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U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert’s son arrested, charged with sexual exploitation of child
U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert’s son Tyler Jay Boebert has been arrested and accused of recording and sharing a video depicting himself having intercourse with a minor, according to court records. The case originates in Garfield County in Western Colorado and was filed Thursday. Tyler Boebert, 21, is accused of five counts in total: three charges […]
Saber's newest game trailer takes a shot at Gearbox's CEO, if you look closely
The first hint that something might be up with the recent debut trailer for Saber Interactive’s Rideshare Stimulator is an unusual choice of words—aside from that second one in the game’s title. “Don’t take your passengers too seriously,” the trailer’s narrator says, as he describes this upcoming game. It a car game about the gig work of driving eccentric people to their destinations, a riff on Crazy Taxi. And then, he says: “When I think I’ve met the randiest of passengers, someone even stranger gets in.” “Randiest”? That suggests “randy,” which usually means having strong sexual desire. Yet none of the oddball backseat occupants featured in the trailer seem particularly lustful. One is an old man who considers his grandson a failure, another shares the theory that birds might control traffic lights, another says he’s banned from an aquarium. A little later, there’s a license plate, shown 63 seconds into the trailer, on the front of an SUV: USB DRV It’s a Texas plate. The symbol between those letters is a cog wheel. If you know, you know. That’s a reference to Texas-based Borderlands game development studio Gearbox Software (their logo features a cog wheel). More specifically, it’s a reference to Gearbox’s CEO Randy Pitchford, who in 2018 found himself explaining the nature of video he’d saved on a USB drive that was found at a Medieval Times restaurant before being returned to the studio: “It was ‘barely legal’ porn. This girl’s handle was ‘Only 18.’” The “girl” in the video had committed a solo sex act that Pitchford, an avid practitioner of magic, found remarkable. “I realized, this is not a sex worker…This is a fucking magician.” Back then, the USB drive was central to competing lawsuits against Gearbox by the studio’s former lawyer and by Gearbox against him. A settlement in late 2019 “exonerated” Pitchford, per the Hollywood Reporter. The USB story has resurfaced at times, now in a trailer from a company that not long ago was corporate brethren with Gearbox. Saber vs. Gearbox The head of Saber told Game File that the reference is payback. “The dig is because Randy took shots at Embracer in Borderlands 4,” Saber CEO Matt Karch told me when I asked him about the license plate. “Without Embracer, Randy is performing magic tricks at birthday parties for a living.” Having interviewed Karch during a cross-country flight in late 2024, I can confirm that Karch was unimpressed with Pitchford during their time both working in the Embracer group. I’d approached him not out of surprise that there was animosity but that it was manifesting publicly now. Gearbox was founded in 1999, worked on a port of Halo early on, and developed hit series such as the loot-based sci-fi shooter Borderlands before it was purchased by The Embracer Group in early 2021 for $363 million (with a possible earn-out of over $1 billion, if certain targets were hit by 2027). Saber was founded in 2001, worked on a remaster of Halo early on, had a big hit with zombie shooter World War Z and was purchased by Embracer in early 2020 for $150 million, with a potential earn-out of up to $375 million. For a few years, the Embracer group was a voracious acquirer of game studios. Then, as investment dried up, it choked. In March 2024, Embracer sold Saber to an investment company controlled by Saber CEO Matt Karch, and it sold Gearbox in an all-stock deal to long-time Borderlands publisher Take Two Interactive. Other studios were shut down. Hundreds of developers were laid off. Gearbox didn’t say much about their Embracer experience, nothing too direct, at least. In the summer 2024, Pitchford told reporter and occasional Game File contributor Nicole Carpenter that Borderlands 4’s story was in some way thematically connected to Gearbox’s experience at Embracer: “There’s this cultural and emotional shift in me, personally, and at the studio. What does it mean to trade some autonomy for organization?” When Borderlands 4 came out, there was something stranger: the matter of “Embracer’s Bluff,” a location in the game featuring an AI-powered toilet and a large trash dump, according to a detailed Kotaku account of the place. Gearbox never commented on it; Take Two never got back to me about it when I asked them last year. By contrast, since Saber exited Embracer, Karch has been one of Embracer’s biggest defenders, casting their management as well-meaning and supportive despite the layoffs and studio closures that resulted from their excessive expansion. Like others, Saber’s Karch saw Embracer’s as a shot. With Rideshare Stimulator’s trailer, he’s returned fire. “It’s amazing to me how fast people forget those who went above and beyond for them,” Karch told Game File. A rep for Gearbox did not comment by press time. Game File is a reader-supported publication. Your backing makes my reporting—including any coverage of trailer-based beefs—possible. Good news! I’m currently running Game File’s first big sale of 2026. You can get a one-year subscription for 23% off. Click here to take advantage of the limited-time offer. And thank you for your support! Item 2: In brief… 🚫 Wal-Mart has laid off the staff of Restart, a games media outlet launched in 2024, Aftermath reports. 