This episode of "A Case Study in Fear" examines how Blockbuster became a victim of its own market dominance. Host Taras Wayner investigates how the video rental giant went from revolutionizing home entertainment with 9,000 stores worldwide to filing for bankruptcy, all because of one powerful emotion: fear.
Discover how Blockbuster executives laughed Netflix's Reed Hastings out of the room when offered to buy the startup for $50 million, denied the digital streaming revolution, and desperately clung to their brick-and-mortar business model until it was too late. This episode reveals how fear transformed a $5 billion entertainment powerhouse into a cautionary tale with just one store remaining in Bend, Oregon.
From "Make it a Blockbuster Night" to missed opportunities, learn how fear can make smart leaders make catastrophically bad decisions.
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