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Journey drummer Deen Castronovo suffers medical emergency during concert
He was taken to the hospital while the concert went on with his drum tech Steve Toomey.
Minneapolis Amplified holding concerts at small businesses
Live music and art will be flooding Minneapolis small businesses this weekend with Minneapolis Amplified.
‘A Latino problem’: National Democrats clash with Andy Beshear over Texas governor’s race
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear hoped being chair of the Democratic Governors Association this midterms year would raise his profile and connections ahead of his expected 2028 run for president. But it’s also created an opening to ramp up pressure on him, with frustrations spilling into the open this week as multiple Texas Democratic members of Congress and national group leaders accused him of putting his book tour and potential 2028 activity ahead of helping Democratic nominee Gina Hinojosa win the Texas governor’s race.
Gears of War: E-Day sells 230K copies
Gears of War: E-Day has sold 230K copies since its advance-access launch on October 1 and full release on October 6. Steam accounts for 168K of those, with Xbox (console and PC) selling 62K. But there’s more to this story, as Xbox makes up the bulk of revenue. E-Day is the best-reviewed Gears game in nearly two decades (and the best one ever made, in my opinion). The Coalition has made a banger here (it’s currently in my top 10 of the year). Despite E-Day’s undeniable quality, this is a soft result. And it’s down to the business model, really. E-Day has made $37M so far, thanks to the Premium upgrade On Xbox, Game Pass is cannibalising much of the premium revenue. Our estimates show that 1.7M folks accessed E-Day via their subscription rather than a copy. But Xbox is having it both ways – or having it halfway, at least – via its Premium Edition Game Pass upgrade. Game Pass subscribers could pay $30 (or their local equivalent) for up to five days of early access starting October 1. Our estimates show that of the 1.7M who accessed E-Day through Game Pass, 722K paid for the upgrade. Between the review embargo lifting on October 1 and the full release, E-Day managed to shift another 250K early-access upgrades – no doubt helped by the campaign’s rave reviews. So despite selling far fewer copies on Steam, Xbox accounts for almost three-quarters of the revenue (roughly $26M of the $37M, versus about $11M on Steam). So “230K copies” undersells the paying audience. Including the 722K upgrades, nearly 950K people actually paid something for E-Day. The $30 upgrade is a halfstep from cannibalisation, but will Xbox go all the way? While E-Day is a sublime game, these are soft numbers for a flagship when Xbox badly needs revenue wins. E-Day sold 62K copies on Xbox against 722K Premium upgrades, so for every one copy sold on Xbox, nearly 12 Game Pass upgrades were sold. The $70 premium SKU is – functionally – dead on Xbox. Normally you can’t see what a Game Pass player would have paid, because the game’s just there in the subscription. But the $30 early-access upgrade estimate shows that 722K people demonstrated they’ll spend real money on this game. In a world without day-one Game Pass, many of these folks would have bought E-Day at $70. They paid $30 for five days early access to something they don’t own. Xbox is, in effect, charging its most valuable customers the least, based on a hangover from a tried-and-exhausted strategy from a previous administration. Those 722K willing-to-pay players generated about $21.7M via the upgrade. If three quarters of this group – mostly US and European audiences – bought E-Day outright, that’s nearly $40M. Of course, Game Pass does bring in meaningful recurring revenue, and E-Day is adding value for hundreds of thousands of subscribers. However, Game Pass is no longer growing, so Xbox is at a crossroads. Xbox is reportedly looking to do a Netflix and bolt on an ad-supported tier to pad it further. But that will just set a new floor, and leadership keeps telling us the priority now is revenue growth, which is subscriber-speak for ARPU. Xbox has already pulled Call of Duty from day-one Game Pass after day-one inclusion hammered its sales, with new CoD titles now arriving on the service around a year late. We know that some Microsoft executives believe the service devalues games outright, and rumours (which Microsoft has dismissed so far, to be fair) suggest that day-one releases could be taken off Game Pass. Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe When a game this well-reviewed does this softly on its home platform, the model – not the game – gets brought into question. What else E-Day’s early adopters have played (including this month so far) Looking at E-Day‘s players on Xbox, most have played the franchise before (86% have played Gears 5, 76% Gears 4), and every game on the crossover list is either a shooter or a title from an Xbox-owned studio (though Game Pass is inflating those numbers, of course, more on that later): As for what else Xbox’s E-Day players have played this month, the top three are Fortnite (16%), Roblox (7%), and Call of Duty (6%). Another 5% played Minecraft Dungeons II, which is also on Game Pass and launched a couple of days before Gears‘ advance-access date. Many Game Pass players are happy to check out most big new additions. Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe Over on Steam, the top crossover games are also mostly shooters (slightly more PC-coded ones), including Space Marine 2, which was itself heavily inspired by Gears: Looking at what E-Day‘s Steam players are into this month shows who they are – as subscriptions don’t skew the data. The top three are Wardogs (13%), Deadlock (12%), and CS2 (10%), so you’ve got the restless shooter crowd checking out the new hotness. A little further down are Helldivers 2 and Space Marine 2, your co-op PVE shooter players who’ll feel right at home in Horde mode. Game Pass is skewing the playtime distribution on Xbox Looking at the playtime distribution in our platform, E-Day players on Steam are – relatively speaking – playing for longer: 54% of E-Day players on Xbox have played for five hours or less (versus 32% on Steam) 19% of Xbox players played for over 15 hours (versus 33% on Steam) 14% of Xbox players played for over 20 hours (22% on Steam) The absolute number of people playing for over 15, 20, and 50 hours is, of course, bigger on Xbox, thanks to the sheer volume of folks who came in through Game Pass (upgraders included). None of that is cause for alarm. Game Pass is the reason Xbox playtime skews lower, as when a game is free to try, people try it and bounce without putting in even an hour (17% under an hour on Xbox versus 6% on Steam). Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe The subscription brings in tourists alongside the committed, dragging down the average even when the game is excellent (but also perhaps winning over the uninitiated). It’s standard across every subscription-included title, on PS Plus too. Forza Horizon 6, for instance, had 11% of its Xbox players bounce under an hour, versus just 2% on Steam. So, Xbox’s crossroads So there we have it. Gears of War: E-Day is an incredible game whose revenues have been stifled by subscription inclusion and exclusivity. It’s the best-reviewed entry in the series in fifteen-odd years, but it still turned into one of the year’s softer flagship launches, not because players didn’t want it, but because Xbox’s own storefront gave its most willing buyers a reason not to pay. Which leaves Xbox at a crossroads. Will it keep making Gears games when the financial returns are this thin and the margins this low? And if it does, does the next one arrive off Game Pass at day one – the way CoD now does, or even on PlayStation? I think it should. Alright, back to E-Day for me! 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. [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!]
3 Biggest X-Factors For Alabama to Take Down Georgia
The Alabama Crimson Tide has an extremely tough matchup this weekend.
Who Is Angela Paxton? Ken Paxton’s Estranged Wife Wades Into Texas Senate Battle—Without Mentioning Him
Angela Paxton, who is divorcing the Republican Texas Senate candidate, is breaking her silence on the race—while avoiding mentioning him.
EPA’s New Science Chief Defends Integrity After Trump’s Shakeup
The director of a new EPA science office says the agency is still committed to upholding scientific integrity, despite concerns from observers that the Trump administration has taken steps to undermine those efforts.
McKenzie Health System Offers $55 3D Mammograms During Breast Cancer Awareness Month
In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, McKenzie Health System is making breast cancer screening more accessible by offering $55 3D mammograms for uninsured and underinsured women throughout October.
Commentary: Not even Tom Cruise could save ‘Digger’
Continuing a concerning trend for Warner Bros. in 2026, its latest release is buried in a financial hole no film can escape. Alejandro González Iñárritu’s "Digger" arrived over the weekend
Oklahoma State vs. UCF: Kickoff Time, TV Channel, Betting Odds and What to Know
No. 18 Oklahoma State returns to Boone Pickens Stadium Saturday for a sold-out Big 12 showdown against UCF. Here's everything fans need to know about kickoff, TV coverage, betting odds, Stripe the Stadium, and the key matchups as the Cowboys look to improve to 2-0 in conference play.
New movies to watch this weekend: See 'The Social Reckoning' in theaters, rent or buy 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day,' stream 'Animals' on Netflix
Our critic's take on the week's biggest movie releases — including Aaron Sorkin's follow-up to "The Social Network."
Spence in contention for Inter debut against Parma: ‘He’s available’
England international Djed Spence is finally in contention to make his Inter debut this coming weekend after being declared fit and available by head coach Cristian Chivu: ‘We’re pleased that he��...
Bills Week 4 Takeaways: Broken Mess or an Elite Team?
Bills Week 4 Takeaways: Overreactions and reality checks. Are the Bills broken, or are they an elite team? Is Buffalo a top team and a Super Bowl contender?
Aaron Sorkin reveals the tough question he’d ask Mark Zuckerberg if he ever got the chance
‘The Social Reckoning’ writer-director Aaron Sorkin has never spoken to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg despite writing two movies about him. He tells Entertainment Weekly the one question he’d like to ask if he got the chance.
Aaron Sorkin reveals the one thing he’d ask Mark Zuckerberg: ‘There’s a whole other movie in answering the question’
‘The Social Reckoning’ writer-director has never spoken to the billionaire Facebook founder.
Every M5 MacBook Air Now $200 Off on Amazon
Prime Day deals have started drying up, but you can still get $200 off every model of the M5 MacBook Air as we head into the weekend. These are the best post-hike prices we've seen on the M5 MacBook Air, and prices now start at $1,099.00 for the 512GB 13-inch model and $1,299.00 for the 512GB 15-inch model. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Travel Health Insurance Requirement Implemented
As of October 6, 2026, all travelers to Kenya must obtain travel health insurance through the government-sanctioned provider prior to entry and must present proof of coverage upon arrival. The Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) portal (for ETA-eligible nationals) and the eCitizen portal (for non-ETA-eligible nationals) have been updated with this requirement. The insurance costs approximately USD 44 and is valid for one year, including for repeat trips to Kenya during the insurance policy's validity period. Previously, travelers could rely on private or employer-provided health insurance and did not need to provide proof of coverage before entering the country. This change will not affect the above applicants' processing times. However, travelers should obtain the required insurance before traveling to avoid delays or bars to entry. Notably, Tanzania recently adopted a similar mandatory inbound travel insurance requirement, potentially signaling an emerging trend in the East African region.
