Blockbuster had 9,000 stores, $5 billion market cap, and $800 million a year in late fees. Netflix is now worth over $150 billion. This is how it happened.
The Detail That Changes Everything
Netflix offered to sell itself to Blockbuster for $50 million in 2000 and was laughed out of the room
Historical Context
This story spans 1985-2010 and is centered in Dallas, Texas. Understanding the broader historical context is essential to grasping why events unfolded as they did.
Key Figures
The central figures in this story include David Cook, John Antioco, Jim Keyes, Reed Hastings, and Carl Icahn. Each played a distinct role in the events documented in this episode.
What This Documentary Covers
- The exact meeting where Blockbuster rejected Netflix for $50 million
- How late fees generated $800M per year and became Blockbuster’s fatal addiction
- Why Carl Icahn’s boardroom coup fired the only CEO who understood the threat
- The streaming revolution Blockbuster dismissed as a fad
- How one store in Bend, Oregon became the last Blockbuster on Earth
Themes Explored
This episode examines interconnected themes including retail disruption, streaming revolution, late fees addiction, boardroom coup, digital transformation. These themes recur across multiple episodes in our documentary collection, revealing patterns that connect seemingly unrelated stories.
Watch the Full Documentary
This companion article provides context and background for the full documentary. For the complete story with narration, original music, and archival imagery, watch the episode above or on YouTube.
