We still don't know DISH Network's
The satellite television provider is assuming the leases of roughly 500 stores, according to a bankruptcy court filing.
What about the other 1,200 locations? The obvious answer is that they're toast. If DISH isn't assuming those leases, it will likely hand them over to liquidators to begin getting back some of its money.
Shuttering more than two-thirds of its stores would seem to go against the notion that DISH was going to use the stores as a platform to move more DISH subscriptions. It may very well set up camp in the liquidating stores during the "going out of business" sales, reaching out to couch potatoes eyeing new entertainment options.
The biggest winner here would be Coinstar's
Netflix
Who else benefits? Blockbuster's marketing has always emphasized new releases, something that consumers can't always rent from Redbox and Netflix with their 28-day release delays. A lot of companies will cash in there, from the studios that are likely to sell more DVD copies to the video-on-demand offerings of cable and satellite television providers.
The lack of new title availability through Redbox, Netflix, and a cobwebbed Blockbuster may also be the catalyst that Apple
It's unlikely that the decimation of Blockbuster will lead to lower video consumption. That technophobe uncle of yours who reluctantly bought a Blu-ray player but failed to hook it up to the Internet will come along.
Outside of Blockbuster employees, suburban strip-mall landlords, and some chump with an ill-advised "Blockbuster 4-Ever" tattoo, there will be more winners than losers.
When's the last time that you stepped into a Blockbuster store? Share your thoughts in the comment box at the bottom of this queue.