Can the Cardinals beat the Lions? Here’s how
Right this weekend, Arizona will rebound or be thrown into the basement
Twelve Hackensack Meridian Health Hospitals Nationally Recognized For Stroke Care By American Heart Association and American Stroke Association Get With The Guidelines ® Stroke Awards
Hackensack Meridian Health has received twelve American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines®–Stroke achievement awards for its proven commitment to following up-to-date, research-based stroke care guidelines that help improve patient outcomes, reduce hospital readmissions, and shorten recovery times.
Ken Paxton took nearly 1,000 trips with state-funded security
The Texas attorney general’s use of a taxpayer-funded travel security detail stands out when compared with his predecessor and other state officials, our analysis found.
Miami billionaire Ken Griffin adds $25 million to a South Florida hospital gift
The institute named for him is set to open in 2029
‘He wants me to lose’: Paxton complains about lack of support from Cornyn in leaked audio
Ken Paxton has publicly said he would “love to have” John Cornyn’s support after their bruising Republican primary runoff in the Texas Senate race. But privately, Paxton has grown frustrated with the outgoing senator’s distance from his campaign.
Everton up for sale? Friedkin Group considering new investment options including the potential sale of controlling stake
The Friedkin Group (TFG) have said they will only entertain interest from parties who they feel are the right stewards to take the club forward; TFG completed their full takeover of Everton in December 2024
Arc Raiders Jumps to Six-Month High Player Count With 2.0 Update and Free Weekend
Embark Studios has put in a decent amount of work maintaining and developing Arc Raiders in recent months, with the company recently announcing an upcoming co-op mode slated to launch into testing on October 13 while it continues to iterate on its anti-cheat processes and detection methods. In...
Detroit Pistons: Bickerstaff Forecasts Jalen Duren Playmaking From The Elbow
In the preseason, the Detroit Pistons take a peerless 1-0 mark into their weekend exhibition battle with the Washington Wizards
Kyle Richards’ daughter Alexia reveals on “Special Forces ”she was ‘taken advantage of by a friend’
The “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star shared that neither of her parents know about the experience.
Time capsule: Hardwood, softwood, fuelwood
Note: After finally cleaning my stovepipe last weekend, it feels like woodstove season at my cabin can officially (and safely) begin.
Trump administration to launch new vaccine research center
The vaccine skeptic US Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. announced Thursday a series of initiatives to study the rare adverse effects of vaccines.Serious adverse effects remain very rare and are sub...
US health secretary Kennedy launches new push on vaccine injuries
US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. this week launched an agency-wide effort to study and document any health problems reported after vaccination, the Department of Health and Human Services said on Thursday.
US health secretary Kennedy launches new push on vaccine injuries
WASHINGTON, Oct 8 (Reuters) - US Health Secretary Robert F. this week launched an agency-wide effort to study and document any health problems reported after vaccination, the Department of Health and...
HOMETOWN ENTERTAINMENT: Weekend lineup includes Halloween fun, Latin dance party and flea market
Over 200 vendors set for Berglund Center Saturday
Your guide to the Utah House District 5 race: Kendra Penry and Casey Snider
Next month, residents of southern Cache Valley will vote in their next Utah House representative. Candidates Casey Snider and Kendra Penry describe their platforms.
Health Secretary Kennedy touts an initiative to study vaccine safety
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has established a new clinic at the National Institutes of Health to study vaccine injuries. It's part of a larger administration effort on vaccine safety.
House Speaker Mike Johnson expected at Ralph Alvarado fundraiser in Lexington
The new attention follows election forecasters declaring that the race in central Kentucky's congressional district is no longer a cakewalk for the GOP.
Activists, doctors clash over vaccine repeal proposal at Florida health panel hearing
Florida Department of Health wants to remove the immunization requirements for Hepatitis B, varicella (chicken pox), Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib) and pneumococcal conjugate to attend Florida schools. At a public meeting Thursday, parents rights activists and doctors clashed over the plan.
RFK Jr. tasks researchers with studying vaccine injuries
The US Department of Health and Human Services launched a program this week to study and capture the breadth of vaccine injuries, reviving a longtime priority for HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and stoking concerns from some public health advocates.
12 things to do around the Seattle area this weekend
From a must-try spot for date night to a pumpkin-studded trail, here are the latest local things to do around the Seattle area.
‘We don’t want this right now’: James Talarico off the trail with the flu for 12 days
In final stretch of the Texas Senate race, Talarico has not appeared in person since Sept. 26; he is expected to be back this weekend. Opponent Ken Paxton is calling for “proof of life.”
