purchase it from an Apple Store in the United States. MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris had an in-store pickup reservation for an iPhone Duo at Apple Fifth Avenue in New York today, and the device showed "Hello Aaron" when he turned it on.

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Oct 23 • 9:15 AM EDT • Technology • macrumors.com
In brief: Fleetwood Mac documentary coming to Apple TV and more

The landslide is bringing them to Apple TV. Fleetwood Mac is telling their story in their own words in the Apple Original Films documentary Fleetwood Mac: The Chain. Apple announced the “unprecedented look” is the first fully authorized documentary about the award-winning, culture-defining band. It brings together the voices and memories of Fleetwood members Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks and the late Christine McVie. Fleetwood Mac: The Chain will debut Jan. 29 ...Ramy Youssef’s feature directorial debut has added some more star power to the cast. Amanda Seyfried will join Youssef and Sharon Stone in Martha & Muhammad, a new comedy for A24, according to Deadline. Youssef will direct from his own script, in addition to starring. Plot and character details are being kept under wraps, though The Hollywood Reporter previously described the project as telling the story of “a white widowed socialite in New York who develops a relationship with a young Muslim man” ... TNCMS.AdManager.render({region: 'fixed-big-ad-top-asset', slot: 1, fold: "above"}); Another book adaptation is coming to Prime Video. Amazon MGM Studios confirmed Thursday it has picked up Butcher & Blackbird, the bestselling thriller novel by Brynne Weaver. Emma Laird and Thomas Doherty are signed on to star in the new film, which follows vigilante serial killers who fall in love as they compete to take out the most targets ... Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Thank you for reading kmaland.comAt KMA, we attempt to be accurate in our reporting. If you see a typo or mistake in a story, please contact us by emailing kmaradio@kmaland.com.

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Oct 23 • 8:30 AM EDT • Entertainment • kmaland.com
Picking Week 8 of college football in the Big Ten

Who can we expect to see win in the Big Ten this week?

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Oct 23 • 8:04 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
😐 Neutral (0%)
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100%
⭐ Ballon d'OF: our fifth pick is…

The 2026 Ballon d'Or winner will be revealed this Monday, October 26. To mark the occasion, OneFootball's French editorial team cast their votes to crown their Ballon d'OF winner for the 2025-2026 sea...

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Oct 23 • 7:48 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Where to Buy iPhone Duo Today: Stores, Pickup, and Wait Times

Apple's first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo, officially launched today, Friday October 23. Pre-order deliveries are arriving to customers, but supply is extremely tight, although anyone who didn't order in advance may still be able to buy one in person, depending on local availability. That said, Apple has said it expects supply to sell out quickly.

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Oct 23 • 7:10 AM EDT • Technology • macrumors.com
Who should win the Ballon d’Or Feminin? The Athletic asked people in elite football to vote

Our reporters asked players and managers, past and present, coaches, sporting directors, scouts and leading executives to pick their top-10s

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Oct 23 • 6:00 AM EDT • Sports • nytimes.com
The nation’s cartoonists on the week in politics

Every week political cartoonists throughout the country and across the political spectrum apply their ink-stained skills to capture the foibles, memes, hypocrisies and other head-slapping events in the world of politics. The fruits of these labors are hundreds of cartoons that entertain and enrage readers of all political stripes. Here's an offering of the best of this week's crop, picked fresh off the Toonosphere. Edited by Matt Wuerker.

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Oct 23 • 1:00 AM EDT • Politics • politico.com
Bat mothers' hearts beat faster when they hear their pups

They can even pick out their offspring’s distress cries amongst thousands of bats.

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Oct 23 • 12:00 AM EDT • Science • popsci.com
😐 Neutral (12%)
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Celtics Get Mixed Injury News Ahead of Knicks Showdown

The Celtics receive mixed injury news ahead of their home opener against the Knicks, with one former first-round pick ruled out. The post Celtics Get Mixed Injury News Ahead of Knicks Showdown appeared first on HEAVY.

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Oct 22 • 9:49 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
😐 Neutral (0%)
2027 NFL Draft: Chargers mock draft update

The Chargers currently hold the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft and we updated our Los Angeles mock draft with an eye on the offense.