🟥 A GTA VI preview is on the way, at last, via an “extended look” that will premiere, unusually, on Netflix at 3pm ET on August 27, then officially go live elsewhere six hours later. Last week, Game File noted that Take Two label Rockstar Games is overdue for showing off GTA VI, based on the timing of the initial hands-off previews of GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2. During a call with investors, Take Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said pre-orders for GTA VI were “unprecedented and astonishing,” but added the company can’t predict how many of those pre-orders represent bonus sales vs. sales that otherwise would have been made at launch. During the same call, Zelnick was noticeably bullish on the future of playing games over streaming cloud connections (predicting wider adoption in three or so years). He sounded unbothered by Sony’s plans to stop making discs for new games (he said the business is 90% digital already and predicted that there could still be limited edition physical editions of games “in the same way there’s still vinyl in the recorded music business.”) 👀 Take Two wrote off $43 million in their spring quarter after deciding “not to proceed with further development of an unannounced title in its pipeline from a third-party developer.” 🤔 Some rare age-demographics from a big publisher: Capcom recently told investors that “users in their 20s account for approximately half of the users of both Pragamata and Resident Evil Requiem.” Item 3: The week ahead Tuesday, August 11 Game releases: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered (Switch 2; already out for PC, PS5, Xbox) continues the Bethesda strategy of putting Elder Scrolls games on everything; Royalty Free-For-All is a Smash Bros.-style fighting game featuring public domain characters such as Mother Goose brawling with Oliver Twist in a stage based on the original Little Shop of Horrors movie. Wednesday, August 12 Game release: Pro Jank Footy (PC, console) is an arcade-style Australian Rules Football game with increasingly ridiculous rules, the more you play (I enjoyed the Steam demo) Thursday, August 13 Game release: Super Mario Sunshine (Switch 2, originally released in 2002 on the GameCube) is released for Switch 2’s Nintendo Switch Online service. This game is the black sheep of 3D Mario games. It’s the successor to the breakthrough Super Mario 64 and the rare Mario game built around a single (vacation resort) theme. Mario’s got a water-spraying backpack, a Yoshi pal and a lot of blue coins to collect.
US Rep. Lauren Boebert’s son arrested, faces charges of sexual exploitation of child
U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert’s son Tyler Boebert has been arrested and faces charges of sexual exploitation of a child, according to court records. The case originates out of Garfield County in Western Colorado. Tyler Boebert, 21, faces five counts in total: three charges of sexual exploitation of a child and two counts of contributing to […]
US Rep. Lauren Boebert’s son faces charges of sexual exploitation of child
U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert’s son Tyler Boebert faces charges of sexual exploitation of a child, according to court records. The case originates out of Garfield County in Western Colorado and was filed on Thursday. Tyler Boebert, 21, faces five counts in total: three charges of sexual exploitation of a child and two counts of contributing […]
University of Essex opens lab to train future scientists
The £2.5m facility includes a dedicated cancer diagnostics laboratory.
Japan football association investigates four referees over KFA sexual entertainment allegations
The JFA is investigating four Japanese referees linked to matches cited in allegations that the KFA provided sexual entertainment to foreign officials in 2011 and 2012.
KFA apologizes over sexual entertainment allegations involving foreign referees
The Korea Football Association said it was “deeply sorry” for its actions in the early 2010s, as a police raid and wider scrutiny of its former president and national team coach have ratcheted up the pressure for changes at the organization.
Democratic socialist Francesca Hong has former child star, OnlyFans model in senior campaign role: report
An OnlyFans model and sex worker advocate is reportedly serving as deputy campaign manager for Francesca Hong's Wisconsin governor campaign.
Football association apologizes amid claims it provided sexual entertainment for foreign referees
The national football association apologized Saturday over allegations that it provided sexual entertainment to foreign referees before and after i...
Mosquito Street Spraying Monday, August 10, 2026
East Middlesex Mosquito Control Project The East Middlesex Mosquito Control Project is planning to use a truck mounted aerosol sprayer to control mosquito populations. Spraying will be done between sunset and 11:30 PM. The following … Read full article→
Health and safety complaints trigger state investigation at NKY long-term care facility
After a sexual assault allegation & a wrongful death lawsuit, an independent care facility is now under a state investigation.