RiverValley Behavioral Health’s vice president of operations receives 2026 Kelly Award for Business and Partnership
RiverValley Behavioral Health’s Vice President of Operations Cate Gaddis was presented with the Kentucky Board of Education’s (KBE) 2026 Kelly Award for Business and Partnership at its Oct. 8 meeting. At the presentation were, from left, KBE Awards Committee Chair Julia
RiverValley Behavioral Health’s vice president of operations receives 2026 Kelly Award for Business and Partnership
RiverValley Behavioral Health’s Vice President of Operations Cate Gaddis was presented with the Kentucky Board of Education’s (KBE) 2026 Kelly Award for Business and Partnership at its Oct. 8 meeting. At the presentation were, from left, KBE Awards Committee Chair Julia
Hot Ticket: Sugar skulls, spooky fun and Greek traditions
Opa! A taste of Greece: Bring your appetite and dancing shoes to downtown Galveston this weekend as the 42nd Annual Galveston Greek Festival serves up two days of authentic Greek
GEAR UP: The Science of Bikes opens in Casper this weekend
If you’re looking for something to do in Casper this weekend, the Science Zone is opening its newest exhibit, GEAR UP: The Science of Bikes.
Packers' Jordan Love Moves Up NFL List Despite Inconsistent Performance
The Green Bay Packers got a huge win this past weekend.
Real Madrid Identify Arsenal's Mikel Merino As New Midfield Option
Mikel Merino has reportedly emerged as a potential transfer target for Real Madrid. The Spanish giants are keen on the versatile midfielder but for now, no talks have taken place between Madrid and Arsenal over a possible deal.
The big unanswered question about Russia's 'plague' death
Russia says it is winding down precautionary measures taken after a lab worker at a plague research institute died. But what made officials think these were needed at all?
Five Things presented by Compass Minerals: Sporting back at home to take on Portland
Sporting Kansas City returns home following a two-game road swing this weekend when the team hosts the Portland Timbers at Sporting Park on Saturday night. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. CT and will be available to stream on Apple TV, while the game will also be broadcast locally on
3 businesses broken into in Southwest Side's Chicago Lawn neighborhood
Someone broke into three different businesses in the Southwest Side's Chicago Lawn neighborhood just east of Marquette Park early Thursday.
NASA Advances LISA Mission Contributions With New Test Telescope
NASA has taken the next step in the process of developing a new all-glass telescope for the LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) mission, a space
Photo shows top Trump aide's daughter with pro-Russia politician in Bosnia
Katie Wiles is a partner at the political lobbying firm Continental Strategy. A spokesperson for the firm acknowledged to CBS News on Thursday that Wiles had taken the trip to Republika Srpska but not on business.
Tekken 8’s Reina Teased as the Next Guest Character for Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves
Reina, who made her debut in Tekken 8, is coming to Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves. The announcement comes from a short teaser trailer from SNK Official.
Free Play Days – ARC Raiders, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, Little Nightmares III, Screamer, and More
This weekend, Polterguys: Possession Party is available this weekend for XBOX Game Pass members, while WWE 2K26 and Wildgate are free for all. Jump in!
World War II Collection At Weeks Library Book Sale
LANCASTER, N.H. — The Friends of Weeks Memorial Library in Lancaster will be holding their annual Columbus Day weekend book sale Saturday, October 10, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.. This sale
Rothwell pitches business approach to town government in supervisor run
Councilman Kenneth Rothwell is running for Riverhead Town Supervisor this November after serving on the town board since 2022.
Lewis Hamilton: Ferrari driver says team held 'huge discussions' over strategy following Bahrain GP tyre-choice blunder
Lewis Hamilton plummeted from second on the grid after starting last weekends Bahrain GP on slick dry tyres in wet conditions; watch Practice at 9.30am followed by Sprint Qualifying at 1.30pm on Friday live on Sky Sports F1 as the Singapore Grand Prix weekend begins
Kentucky Senate budget chair questions whether politics are influencing budget forecast
A Republican leader has raised concerns about whether political games are being played with budget forecasts that show new revenue amid a very uncertain economic forecast.
‘The Social Reckoning’ review: A pale shadow of ‘The Social Network’
There’s a moment in “The Social Reckoning” when a character cites Antigone, John Proctor, “A Tale of Two Cities,” Gandalf and Chicken Little, all in the same sentence; in other
Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves DLC characters Manjiro Sano and Ken Ryuguji trailers, screenshots
SNK has released a new set of trailers and screenshots for Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves downloadable content characters Manjiro “Mikey” Sano and Ken “Draken” Ryuguji from …
Talarico earns major Texas newspaper backing over Paxton in US Senate race
Democrat James Talarico earned the backing of a major Texas newspaper, adding momentum to his U.S. Senate battle against Republican Ken Paxton.
Trump makes last-minute pitch in San Antonio after upending the GOP map
President Donald Trump rallied supporters in San Antonio as Republicans work to shore up several competitive races across Texas, including Ken Paxton's U.S. Senate bid and Carlos De La Cruz's campaign in the newly redrawn 35th Congressional District.