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Oct 22 • 8:35 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
😐 Neutral (0%)
George Pickens a limited participant Thursday

Cowboys WR George Pickens dealing with shoulder issue and listed as limited

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Oct 22 • 6:22 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
NFL Week 7 Game Picks

Predicting the winners of this week’s football matchups.

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Oct 22 • 4:58 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
George Pickens limited in Thursday's practice with shoulder injury
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Oct 22 • 4:47 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Tom Skerritt dead: 'Alien,' 'Top Gun' actor and Emmy winner was 93

Emmy-winning actor Tom Skerritt, whose decades-long career includes roles in 'Alien,' 'Top Gun' and TV series 'Picket Fences,' died Wednesday. He was 93

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Oct 22 • 4:02 PM EDT • Entertainment • latimes.com
Tom Skerritt, ‘Top Gun’ and ‘Picket Fences’ star, dies at 93

Tom Skerritt, the Emmy-winning actor known for his roles in projects like ‘Picket Fences’ and ‘Top Gun,’ has died at 93.

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Oct 22 • 3:28 PM EDT • Entertainment • ew.com
Emmy-winning actor Tom Skerritt dies at 93

Skerritt died of natural causes. He was known for “Top Gun,” “Picket Fences” and “Alien” among his nearly 200 roles

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Oct 22 • 3:26 PM EDT • Entertainment • fox21online.com
NFL Expert Picks for Week 7

Our panel makes their picks for this week in the NFL.

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Oct 22 • 2:28 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
How well have past GOTY winners sold?