Lee County science teacher arrested on 10 counts of possession of child sexual abuse material
A science teacher employed by the School District of Lee County was arrested after agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement say they found several files of child sexual abuse material on hard drives in his home.
Carmel marketing firm Element Three makes first acquisition
Carmel-based marketing firm Element Three has acquired Colorado-based Sextant, a network analytics and software firm serving the vehicle and heavy equipment markets.
Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner on Rom-Coms and the Politics of ‘One Night Only’
In “One Night Only,” Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner play singles living in a world where the government has banned premarital sex. How far-fetched is that?
Delaware allocates funding to bring new health centers to 4 middle schools in rural Sussex County
The effort expands health care access for schools located in provider deserts and brings the model directly to middle schools, which have historically been ignored statewide.
Wiener built an AI chatbot to mock Chan’s politics. Pelosi says it’s ‘sexist’ and ‘racist’
The race between state Sen. Scott Wiener and Connie Chan to succeed Pelosi in Congress is taking a turn for the personal.
Football federation provided sexual entertainment for foreign referees: gov't audit
The national football federation apparently provided sexual entertainment to foreign referees before and after international matches held in Korea...
Bridging Gaps in Women’s Health: Research driving change in sexual violence prevention
Because its effects extend far beyond the initial trauma, sexual violence is an important, and often overlooked, women's health issue.
Governor Moore Announces Kevin Sexton as Nominee for Chair of the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission
Governor Moore Announces Kevin Sexton as Nominee for Chair of the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission
Butterfly lilies wing their way to Science
Many animals and plants show left-right differences in how their bodies or organs are arranged, but we still know little about how such asymmetries evolve or how genes control them in natural populations. Mirror-image flowers, in which female and male sex organs are deflected to opposite sides in left- and right-handed forms, provide a notable example of such asymmetry. Here, we studied South African butterfly lilies, where individual plants produce only left- or right-handed flowers. Their mirror-image flowers promote outcrossing by depositing pollen from each floral form onto a specific region of a pollinator’s body that matches the stigma position of the opposite form. This suggests that selection for efficient pollen transfer between forms maintains this natural polymorphism. Our work uncovers a hemizygous supergene that coordinates the left-right orientation of female and male sex organs in mirror-image flowers by linking two independently acting genes for style and stamen handedness in a single, nonrecombining genomic segment. This architecture ensures the coinheritance of a matched pair of organ orientations that is essential for efficient cross-pollination between floral forms. At the developmental level, we show that floral handedness emerges from the interaction between an intrinsic tissue chirality and a gravitropic response that orients the style and median stamen relative to gravity. Together, these findings reveal how a supergene, hormone and microRNA signaling, tissue chirality, and an external physical cue combine to produce and maintain a stable left-right polymorphism in natural plant populations.
KFA accused of providing sexual entertainment to foreign referees before 2011 matches
According to the broadcaster, the Korea Football Association used corporate cards to provide sexual entertainment to referees before multiple international matches in 2011.
Former Holy Cross Hospital CEO Kevin Sexton tapped to lead HSCRC
Kevin Sexton, former president and CEO of Holy Cross Health hospitals, has been tapped to chair a powerful state commission charged with setting hospital rates in Maryland, the Moore administration announced Thursday.
Readers sound off on why Massachusetts has lost its competitive edge
Once a star performer, Massachusetts is losing ground to other states on job growth and new business creation.
Scandal Leaves North Carolina G.O.P. With No Candidate and Little Time
Representative Chuck Edwards’s decision to drop his re-election bid amid sexual harassment charges came as a Democratic farmer, Jamie Ager, was already making inroads.
Katey Sagal says she’s surprised to still be ‘very sexual’ at age 72
Katey Sagal said she imagined that sex ‘would be a distant memory’ when she reached her 70s: ‘I’m at this age of my life and still into it.’
Official Baldur’s Gate 3 Stream Gets Shut Down By YouTube For Sexy Times
Three years later, Larian is still getting a slap on the wrist for its RPG’s sex scenes
Rep. Chuck Edwards drops reelection bid after censure recommendation for sexual harassment claims
The House Ethics Committee said there is "substantial reason to believe" Rep. Chuck Edwards violated House rules related to sexual harassment and hostile workplaces. Edwards denied any wrongdoing.
567-million-year-old fossils rewrite the dawn of animal life
A spectacular fossil site in Canada contains 567-million-year-old creatures that may represent some of the earliest animals to move, reproduce sexually, and develop recognizable body plans. The discovery pushes key evolutionary milestones back by up to 10 million years and suggests complex animal life may have first flourished in the deep ocean.
There are a few gooduns in August's Xbox Game Pass line-up, including a surprisingly sexy, and funny, furniture dating sim
Ever dated a door before? Don't knock it until you've tried.