The latest Premier League market values 🤑💸
Money money.Between the World Cup, the start of the season and the transfer windows, players' market values have been shaken up this summer.Whether it's new arrivals, dramatic drops or incredible rise...
RWJBarnabas, Hackensack Meridian Health cited by Becker’s for oncology programs
RWJBarnabas Health, Rutgers Cancer Institute and Hackensack Meridian Health have been named to Becker’s Hospital Review.
Immigrant Entrepreneurs Summit announces 2026 national summit
The 19th annual National Immigrant and Entrepreneurs Summit will be held Nov. 21 at the FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny. One of the largest gatherings of immigrant entrepreneurs in the Midwest, the summit will welcome hundreds of business owners, aspiring entrepreneurs, corporate partners and community leaders. The summit features 21 breakout workshops, an exhibitor hall,…
Trump, a Cowboy and a Science Guy: Who’s taking sides in Senate race
Ken Paxton and James Talarico are drawing support from politicians, sports stars, entertainers and some surprising crossovers.
Trump has ‘no regrets’ endorsing Ken Paxton for Senate in Texas, even after a new audio leak
Patty Murray launches initiative to restore trust in public health, starting with event at WSU
WASHINGTON – Sen. Patty Murray on Wednesday launched an initiative aimed at rebuilding trust in the nation’s public health system, assembling a group of experts to develop a “blueprint” for policy after the tenure of President Donald Trump and his top health official, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Life Is Asymmetric. The Scientists Who Figured Out Why Won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
Henri Kagan and Kensō Soai designed chemical reactions producing only one of the two mirror-image forms of a molecule—an important finding for the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and other biological substances.
What happened in Juventus' last victory against Cagliari?
The Men's First Team are back in Serie A action this weekend with a Matchday 6 trip to face Cagliari in Sardinia.Luciano Spalletti's side come into the match having won the previous Serie A match agai...
MotoGP riders divided on contentious 2027 weekend format change
Bagnaia and Marini welcome the changes, while Acosta and Alex Marquez warn of increased stress and risk
When your friend becomes your first mental health lifeline
When mental-health support feels out of reach, people often turn to friends. In Kenya, Mental 360 trains young people to listen, offer psychological first aid, and connect people to professional care.
UK alum brings exercise science to thoroughbred racing
A Kentucky Derby broadcast sparked Carly Schuerger’s passion for horse racing. Now, the UK graduate is combining exercise physiology with hands-on racing experience as one of just 12 people selected for Godolphin Flying Start, a two-year international program preparing future industry leaders.
Premier League Gameweek 5 Review: Biggest Talking Points and Takeaways
Gameweek 5 of the English Premier League season delivered another weekend full of talking points, with several results catching the attention of fans across the country. There were big wins, surprise results and some disappointing performances as teams continued to find their rhythm early in the season. Arsenal suffered a heavy defeat away to Brighton […]
Singapore Grand Prix entertainment may be curbed if haze worsens, FIA says
There might be "some restrictions" on outdoor activity such as entertainment during this weekend's Singapore Grand Prix, but not on the race, if the haze currently blanketing the city-state worsens, the motor sports governing body said on Thursday.
Motor racing-Singapore Grand Prix entertainment may be curbed if haze worsens, FIA says
By Xinghui Kok SINGAPORE, Oct 8 (Reuters) - There might be some restrictions on outdoor activity such as entertainment during this weekend's Singapore Grand Prix but not on the race, if the haze blanketing the country worsens, the motorsport governing...
Nebraska soccer prepares for Maryland and Rutgers
After a gauntlet of ranked matches, Nebraska will travel eastward to face Maryland and Rutgers. The Terrapins and Scarlet Knights will pose a challenge to the Huskers this weekend.
Yankees left with 'broken clubhouse' after agonizing postseason sweep
Still without Aaron Judge, the Yankees offense went silent against the Rays.
holding space in music therapy for patients with dementia
They call it music therapy, which is too imprecise a term to describe what really happens sometimes, when music touches a person sliding into eternity through a gradually darkening tunnel
At San Antonio Rally, Trump Warns He’ll ‘Never Forgive’ Texas if Talarico Wins
The President returned to deep-red Texas to rally for Ken Paxton’s Senate bid, while revealing at times his own trepidation that one of the Republican Party’s longest winning streaks may be about to end on his watch.
Trump celebrates economy, Ken Paxton during raucous San Antonio rally
“Our nation is doing better now than ever before,” Trump said during a stop Wednesday at the Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio.
Arkansas political leaders host remembrance ceremony to honor victims of October 7th, 2023 attack in Israel
Three years ago today, Israel experienced the deadliest terrorist attack in the nation's history, when Hamas and allied militant groups launched an attack and invasion that killed approximately 1,200 Israeli's, and resulted in 251 being taken hostage.
Meet the two scientists who have just won the 2026 Nobel prize in ...
Learn about the lives of newly minted chemistry Nobel laureates Henri Kagan and Kensō Soai
Scientists win chemistry Nobel for discoveries about mirrored molecules that led to many drugs
Scientists Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai won the Nobel Prize in chemistry for untangling mysterious mirror images in molecules, a discovery that has been used to develop countless drugs.