We’re less than two months away from 2026’s The Game Awards, and what a year it’s been for fantastic games, including Resident Evil Requiem, Forza Horizon 6, Slay the Spire II, the Blood of Dawnwalker, and Control Resonant – just to name a few. So as we approach the end of the year, we thought we’d look back on our estimates for the GOTY winners of the past four years. In terms of revenue, Elden Ring (2022 winner), Baldur’s Gate 3 (2023), Astro Bot (2024), and Expedition 33 (2025) have generated a combined $3.8B via 73M copies sold: Let’s have a look, then. Elden Ring has generated $2B in revenue Elden Ring is a phenomenon in every sense. It’s sold a whopping 36.4M copies across Steam (50%), PS5 (35%), and Xbox (15% across console and PC). Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe Elden Ring also just passed an astronomical milestone: $2B in revenue. While PlayStation and Xbox account for half of Elden Ring’s copies sold across these three platforms, they account for 57.5% of revenue. This – as ever – is due to regional pricing and the higher relative share of PC gamers in lower-priced markets. For example, around 17.4% of Elden Ring’s Steam copies sold were in China, where the game costs about 26% less than the price in the States. There’s an … interesting narrative going around these days that console gamers are only interested in ball-and-gun games and have the patience for little else. Well, Elden Ring’s impressive sales prove that is simply not true, and across all platforms. What’s more, over 9.8M people have played Elden Ring for over 100 hours, with nearly 3.5M people getting all of the achievements and trophies. For reference, 10.9% of Elden Ring’s PlayStation players have the platinum trophy, while 10.5% of players on Steam and 3.9% of Xbox players unlocked all the achievements. Git gud, Xbox players! Of the 1.5M people who played Elden Ring on PlayStation last month, 4% also played Dark Souls 3 last month, 4% played Bloodborne, and 3% played Sekiro. There’s those Soulsborne diehards for you. By many accounts, including my own, Elden Ring is one of the best games of all time. It’s an evergreen seller that will continue to be a cash cow for Bandai and FromSoftware for years to come. Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe Elden Ring has sold another 2M copies across Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox this year, generating almost $110M. This means it’s outperforming many of this year’s high-profile releases. Even Elden Ring’s standalone run-based PvE spinoff, 2025’s Nightreign, has sold 7.8M copies and generated $282M in revenue. Baldur’s Gate 3 is another billion-dollar-plus banger Another cross-platform phenomenon is Baldur’s Gate 3, which has sold 23.2M copies and generated over $1.2B in revenue. About 18.7M of these copies (80.6%) are via Steam, 2.9M via PS5 (12.7%), and 1.6M (6.8%) via Xbox. Around 1.3M folks on Steam bought BG3 before it hit 1.0. The PlayStation version launched about a month after the PC 1.0 release, while the Xbox version came four months later due to technical issues around developing local co-op on the Series S. Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe Across platforms, Baldur’s Gate 3’s monthly active users have never dropped below 2M, including 2.2M MAUs last month (68.5% on Steam, 21.9% on PS5, and 9.6% on Xbox). And it still regularly brings in 280K to 400K players every day: About 1% of BG3’s Steam player base has played for over 500 hours! That’s a little under 200K people. Astro Bot is also an evergreen seller, albeit a more niche, family one Astro Bot, 2024’s winner, has now sold 4.7M copies and generated $291M in revenue. The budget, including marketing, is almost certainly under $100M, given the small Japan-based core team and three-year dev timeline. You can really see why the tides are changing toward less expensive hubs. Astro Bot is the only first-party winner on this list, but follows other first-party winners of The Last of Us Part II (2020’s winner), God of War (2018), and Breath of the Wild (2017). Around 46.6% of Astro Bot’s copies sold have been physical, which is far higher than the typical game. This makes sense for a couple of reasons: There’s a large family audience for this one, and physical boxes are an item to wrap when giving Astro as a gift. Astro has collector value for the PlayStation core (this is nostalgia-fueled platformer celebrating PlayStation’s history) Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe Astro is another one of those games that continues selling over time, regularly selling more than 100K a month. It’s sold around 1M more copies this year ($60M in revenue) and is a popular title with families. We can see this using the Alinea platform’s MAU crossover tool: Astro Bot’s top #2, #3, and #4 games by crossover in any given month this year are Minecraft, Fortnite, and Roblox – without fail. The #1 title every month, though, is Astro’s Playroom, a pack-in with all PS5 consoles. For every month this year, between 20% and 30% of Astro Bot players also played Astro’s Playroom that month. So the free pack-in is a noice funnel for converting players to a full paid product. Expedition 33 sells 8.7M despite Game Pass cannibalisation Finally, we have last year’s winner – Expedition 33. The turn-based-RPG banger has generated $366M via 8.7M copies sold, with 58.8% on Steam, 35.7% on PS5, and 5.5% on Xbox. Xbox’s share of copies sold is this low due to Expedition 33 launching on Game Pass, where 4.3M people across console and PC accessed the game. A little under 700K Xbox players used their subscription to play Expedition 33 this year. That said, the game’s 1.5-year Game Pass deal ended last week on October 16, and we’re already beginning to see a positive trend on Expedition 33’s copies sold via Xbox (but the jury’s still out!). There’s understandably a lot of French pride behind this one, as France is the game’s #3 market on both Steam and PlayStation. Vive la France! One thing that stood out to me is that the GOTY winners aren’t $300M Hollywood productions made in the US. They’re mostly mid-budget studios outside the traditional AAA cost centres. Lots to think about there. Also, good games sell well; who’d have thunk it!? And there’s a whole load of them this year, with GTA 6 still to come, too. GTA just made the cutoff point for the VGAs this year. What a coincidence! Loading... Cool links and other stuff Our physical games newsletter from Tuesday was picked up by GameSpot, Eurogamer, TweakTown, and a bunch of others. We’re offering a free trial of our platform for games companies. Send us a message here, or reply right here on Substack/email, and we’ll set you up. Next week, we’ve got some exciting news regarding the future of our newsletter, so stay tuned! The last word Reply to this email – or reach out here – if you have any feedback for the newsletter – or want to request a game for us to cover. Want to see why these companies (and many others) are subscribed to Alinea? Get a free platform trial! [Alinea Analytics boasts the most accurate PC and console estimates in the business. Game makers use our platform to understand their audience, keep an eye on the competition, monitor sales trends, and spot new opportunities. We equip game studios and financial institutions with accurate data and the confidence to make smarter, data-driven decisions. Want to talk about all things games market data? We’d love to chat!]