Does Welbeck's exit offer hope to youth?
On the latest Albion Unlimited podcast, BBC Radio Sussex's Johnny Cantor is joined by former Seagulls forward Warren Aspinall as they discuss Danny Welbeck's decision to join Chelsea. Aspinall said he was "gutted" to see Welbeck leave Brighton after the 35-year-old spent over five years at the club.
Dems rally behind Michigan prosecutor to champion party in crucial House race
In her career as a prosecutor, Christina Hines described her work as helping victims of sexual abuse and human trafficking.
Telegram CEO Says Extortionist Manipulated Apple Into App Store Removal
Telegram was subject to a "takedown extortionist" who planted AI-modified child sexual abuse material (CSAM) to get Apple to remove the app from the App Store, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov said today. Apple removed Telegram from the App Store for about 40 minutes on Monday night after discovering CSAM, but reinstated the app after Telegram removed the content.
Telegram says Apple suspension followed content norms violation by one user
Apple said its review found the content had violated guidelines prohibiting child sexual abuse material.
Massachusetts House primary spotlights Lowell's growing Cambodian political influence
State Rep. Tara Hong is challenged by former Lowell Mayor and current Lowell City Councilor Sokhary Chau for the 18th Middlesex District seat.
Today’s horoscope: Aries - don’t mix business with pleasure (Aug. 4, 2026)
CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Cole Sprouse, 34; Dylan Sprouse, 34; Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, 45; Barack Obama, 65.
Telegram Briefly Removed From Apple’s App Store Over Alleged Child Sexual Abuse Content
Telegram has been mired in other recent controversies including allegations by Russia of aiding terrorism and criticism by Australia over its handling of violent content.
Apple Briefly Takes Telegram Off App Store Over Abusive Content
Apple Inc. briefly removed the Telegram messaging app from its App Store after finding content on the platform that violated a ban on child sexual abuse material.
House Ethics Panel Finds Rep. Chuck Edwards Likely Violated Sexual Harassment Rules
The Ethics Committee called for the censure of Representative Chuck Edwards, Republican of North Carolina, who showered two female staffers with lavish gifts and affection.
Ethics panel finds GOP Rep. Chuck Edwards violated House sexual harassment rules and recommends censure
The bipartisan House Ethics Committee said Monday it has found “substantial evidence” that GOP Rep. Chuck Edwards repeatedly made unwanted advances toward two of his female staffers and is recommending that the full House vote to punish him on the floor.
SDSU leads international research collaboration to broaden understandi
The series was published in The Lancet Public Health and expands the evidence on sex workers' well-being and occupational safety.
I couldn't advertise vibrators on the subway. So I sued.
I founded Dame, a vibrator and sexual wellness company, to improve women's health. But I had to fight to be treated the same as ED pill makers.
Hyper Valuation Services Hires Evans as Managing Director of Business Development
Hyper Valuation Services (HVS), a division of HYPERAMS, hired Adam Evans as managing director of business development. In his new role, Evans will focus on
Three teenage brothers open creemee stand in Essex Junction as hands-on business education
Malachi, Messiah and Jaleel McMillan run Black Ice daily on Park Street.
Abdul El-Sayed, accused of sexism, says his contempt is for most everyone
In Michigan’s brutal Democratic Senate primary, the candidate’s barbed wit sparked attack ads that portray him as disrespectful to women. He says that’s a racist trope.
How often are married people having sex? What to know about the intimacy standard in America
Research reveals once a week may be the sweet spot for marital satisfaction, with no added happiness boost from more frequent sexual intimacy.
The Guy Who Recruited Graham Platner Has a History of Sexual Misconduct Allegations Too
Is this why Platner made it so far?
Dylan Sprouse’s shady tweet about Jared Leto resurfaces amid sexual assault allegations
Dylan Sprouse’s shady tweet about Jared Leto in 2018 resurfaces amid new sexual assault allegations against the Thirty Seconds to Mars frontman.
2 Baldwin men charged in sex trafficking scheme involving coded business cards
A federal grand jury has indicted two Baldwin County men on sex trafficking charges, alleging that they ferried women from Georgia to the Gulf Coast to have sex for money.
‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day,’ a new Gregg Araki film, and an ‘Adults’ prequel episode top our Must List
See EW’s top pop culture picks for the week, including ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day,’ the new Gregg Araki film ‘I Want Your Sex,’ and a special prequel episode for FX’s comedy series ‘Adults.’