Rosenthal: The Baez Deal Made Detroit Gun-Shy, Not Cheap
Ken Rosenthal named the one Tigers contract he says still shapes how Detroit spends. #Tigers
A public health-minded senator asks: What comes after Trump and Kennedy?
Sen. Patty Murray, a former chair of the Senate health committee, is forming a group of experts to examine how to insulate the C.D.C. from political interference.
RFK Jr. Plans Vaccine Injury Initiative, Drawing Wary Eye From Experts
Vaccine safety experts say more research into the side effects would be welcome yet question whether the health secretary’s effort will be grounded in science.
This weekend in Anchorage: The Zombie Half Marathon, AK Ski Swap and plenty of entertainment options
There is also a fundraiser and multiple musical options.
Baptist Health Breaks Ground on New Home of Kenneth C. Griffin Neuroscience Institute and Announces $75 Million Total Gift to Neuroscience Research and Care - Florida Hospital News and Healthcare Report
Stephen Blumenthal, Board Chair, Baptist Health Foundation ,Alex Villoch, Chief Executive Officer, Baptist Health Foundation ,Michael McDermott, M.D., System Chief Executive of Baptist Health Brain & Spine Care, Chief Medical […]
Who Won August and September: Original Films or Franchises?
(Welcome to the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a newsletter on the entertainment industry and business strategy. I write a weekly Streaming Ratings Report and a bi-weekly strategy column, along with occasional deep dives into other topics, like today’s article. Please subscribe.) I just heard someone say that if you’re reading a pundit or data analyst, and they don’t tell you that they got anything wrong, they’re not a pundit but an “influencer”. I agree with that. You have to tell your audience when you get things wrong, or they won’t (or shouldn’t) trust you as much. Today, we’ve got another edition of “What I Got Right, What I Got Wrong”. In general, I’m patting myself on the back (and patting very hard) about a few things like IP at the box office, LIV golf, horror films, crowdfunding movies, superheroes, and old people going to the theaters. That said, I also made a couple of data mistakes on the streaming bubble popping and HBO’s datecdotes, so I’m not perfect. But first, I need your feedback... Subscribe Follow-Ups: What Should We Call Mid-Budget Movies Which Aren’t Cinematic Enough for Theaters But Are Too Expensive to Make Money on Streaming? After I asked for feedback on what we should call straight-to-streaming films that are too big to pencil out on streaming but not really big enough to resonate in theaters, I got some great suggestions from you all, including... “Moldilocks” from John Aboud “Little Big Indie” from Travis Frick1 “Midflicks” from Jonathan Funke. “Extra-Medium” from Jona Nwuke. (Read the explanation in the footnote.) Between these and Brandon Katz—who suggested “Bermuda Budget Triangle”, “The Platform Gap” and “The Distribution Deadzone”—we’ve got some excellent suggestions. And they’re better than my suggestion, the “Streaming Budget Dead Zone”, so let’s take a poll! The winning entry becomes the new term. Loading... RIGHT: LIV Golf is Fully Bankrupt…Is Anyone Else Next? A few years ago, I was always a bit perplexed at all the articles I’d read praising LIV Golf and their strategy to disrupt the PGA. LIV Golf, a brand new professional golf league, offered PGA stars ten times what they made on the PGA Tour to join their new league. And folks praised this strategy for its initial “success” in that a lot of big names did indeed leave the PGA. Yeah, of course the players came over. LIV Golf paid them so, so, so much more! But LIV Golf hadn’t discovered a way to increase potential revenue. So think about this in basic business terms… They paid much more in costs… …but had no real way to increase revenue. That’s not a strategy! That’s deficit financing. It won’t work unless you bankrupt the competition (and then turn around and pay those same golfers much, much less). It’s not a sustainable strategy and only lasts as long as the company/person/nation backing it decides they’re cool with losing money. For LIV Golf, that meant Middle East oil wealth, in particular Saudi Arabian money. Clearly, the current Iran War has hurt Middle East finances, so they need to trim their more exorbitant spending. And LIV Golf was part of that trimming. This should be a major warning for others. TGL’s parent company, TMRW Sports, just got a $1 billion valuation, despite TGL’s (the indoor golf league) horrible TV viewership of less than half a million viewers per match. Unrivaled, the women’s basketball league, just secured a $650 valuation, despite its horrible TV viewership and a new rival (Project B) entering the scene next year. To relate this to streaming, Hollywood should ask which streamers may have wealthy patrons funding their losses. (Let’s be clear: Google, Amazon and Apple.) Could those patrons lose their appetite? For Amazon, probably not. But Apple has a new boss, so maybe! WRONG: My Analysis of the Streaming Bubble Was Missing a Week I’m going to be congratulating myself a lot today, but I make mistakes too, like this data goof. When I last compiled the data on the decline in TV shows, I was missing one week at the end of June. If you look at the first image, you can see that one week was mislabelled as “July”. Mainly, this image got updated to show a 27% decline, not 29%: This change doesn’t really impact the overall analysis, but it is two percent better. By the way, through the third quarter, the decline increased and it’s now a 30% decrease since 2022. (I’ll write/visualize this in an upcoming article.) But I want you to trust me and my data. Especially these days, when many people are using LLMs that I know are inserting faulty data into their