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Oct 22 • 1:02 PM EDT • Technology • alineaanalytics.substack.com
PFT's Week 7 2026 NFL picks
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Oct 22 • 12:05 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Will plants survive climate change? The 'Great Dying' reveals clues about their resilience.

Plants can't easily pick up and move when environmental conditions get rough, so they've evolved strategies to weather harsh conditions in place. That could help some plants survive in the face of a warming climate.

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Oct 22 • 12:00 PM EDT • Science • livescience.com
Tom Alvarez celebrates 14 years of ‘On the Aisle’ entertainment picks on ‘Life.Style.Live!’

Celebrate 14 years of Tom Alvarez and his entertainment insights for Indianapolis viewers on WISH-TV.

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Oct 22 • 11:59 AM EDT • Entertainment • wishtv.com
Top Weekly Entertainment Picks

Get ready for a full weekend of headline concerts and seasonal fun in South Jersey. Hear Godsmack perform live at Hard Rock, enjoy a seasonal market with

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Oct 22 • 10:13 AM EDT • Entertainment • shorelocalnews.com
Atrium and State Health Plan are clashing over NC benefits. Get up to speed.

A tiered network fight escalated into a lawsuit and an out-of-network move — all while 750,000 members were trying to pick a plan.

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Oct 22 • 7:00 AM EDT • Health • newsobserver.com
Islanders Gameday: Darche speaks as slumping Kings arrive

The Islanders try to extend their first win streak of the season as the sad-sack Kings come to town. This one is a ESPN/Hulu/Disney/whatever broadcast, so your viewing access may be affected. Leave First Islanders Goal picks here. Islanders News Elsewhere

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Oct 22 • 6:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Frontier Zero announced for PC, iOS, and Android

enish has announced Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Frontier Zero, a new game based on the anime series Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? It will launch for PC, iO…

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Oct 21 • 11:55 PM EDT • Technology • gematsu.com
The Herald's weekly entertainment picks

Looking to be entertained from Thursday, Oct. 22, through Wednesday, Oct. 28? Check out the Skagit Valley Herald’s weekly recommendations.

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Oct 21 • 11:30 PM EDT • Entertainment • goskagit.com
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What to stream: Add best horror films of 2026 to your spooky...

Build your spooky-season watchlist with 2026 horror picks including “Obsession,” “Backrooms,” “Send Help” and “The Bride!,” now streaming or available to rent.

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Oct 21 • 9:00 PM EDT • Entertainment • unionleader.com
Three Mizzou players picked for Sports Illustrated All-America honors

Running back Jamal Roberts and offensive tackle Cayden Green were picked for fist-team honors. Quarterback Austin Simmons is in the midst of weighing his options for 2027, according to a

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Oct 21 • 5:39 PM EDT • Sports • columbiamissourian.com
Former Oregon QB Bo Nix Faces Uncertain Future With Broncos

Lingering injuries and a mid-season offensive shift have stalled the former first-round pick's momentum, forcing Denver to weigh his long-term potential against a massive looming contract extension.

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Oct 21 • 5:06 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Titans Starting to See Big Return on Carnell Tate Pick

After a skeptical draft night, the rookie wideout is silencing critics by forging a dominant connection with Cam Ward and fueling Tennessee’s aerial attack with explosive, game-changing plays.

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Oct 21 • 4:00 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
NWACC to build new trail, amenities

NorthWest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville received a $680,000 grant from the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council to support the development of a campus bike loop and new recreational...

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Oct 21 • 3:08 PM EDT • Politics • talkbusiness.net
NWACC to build new trail, amenities

NorthWest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville received a $680,000 grant from the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council to support the development of a campus bike loop and new recreational...

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Oct 21 • 3:08 PM EDT • Business • talkbusiness.net
The Daily Roundup: Kalispell Business Improvement District Looks to Replace Street Furniture Downtown

On Friday, we officially published our 2026 Election Guide, linked here, at the bottom of this newsletter and in the “Editor’s Picks” section of our website, where it will live throughout the rest of the election cycle.