Book reviews: ‘On the Origin of Sex: The Weird and Wonderful Science of Reproduction’ and ‘You Won’t Get Free of It’
The real story behind reproduction and a collection of essays focusing on mothers and daughters
‘Project Hail Mary’ and More Science Fiction Movies to Stream Now
From the Ryan Gosling hit “Project Hail Mary” to the psychosexual alien rom-com “Touch Me,” explore this month’s eclectic picks.
YouTube Bans Popular ASMR Artists, Accusing Them of Making 'Sexually Gratifying' Videos
YouTube told ASMR artists including Bunnii, Slight Sounds, Rose, and others that their content broke the platform's sex and nudity policy. Creators say these bans are unfair and potentially life-altering.
New movies to watch this weekend: See 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' in theaters, rent 'Supergirl,' stream 'The Devil Wears Prada 2' on Disney+
"Spider-Man: Brand New Day," "I Want Your Sex" and "The Devil's Mouth" are out now. Are they worth watching?
New York advocates gearing up to push rape loophole proposal in new session
Legislation would prohibit the use of intoxication of the victim as a defense in sex crimes.
Delaware State Trooper accused of taking advantage of woman experiencing mental health crisis
A suspended Delaware State Trooper has been indicted for allegedly taking sexual advantage of a 21-year-old woman who was experiencing a mental health crisis in his patrol car.
N.Y. lawmakers renew push for updated sex offender registry
An operation in Syracuse found that 85 registered sex offenders were not complying with requirements.
Top entertainment headlines on Wednesday, July 29 with Studio 13 Live
Mireya Garcia dives into the top entertainment headlines for Wednesday, July 29 on Studio 13 Live—From a new documentary exposing Jared Leto's sexual harassment allegations to updates on box office performances and celebrity engagements.
Lincoln Crime Stoppers seek tips on trailer theft, groping at massage business
LCS is asking for the public’s help identifying suspects in two separate cases — a trailer theft and a sexual offense at a south Lincoln massage business.
Governor Meyer Announces Funding to Establish Four New School-Based Health Centers in Sussex County
The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services today announced awards to establish four new school-based health centers in Sussex County through the state's Rural Health Transformation Program.
Sussex County restaurant, a 'local favorite,' for sale after 48 years
One of Sussex County's most unique restaurants is on the market after nearly a half-century in business.
Jared Leto faces sexual misconduct allegations from more women
Jared Leto has been accused of behaving inappropriately with four women when they were in their teens, according to a new BBC report.
‘Jeopardy’ champ pleads guilty to 2 felony charges after planting secret cameras in rental property
Two-time ‘Jeopardy’ champ Philip Joseph DeSena pleaded guilty to two counts of felony secret peeping after planting hidden cameras in a rental property’s bedroom and bathroom for ‘sexual gratification.’
Apple Health Coverage Ends for Some Washington Residents on September 30 – Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault
Beginning October 1, 2026, some Washington residents will lose Apple Health (Medicaid) coverage because of changes in the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1). People who may lose…
Four-paper series broadens sex workers' health focus beyond HIV prevention
A new four-paper series in The Lancet Public Health reflects a two-year collaboration among researchers at San Diego State University and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the Global ...
Funding gap leaves NJ's new mental health crisis centers in limbo
NJ wants to open five mental health crisis centers, including two that are ready to operate. It needs $29 million more to do so.
Unlikely duo seeks ban on using campaign funds to fight sexual harassment claims
Reps. Ro Khanna (D-California) and Anna Paulina Luna (R-Florida) have teamed up on new legislation in response to a spate of scandals.
Cardiologist arrested for allegedly sexually abusing patients—officials seek other victims
The cardiologist, 63, was arrested on charges of rape, sexual battery and gross sexual imposition. The Brown County Sheriff's Office believes there are additional victims who have not yet come forward.
Five 2026 ballot measures address sex-based school sports eligibility, certain medical procedures for transgender minors
Welcome to the Monday, July 27, 2026, Brew. By: Lara Bonatesta Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: Five 2026 ballot measures address sex-based school sports eligibility, certain medical procedures for transgender minors In 2026, voters will decide at least five ballot measures on sex-based requirements for school sports and bans […]
Stokes's Durham next in line for shellshocked Glamorgan
Glamorgan could run into former England captain Ben Stokes in prime form for Durham as they aim to recover from a thrashing at Middlesex.
What Barriers Do Women in Science Face When Trying to Publish?
I went to high school and college at the height of the women’s liberation movement, in the 1970s. We knew that sexism was a problem—but we were solving it. My father, the center of our household, e…
Eating oily fish may have a shocking health benefit for your muscles and grip strength
A study found positive associations between grip strength and intake of oily fish, retinol and magnesium in both sexes.