charts, I want to keep earning my audience’s faith. So that’s the accurate data. RIGHT: IP Remains Very, Very Popular In July, I wrote a giant (and I mean giant) article on Backrooms, Obsession, and the box office, going over what we know, what we don’t know about what works in theaters, looking at YouTubers, IP, the horror genre, comic book movies, and a whole lot more. The month of August really tested a lot of my theses and, being honest, mostly supported my arguments. Let’s start with IP. Looking at 8-Aug (the weekend after Spider-Man: Brand New Day came out) to 18-Sep (the weekend that Resident Evil came out, which I think provides a nice bookend to this time period), there were seven films based on pre-existing IP: Resident Evil (2026) ($126 million) Practical Magic 2 ($65 million) _Insidious: Out of the Furthe_r ($65 million) Coyote Vs. Acme ($59 million) Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie ($53 million) Tony ($15 million) Super Troopers 3 ($7 million) Compare those to the notable original films from the past month—I actually could have included more movies, but here are just thirteen, bringing us to an even twenty films—including.... The End of Oak Street ($54 million) Buddy ($26 million) Mutiny ($15 million) By Any Means ($15 million) The Dog Stars ($14 million) Runner ($14 million) One Night Only ($11 million) Hope ($8 million) Spa Weekend ($7 million) The Uprising ($6 million) Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma ($6 million) Onslaught ($3 million) Eli Roth’s Ice Cream Man ($2.8 million) Here’s that in chart form: Five of the top six films in this time period were all based on IP. I made a big chart of films that grossed over $200 million at the box office before Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The Odyssey hit theaters. Let’s update that chart! By the way, if you want to see how I categorized each film—so another bar chart—here it is: I know that many of my fellow critics/pundits/analysts dislike films based on IP and how Hollywood is making so many of them. And I’m sympathetic to this point of view. As I’ve written many, many times before, you need a balance between existing franchises, new IP, and original films. And Hollywood clearly needs to make more films like Resident Evil (a well-made film from a visionary director) and fewer Practical Magic 2’s (which didn’t get critical or customer buzz). But at some point, critics and pundits need to contend with what audiences are telling them: Movie-goers aren’t showing up to original films. Audiences are speaking with their dollars, telling you they want more IP and franchises. You can try to convince studio heads to make fewer IP-based films and franchises, but the data and numbers aren’t there. Instead, critics need to work harder to convince audiences to show up for original films. Aim your ire/concern at the average person, not studio heads.2 Because they’re just making the films that audiences are telling them to make. WRONG: Original Horror Films Didn’t Break Out I’ll be honest, even though I wrote an article casting some skepticism on the horror genre in July, if you asked me to make a prediction, I would have predicted that, in August, a new, original horror film would have blown up. No, seriously, I just assumed that Obsession and Backrooms presaged a change in audience behavior. But none of the buzzy new original horror films from August—Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, Onslaught (not an action film in spite of the ads), The End of Oak Street, Eli Roth’s Ice Cream Man, or _Buddy—_broke out. To be clear, exactly one of those films (Buddy) had good “ROI”, but again—I try to be specific in my language—none were “popular” in any broad sense of the word. None of them will be “saving” movies theaters like Backrooms or _Obsession_helped save the summer. The new Insidious film and Resident Evil, both based on IP, were far and away the biggest horror films since July. (We’ll see if this changes in October/Halloween season.) RIGHT: Stay Skeptical about Crowdfunding... I’ve long been skeptical about crowd-investing platforms as one of Hollywood’s saviors, mainly because there’s so much hype/buzz. People need to stay more skeptical about more things, explaining both the potential upside but also the downsides. In particular, the media often hypes crowdfunding at the start and never checks in on the actual results after they’ve come in later. And August gave us our first update! _Ice Cream Man—_directed by Eli Roth—grossed $6 million off of a $5.5 million budget. This is a production of The Horror Section, which was one of the first “crowd investing” studios with 2,400 investors, which means that 2,400 investors probably lost money. They certainly aren’t getting as great of returns as if they had just invested their dollars in the stock market. Hopefully Stiletto (Tagline: “Someone’s Going to Make it Rain Blood!”) does better next month. WRONG: Another Data Goof Here’s another data error. When the first episode of House of the Dragon came out, HBO put out that it had 21.5 million viewers in the first three days, and I read that to mean in the US…but no, it was global. So my US-only datecdotes charts shouldn’t have included it. We never got US-only numbers for the first episode, but for the final episode, HBO put out that it had 11 million US viewers. (And that global dropped to 21 million viewers.) Here’s the updated chart (which I’ve since used in the Streaming Ratings Report): Still, this show is absolutely huge. RIGHT: Superhero Films Remain Very, Very Popular After Supergirl flopped, I read a few takes that “comic book movies are going the way of the Western”. Post-Spider-Man: Brand New Day, that take didn’t age well. To be fair, I have a very nuanced take on the superhero genre right now; it’s down