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Oct 21 • 2:58 PM EDT • Business • flatheadbeacon.com
Angels Make Final Decision on Kurt Suzuki Amid Ownership Change

The Los Angeles Angels announced they will not pick up manager Kurt Suzuki's option for the 2027 season after a disappointing year in 2026. The post Angels Make Final Decision on Kurt Suzuki Amid Ownership Change appeared first on LA Sports Report.

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Oct 21 • 2:48 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
2026 Bowl Projections After Week Seven

Hello everyone, and welcome back to our weekly picks of who's in the playoffs and all the bowl games. This past week was circled on calendars since the schedules were revealed, with several top-25 matchups. However, it's doubtful anyone could have predicted what we saw, where five of the top seven teams in the AP …

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Oct 21 • 12:00 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
These Americans make a living scooping poop for other people's pets: 'I truly love it'

Poop scooping is still a lesser-known service compared to the likes of lawn care and housekeeping. But these entrepreneurs are raking it in while picking it up.

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Oct 21 • 10:35 AM EDT • Business • cnbc.com
65 Switch 1 & 2 Games You Should Check Out In Nintendo's 'Screaming Deals' Sale (North America)

Every game we scored 9/10 or higher, plus a personal pick

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Oct 21 • 9:30 AM EDT • Technology • nintendolife.com
Boo at the Zoo, 'Clue Live on Stage!' and Bourbon Fest: 3 things to do this weekend

Our top 3 picks for your weekend

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Oct 21 • 9:02 AM EDT • Entertainment • theadvocate.com
John Turturro on Hollywood, Oscars and getting better with age

Stealing the spotlight in his latest movie, ‘The Only Living Pickpocket in New York.’ the quintessential indie actor reflects on a career spent following his instincts.

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Oct 21 • 6:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • latimes.com
Cowboys waive underperforming CB, promote Juanyeh Thomas, add Heisman-finalist QB

In his return stint, Juanyeh Thomas replaces former 5th-round pick Caelen Carson on the active roster. QB Kyle Trask joins the practice squad.

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Oct 21 • 5:13 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Anthony Black Gets Brutally Honest About Contract With Orlando Magic

The former first-round pick reveals his mindset after missing the rookie extension deadline, addressing a mysterious injury and his commitment to winning despite looming free agency questions.

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Oct 20 • 9:27 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Moment of Science: New electric current test measures coffee quality without tasting

Getting a clue about the perfect brew! Here's how new research could make sure your morning pick-me-up is "not your average Joe". ☕

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Oct 20 • 8:58 PM EDT • Science • 13abc.com
‘Immature’ Ex-Dallas Cowboys RB Released by Eagles

Former Dallas Cowboys RB & 2025 NFL Draft pick released by Philadelphia Eagles. The post ‘Immature’ Ex-Dallas Cowboys RB Released by Eagles appeared first on HEAVY.

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Oct 20 • 7:53 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Penn State expected to miss Bowl Games by multiple outlets

Penn State was nearly a consensus College Football Playoff pick earlier this year, and now they are expected to miss out on Bowl Games.

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Oct 20 • 6:00 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Hackensack Meridian Health signs definitive agreement to acquire Hunterdon Health, commits $230M

Hackensack Meridian Health has signed a definitive agreement to pick up Central New Jersey’s Hunterdon Health, a $230 million deal that would grow the state’s largest health system to 19 total hosp | The announcement did not outline a potential timeline for the merger, which would add a nineteenth hospital to New Jersey's largest health system.

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Oct 20 • 4:24 PM EDT • Health • fiercehealthcare.com
Weekday Drop-In Recreation at Sports Factory

Stay active throughout the year with healthy exercise by walking laps or playing basketball, pickleball, or volleyball at Sports Factory.

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Oct 20 • 2:09 PM EDT • Sports • rockfordparkdistrict.org
Minnesota Vikings Trade Steam Picking Up Early

The Minnesota Vikings are 5-0 with three weeks until the trade deadline, and the trade chatter continues to grow louder.