Political turmoil, lower pay yield small candidate pool for HTA’s top job
The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority has attracted about 60 applicants in its search for a new president and CEO, a significantly smaller candidate pool than past searches as the agency tries to recruit a leader after years of political turmoil and uncertainty about its future.
Scrutiny of WNBA intensifies as disarray looms over All-Star festivities
Discussions about race, gender and sexuality overshadow Saturday’s WNBA All-Star Game, as league lurches into disarray.
Sex in space could be trickier than we think. Here's what science says about close encounters between astronauts | BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Sgnificant gaps exist in our understanding of how human reproduction might be affected by the conditions in space.
Oakland pop-up restaurant owner pauses business after home break-in, sexual assault of 16-year-old son
Oakland police are searching for a suspect following a terrifying Monday morning break-in that ended in the sexual assault of a 16-year-old boy.
New mobile mammography unit aims to address barriers to receiving care in Sussex County, Delaware
TidalHealth Mobile Mammography launched this month. Its goal is to bring screenings to neighborhoods in Sussex County with limited preventive care.
Missouri health facility failed to protect kids from sexual abuse, lawsuit says
Two former residents say they were abused by staff, while a third was assaulted under the facility’s care by a nursing home resident, according to the lawsuit.
Onetime Ivy League leader back in custody 20-plus years after fleeing justice for sexual violence charges
A former medical school professor and hospital chair of his specialty has been re-captured after skipping trial to avoid facing rape charges in 2005.
UFC Freedom 250 Fails to Knock Out The Ratings
(Welcome to my weekly streaming ratings report, the single best guide to what’s popular in streaming TV and what isn’t. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. If you were forwarded this email, please subscribe to get these insights each week.) If UFC fans wanted one image to say, “Hey, Paramount+ is crushing it with their UFC rights deal,” I could provide that image. Here it is: (Reminder: this is my creation of the Nielsen Top 30, since Nielsen doesn’t combine the lists or include sports. I take all three lists and combine them. Some streaming TV shows probably have higher ratings than many of the films on this list.) Look at that! UFC Freedom 250 is number one! It topped the Nielsen “Top 30” list for shows and films that made the top ten the week of 15-June. So if you’re a UFC fan or supporter of Paramount+, that’s the good news for you this week. This program topped the ratings charts for one week. Everything else is bad news, or at least a huge caveat to that story, which I’ll explain today in the first part of this week’s Streaming Ratings Report—for the weeks of 8-June and 15-June—which is a double issue since I’ve been writing on a bunch of topics recently. UFC Freedom 250 is one of the biggest streaming events of the year, and super relevant to Paramount+’s strategy, so it merited its own article. Let’s dive in! (Reminder: The streaming ratings report focuses on the U.S. market and compiles data from Nielsen’s weekly top ten viewership ranks, Luminate’s Top Ten Data, JustWatch and Reelgood interest data, Samba TV household viewership, company datecdotes, Netflix hours viewed data, Google Trends, and IMDb to determine the most popular content. While most data points are current, Nielsen’s data covers the weeks of June 8th to June 21st 2026. You can find a link to my terminology here.) Subscribe Check Out My Interview on UFC 250 at MMA Draw After you read this article, if you want even more thoughts on UFC and Paramount-Skydance/Paramount+, I did a written interview with MMA Draw. They asked me to answer some questions about UFC Freedom 250, and I was happy to chat with them. Find it here: [ The MMA Draw Newsletter Did Paramount really overpay for the UFC? What the data tells us so far If you know the history of American television, you also know that combat sports is often a leading indicator of the future… Read more a day ago · 10 likes · 1 comment · Nate Wilcox and Zach Arnold ](https://www.themmadraw.com/p/did-paramount-really-overpay-for?utm_source=substack&utm_campaign=post_embed&utm_medium=web) I never thought I’d need a combat sports newsletter in my life, but the good folks at MMA Draw publish an excellent one on UFC, MMA, pro wrestling, boxing and more, analyzing both the sports themselves and the politics, economics and antitrust issues that impact them. Check the article and their newsletter out! Paramount+ Has Its Best Sporting Event of All Time…But Was It Worth It? Before we look at the UFC Freedom 250 data in particular, let’s talk about what we can’t say. Namely, let’s start with the lack of comparisons. First off, I’d love to put a chart out comparing this fight to past UFC fights on Paramount+…but we don’t have the data. This is the first time we’ve gotten Nielsen data about a Paramount+ UFC fight. As far as I can tell, Paramount provided data for the first fight, but it was a proprietary datecdote (saying it had “an average minute audience” of 5 million “views”) and then, for two fights, we got the linear viewership numbers when they aired on CBS, but no streaming data. Everything else was crickets. We also can’t compare this fight to other fights/combat sports on streaming, in particular the MMA and boxing, because Netflix also didn’t use Nielsen to track those events, opting for TVision and VideoAmp, respectively. (This isn’t Paramount’s fault, but does still suck.) We also can’t compare to UFC’s fights that used to be on ESPN+, since we don’t have any data for that, plus Disney+ didn’t have marquee fights. The comparisons would not be apples-to-apples. Can we compare