right now, for a lot of reasons. But it’s not “dead”. Maybe _Spider-_Man is just a really popular character? I saw that take, and it’s a fair counter-argument. (But pundits arguing that superhero movies were dead should have mentioned this $1.5 billion counter-argument…) But is it just Spider-Man? The next Avengers film already has $50 million in pre-sales (and I was skeptical that that film would do well) and the Avengers: End Game re-release topped the box office two weekends ago (over three original films). And I wouldn’t bet against Batman or Superman. So maybe it’s just Spider-Man, Batman, Superman and the Avengers. Oh, and Deadpool, of course. And Black Panther. And Wolverine. And probably the X-Men. Plus a well-made Wonder Woman or the Hulk film could break out. But that’s it! It’s just those ten characters/teams. Oh, what’s that? Lanterns is also doing well on HBO? (See previous section…) To be fair, I’m actually pretty sympathetic to the argument that more popular characters—like Spider-Man and Batman—anchor more popular films. In fact, I made that exact argument three years ago when I first wrote about the “Marvel-cession”. In many ways, you can blame The Guardians of the Galaxy for fooling Marvel Studios (and the rest of us) into believing that any character could pop. It turns out, the list of iconic characters is probably smaller than most people think. But it’s probably too early to say that superhero films and comic book movies are dead unless “death” means a slight decline over a longtime. RIGHT: Who Killed Theaters? Old People I get frustrated whenever I see headlines or analysis about how young people are “returning” to theaters. As I’ve detailed(for years), young people have always powered the US box office, despite narratives about “kids these days” and their “phones”. Really, what’s changed post-2020/pandemic is that old people aren’t going to the movies nearly as much. This summer, I saw a movie (from an older director) in a theater near a retirement community, and multiple older people at the theater were talking about how this was their first time seeing a movie in years. I dislike personal anecdotes, so YouGov can fill in the data, best summarized by this headline: “Who killed movie theaters? Not the youths”. According to them, 64% of people aged 18-29 have seen a movie in the last year, but only 30% of 65-and-older. 20% of 18-29 have seen a movie in theaters in the last week and 42% in the last month. Here’s the polling data: Most concerning? Many Americans (17%) think theaters are a worse or much worse experience than watching films at home. Slight WRONG: Hadestown Opens Big A live theater capture of the Broadway musical, Hadestown, made $20 million at the US box office, which begs the question: was I wrong to be skeptical about musicals a few years ago? Yes and no. On the one hand, $20 million is a far cry from being “popular”, so yeah, the genre isn’t that popular overall and Hadestown is one of the more popular musicals from recent years (i.e. the “Taylor Swift Data Fallacy” in action). On the other, I doubt filming this cost all that much, and I don’t think that they spent much on marketing, so this is a good source of ancillary revenue. Smaller Updates WRONG: As I mentioned in a Streaming Ratings Report, I underestimated the budget for Enola Holmes 3. It probably cost more like $50 million, if not more. But... I’m not sure that it really matters? At sub-10 million hours, prices have to come down to make this work. WRONG: Netflix is giving Ink a 27-day in theaters! To quote the kids/YouTubers these days, let’s go! Now I might actually have a chance to see Danny Boyle’s latest in theaters. I’d complained about this in a “Coming Soon” section, but I was heartened to read that Netflix is giving multiple films longer theatrical windows this year. RIGHT: Netflix is sending 4-5 films per year to theaters. Netflix is slowly but surely sending more and more films to theaters, as I cautiously predicted earlier this year. For now, it’s just three big films and a number of awards contenders, but still, this is great news. And they’ll be releasing box office grosses! Just this week, Ted Sarandos confirmed that KPop Demon Hunters 2 will come to theaters (and my guess is it performs in the box office top ten at a minimum). WRONG: Angel has 3 million subscribers! How do I know this? Well, they told Deadline, who reported it. I marked this as “wrong”, since they’ve doubled their subscribers in one year but, you know, they don’t really have a hit film to speak of and they’re still losing money. WRONG: Furious was only renewed for one more season. I accidentally wrote “two more seasons” in my latest “Renewals, Cancellations, Un-Orders and Removals Update”. RIGHT: House of David is ending with its third season. In July, Prime Video renewed House of David for a third season, as I just wrote in my latest “Renewals and Cancellations” report. Well, now it’s ending after that third season. Why? As I’ve been writing, its viewership wasn’t great. I got feedback that this show didn’t cost very much, but it cost enough that its limited viewership didn’t save it. WRONG: Adults was a Hulu original! So I missed Adults when it first came out last year; I saw that it aired on FX and just assumed that it was a linear-first program. Turns out, it aired three episodes on FX, but binge-released the rest of its episodes the next day on Hulu. Huh. So I should have covered it last year! But I just wrote about it. 1 “When I was a kid in the 90s, if you wore a t-shirt to school that wasn’t too big and also wasn’t too small, but somehow didn’t quite fit, we’d say you were wearing an “extra-medium” shirt.” 2 As always, a huge exception is Disney, which barely makes anything original anymore.
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