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Oct 20 • 1:47 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
The Buccaneers have a blitz pickup problem

Bucs have a blitz pickup problem

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Oct 20 • 11:50 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Giants Cut Ties with Former Steelers RB Najee Harris

The New York Giants are releasing former Pittsburgh Steelers running back and first-round pick Najee Harris, per Ian Rapoport of […]

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Oct 20 • 11:08 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Moment of Science: New electric current test measures coffee quality without tasting

Getting a clue about the perfect brew! Here's how new research could make sure your morning pick-me-up is "not your average Joe". ☕

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Oct 20 • 11:04 AM EDT • Science • 13abc.com
Jauan Jennings Trade: Raiders, Vikings Connected In Rumor

Jauan Jennings has not lived up to expectations with the Minnesota Vikings, and the team could part ways with the veteran receiver before the trade deadline. A seventh-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Tennessee product spent his early years in a supporting role before earning more snaps later in his career. He first …

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Oct 20 • 11:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Yahoo Sports midseason awards: Biggest surprises, disappointments, Heisman picks, title predictions and more
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Oct 20 • 10:33 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
John Turturro, thief of New York characters, adds a capstone in 'The Last Pickpocket in New York'

John Turturro grew up in Hollis, Queens, and has lived in Park Slope, Brooklyn, since 1988

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Oct 20 • 9:58 AM EDT • Entertainment • washingtonpost.com
Hampton Beach businesses want free trash pickup; residents say it’s time to pay

Should businesses pay for trash collection at Hampton Beach? A packed hearing showed a division between residents and business owners.

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Oct 20 • 9:13 AM EDT • Business • seacoastonline.com
Bulls' Caleb Wilson Embracing Patience, Despite Glimpses of Stardom

Chicago's No. 4 overall pick is looking forward to his NBA regular season debut on Wednesday night.

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Oct 20 • 8:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
GM's core profit rises 22% on strength of pickup-truck business

GM shares fell about 6% in premarket trading.

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Oct 20 • 7:10 AM EDT • Business • detroitnews.com
GM’s core profit rises 22% on strength of pickup-truck business

By Kalea Hall Oct 20 (Reuters) - General Motors’ third-quarter results easily beat analyst expectations on the back of resolute shoppers who continue to spring for pricey ​pickups and SUVs. The company on Tuesday said quarterly ‌earnings before interes...

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Oct 20 • 6:33 AM EDT • Business • wtvbam.com
GM's core profit rises 22% on strength of pickup-truck business

General Motors' ​third-quarter results easily beat analyst expectations on the ‌back of resolute shoppers who continue to ⁠spring for ​pricey pickups ⁠and SUVs.

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Oct 20 • 6:33 AM EDT • Business • ksl.com
Green Bay Packers add former first-round pick amid defensive line injury concerns

The Green Bay Packers are searching for defensive line help after injuries weakened their options up front. With starting nose tackle Javon Hargrave out, veteran Chris McClellan is expected to fill the role, but Green Bay has limited depth behind him. To strengthen the rotation, the Packers have signed a former first round pick to [...]

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Oct 20 • 6:30 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Envelope Insiders Live: See stars of 'Furious,' 'Love Story' and more

The creatives behind 'Furious,' 'Love Story,' 'The Only Living Pickpocket in New York' and 'Tenzing' joined us for a day of food, wine and great conversations. Take a look inside.

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Oct 20 • 6:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • latimes.com
Franciscan Health Dyer adds OrderAhead food locker in partnership with Food Bank of NWI

Technology enhances partnership aimed at fighting Region food insecurity DYER, Ind. – Franciscan Health Dyer now has an OrderAhead food locker thanks to a partnership with the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana and generous donations to the Franciscan Health Foundation. The OrderAhead food locker program was designed by the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana for neighbors with chronic concerns about adequate food access. The lockers allow food-insecure individuals to place an order online for pickup at a scheduled time. “We are thankful to be able to further enhance our impactful partnership with the Food Bank with the addition of the

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Oct 20 • 1:15 AM EDT • Health • wimsradio.com
5 Cheaper OLED TVs To Buy Instead Of The Samsung S95H

While the Samsung S95H is an excellent OLED TV, it can get pricey, depending on the size you pick. Here are some affordable alternatives from other brands.