to past Pay-Per-View fights? Absolutely not. The comparisons would absolutely NOT be apples-to-apples. That didn’t stop Paramount+, though, who bragged that their UFC events have reached drastically more people than past PPV fights. Duh. Sorry, but I gotta make this point again. A basic tenet of economics is that the cheaper something becomes, the more people consume or buy it. That’s Econ 101. (Sometimes pundits call things “Econ 101” that are actually like Econ 210 or even PhD-level economics, but no, this is really like first or second class basic economics.) Yet I still see one analytics firm consistently say that more people watch films on streaming than PVOD proves streaming which means that the streaming window is more valuable than the PVOD window. No, it’s not! Same thing here. Pay-Per-View events back in the day could be really, really, really expensive! So whole groups of people pitched in to buy them. That increased the perceived value of, say, the Mike Tyson fight. Or a UFC numbered event. So yes, the fact that Paramount+ makes numbered UFC fights essentially “free” if you’re already a Paramount+ member means consumption will go up. Obviously. Same for Netflix and their boxing matches. They’re talking about fights that used to cost consumers, in some cases, $50 in 1996…which is over $100 in today’s dollars. Over 1.6 million people paid that to watch the Tyson-Holyfield fight! Again, streaming is essentially “free”. Or $10 to $20, depending on what streamer we’re talking about and what tier you’re on. No wonder more people are “watching”. (Plus, Nielsen’s out-of-home viewing also helps these numbers.) UFC Freedom 250 Did Well…But I Have A Lot of Worries So what can we compare the fights to? Well, the good news is Nielsen put out that the fight averaged 7.0 million viewers for UFC Freedom 250, which is a solid number for a fight. We also know the length, at roughly 4 and a half hours. (I saw different run times, but this seems to be the consensus considering it started at 8 pm, had a delay and then finished after midnight on the East Coast. If you assume a shorter run time, then yes, the total hours viewed would go down.) That means I have the two numbers needed to add this to my Nielsen database. And then…I can compare this viewership to the NFL: And, uh, not great. But also within striking distance, mainly because the runtime for this event was so long. I’d also add that this event had viewership equal to a regular season NFL game on streaming, but if anything, it was more comparable to an NFL playoff or Super Bowl-esque event. And you can compare viewership to the top football games on broadcast, cable and streaming, and it’s not impressive at all: We can also compare it to other sports that week, including the NBA Finals and start of the World Cup: Again, not great. The NBA generated roughly four times as many average viewers each game for its NBA Finals. The World Cup has similarly big numbers. Also, that’s just a tiny fraction of the 25 most watched sporting events each week. The NBA, NHL and FIFA World Cup had many, many more games racking up hours. We could also compare this to other streaming programs to get an idea of “is this a good investment?” and here is how it ranks compared to other top Paramount+ programs: The worry here? Well, unlike scripted programming, which has rewatchability, older fights/sporting events have very little library value. Very, very few people are rewatching these fights, especially years from now. Paramount has also released datecdotes bragging about their subscriber numbers. Earlier this year, they claimed that the first UFC fight on Paramount+ brought in 1 million subscribers. Then, in their quarterly earnings report, they only ended up with 700K subs. Not great! They claimed they dropped lower-value international subscribers, but that’s why I tend to discount subscriber additions when they’re leaked to the press.1 I expect we may see a bump again for UFC Freedom 250, but I’d caution using subscriber growth so soon after these events to judge the success, since new subs with high churn (see Peacock) aren’t great either. Also, analysts often want to attribute all subscriber growth to their favorite/pet show, and that just doesn’t make sense. The biggest caveat for UFC Freedom 250 and Paramount’s very first UFC marquee event is that these could be high watermarks for the sport. UFC Freedom 250 had an incredible amount of earned media coverage compared to most UFC fights. I mean, it had wall-to-wall national news coverage in the lead up to the event. (The first fight also had a lot of promotion from Paramount since it was first.) Other fights could reach this bar—say the Conor McGregor return to the Octagon—but they’ll be fewer and far between. Was This Deal Worth It? All to ask: is this Paramount deal worth it? In this case, I think the UFC Freedom 250 numbers are more distracting than helpful. This fight did well and compares well to other top sporting events. But we know that the first marquee event was at least a third smaller, if Paramount’s own data is to be believed. And it’s likely the other fights are much, much, much smaller. And then you get to the paycheck that Paramount-Skydance paid. FIFA’s World Cup cost about the same for Fox, but clearly generated multiples more total viewership. (Though it’s only every four years.) The NBA is much more expensive, but until the playoffs, they likely didn’t pay for itself. Even still, Disney, NBCUniversal and Amazon Prime Video likely overpaid. So, in that context, the NBA may be an overpay that makes the UFC look not so bad. But two overpays don’t make an underpay, to paraphrase the old cliché about wrongs and rights. And looking at UFC Freedom 250 as the likely ceiling of MMA on Paramount+, Paramount-Skydance likely paid too much. Share 1 I would love regular reports on subscriber additions by programs, but as is, it’s mostly leaked or rumored in haphazard ways.
Syphilis infections a rising threat for Alaska newborns, health officials report
As adult cases of the sexually transmitted infection increase, 14 Alaska babies qwew born with syphilis in 2025, the most in recent years.
Hannah Einbinder on Sex, Blood, and Politics
The actress takes on sexual shame in the bloody, lusty slasher comedy Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma.
Sussex Partnership NHS trust joins scheme to tackle racism
The new pilot aims to strengthen support for "racially marginalised" carers in mental health services.
Madison Square Garden Sues Wired Magazine Over L.G.B.T.Q. Tracking Report
The Manhattan venue claims a July article from the technology magazine falsely implied that it tracked information about some celebrities’ sexual orientation for “discriminatory purposes.”
Leon Black walked out of an Epstein House committee interview. Here’s what we know
Billionaire investor Leon Black, who for years paid Jeffrey Epstein for tax and financial advice, is facing scrutiny over his relationship with the late convicted sex offender after walking out of a closed-door interview with House investigators last month.
Eversource, Blumenthal, data centers: CT politics news
Plus: Stacey Abrams in CT, a federal investigation into sexual assault handling, and education accountability metrics.
Sex abuse victim family says they’re “tired of being used” for politics amid Talarico attacks
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Blanche meets with Epstein accusers after demand from Republican senator crucial to confirmation
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Franklin club tied to sex-trafficking investigation could lose its liquor and entertainment license
The Franklin Common Council is expected to vote on revoking the license of On the Border Gentlemen's Club amid a sex-trafficking investigation.
Ex-MLB star returning to baseball after being found guilty of sexual abuse of a minor
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Trump officials want to make testosterone drugs easier to prescribe. Is that a good idea?
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Philadelphia health department takes over management of sexual assault response center from Drexel University
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The ’Gay’ Attacks on Lindsey Graham Are All About Politics
Was Lindsey Graham gay? As the author of a book about the history of gay Washington, D.C., it’s a question I’ve been asked frequently for years, and even more so since his sudden death last weekend. The South Carolina Republican’s lifelong confirmed bachelorhood, vocal intonation, and Southern dandy demeanor (if not sartorial choices) prompted many to conclude that he was, as they say in that part of the country, “light in his loafers.” Graham’s repeated attestations to the contrary had zero effect on those invested in the narrative that he was. Only about the matter of J. Edgar Hoover’s rumored cross-dressing (for which there is much circumstantial but no direct evidence) am I questioned more. Whenever I’ve been asked to speculate upon Graham’s sexuality—and speculate was all that I or anyone else could do—I always answered the question honestly. While my personal sense is that Graham was probably gay, as a journalist and a historian I cannot rely on my intuition to make factual assertions. (Gaydar hasn’t yet been scientifically perfected.) Given the absence of any known female or male romantic interests, Graham may very well have been a heterosexual unlucky in love. He might also have been asexual. Barring the highly unlikely postmortem emergence of a personal diary or some other unassailable evidence attesting to Graham’s innermost yearnings, we will never know the answer. As is depressingly the case these days when a public figure dies, a chorus of voices reveled in Graham’s passing, many of them making light of his presumed homosexuality.
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Eleven Sports Media, Arizona Cardinals Partner To Drive Impact For Local Businesses
Arizona Cardinals Official Team Website I Arizona Cardinals – AZCardinals.com
Eleven Sports Media, Arizona Cardinals Partner To Drive Impact For Local Businesses
Arizona Cardinals Official Team Website I Arizona Cardinals – AZCardinals.com
Scientists are deep-freezing koala eggs and sperm to protect the species from extinction
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Ohio cut red tape. Now its business sector is thriving.
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E. Jean Carroll is paid $5.8M in Trump sex abuse and defamation case
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Suburban business park developer Michael Mooney has died at age 83
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