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Oct 19 • 11:17 PM EDT • Technology • bgr.com
Deputies: Pickens Co. business owner holds intoxicated burglary suspect at gunpoint

The Pickens County Sheriff’s Office said it arrested someone in connection with a burglary at the Sip n’ Ride on Tuesday evening.

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Oct 19 • 7:28 PM EDT • Business • foxcarolina.com
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Packers Sign Former First-Round Pick to Practice Squad

The Green Bay Packers signed a former Dallas Cowboys draft pick one day after embarrassing them in primetime.

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Oct 19 • 7:00 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Magic's Wendell Carter Jr Praises Annual Event for Underprivileged Youth

Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. was present for the team's seventh annual Pick, Read & Roll event on Monday.

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Oct 19 • 7:00 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Lakers waive former No. 17 pick Dalton Knecht
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Oct 19 • 6:40 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
NBA Predictions 2026-27: Who wins MVP? Rookie of the Year? Our experts make their awards picks
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Oct 19 • 3:47 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
S.C. business owner holds drunk burglar at gunpoint

The Pickens County Sheriff’s Office said it arrested someone in connection with a burglary at the Sip ’n’ Ride.

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Oct 19 • 11:16 AM EDT • Business • wrdw.com
Deputies: Pickens Co. business owner holds intoxicated burglary suspect at gunpoint

The Pickens County Sheriff's Office said a business owner held an intoxicated burglary suspect at gunpoint until deputies arrived.

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Oct 19 • 10:08 AM EDT • Business • foxcarolina.com
Jerry Jeudy Trade: Giants Connected to Browns WR

Jerry Jeudy is not living up to his paycheck, and one prominent NFL insider believes the Cleveland Browns could trade him despite the team's winning record. A first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Jeudy began his career with the Denver Broncos and established himself as a good but not great pass-catching weapon. However, he …

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Oct 19 • 10:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Business owner holds 'grossly intoxicated' burglary suspect at gunpoint, deputies say

A business owner in Pickens County, South Carolina, held a 'grossly intoxicated' burglary suspect at gunpoint, according to the sheriff's office.

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Oct 19 • 8:21 AM EDT • Business • wyff4.com
Android's brand-new 3D emoji are rolling out more widely

After initially being limited to the Pixel 11 series, Google’s Noto 3D emoji set is now rolling out to more Android smartphones.

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Oct 19 • 7:12 AM EDT • Technology • androidauthority.com
'You Can See Everything' just become a major player in the Oscar race

Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim's experimental portrait of Elizabeth Holmes is the kind of phenomenon that even the pickiest awards voters will need to pay heed to.

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Oct 19 • 6:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • latimes.com
Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe on form ahead of El Clasico, Bayern Munich top and Lazio march on in Euro Debrief

Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane were all on target again but Lazio are the talk of Europe. Adam Bate picks out the big stories from the continent in the Euro Debrief, a Sky Sports column focusing on the major European leagues and more...

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Oct 19 • 3:41 AM EDT • Sports • skysports.com
China’s economy grows 4.5 percent in Q3, beating forecasts

GDP growth picks up from Q2 amid AI-driven boom in exports.

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Oct 19 • 1:56 AM EDT • Business • aljazeera.com
George Pickens good for 73 yards on Sunday night

George Pickens was held in check for much of Week 6 but did make a few plays in the closing moments to finish with a 6-73-0 line.

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Oct 19 • 1:19 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
You voted, now here it is – Cincinnati's top 10 sports mascots

With over 1,000 votes, our readers made their pick for Greater Cincinnati's No. 1 mascot.

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Oct 19 • 12:20 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
China GDP growth picks up thanks to export boom

China reported better-than-expected Q3 growth on Monday as robust exports of chips and electronics components on the back of a global artificial intelligence boom buoy the world’s second-largest economy, despite sluggish demand at home.

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Oct 18 • 10:10 PM EDT • Business • cnn.com
The 20 best ‘Bluey’ episodes of all time

From baby races and grumpy grannies to obstacle courses and sleepytime, these are our picks for the best episodes of ‘Bluey’ so far.

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Oct 18 • 11:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • ew.com