Netflix ended last year with more than 200 million paid subscribers, it announced on Tuesday, further cementing its place as the world’s biggest subscription streaming service. 

The company soundly beat forecasts for subscriber growth and total revenue in its fiscal fourth quarter, as subscribers increased by 8.51 million between October and December to hit 203.66 million total. 

Netflix added 37 million paid memberships in 2020 overall and hit $25 billion in revenue, a 24% increase over the prior year. 

While the pandemic forced consumers to cut back on a host of entertainment activities — from visiting theaters to attending concert venues — Netflix capitalized with a wide array of original content. 

2020 saw the company boost its programming with a handful of sports and sports-adjacent series that landed near the top of its viewership list.

• “The Queen’s Gambit” (No. 3, 62 million viewers)
• “Cobra Kai” (No. 6, 50 million viewers)
• “The Last Dance” (No. 14, 38 million viewers)

That content came as Netflix faced a slew of new challengers, including NBCUniversal’s Peacock as well HBO Max and Disney+, which has added nearly 87 million subscribers in just over a year. 

The streaming giant also said it is “very close” to being cash flow positive and will no longer need external financing for its day-to-day operations. The company is considering stock buybacks. 

Netflix’s shares were up nearly 17% today to $586.34.

The Atlanta Dream’s ownership saga could soon be over. 

The WNBA team is in the final steps of being sold, the league confirmed. Multiple bidders have expressed interest in the team — Kelly Loeffler is expected to have no association with the franchise after the sale, ESPN reported. 

“Once the sale negotiation is concluded, additional information will be provided,” the league said.

The former Georgia Republican senator’s 49% ownership stake came into the spotlight after she wrote a letter to WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert last season opposing the league’s embrace of the Black Lives Matter and Say Her Name movements. 

• After the letter was made public, the league’s players association called for Loeffler to sell her share of the team. 
• When she refused, players launched a support campaign for her political opponent Raphael Warnock, who eventually won the senate seat over Loeffler.

Professional athletes and celebrities have teased their interest in the team, including LeBron James, Mookie Betts, Baron Davis and comedian Kevin Hart. It is unclear what role current majority owners, Mary and John Brock, would have in the deal.

Beyond the Georgia race, the 2020 WNBA season saw its players at the forefront of calls for social justice around professional sports. The Dream news came shortly after Los Angeles Sparks star Chiney Ogwumike announced she is executive producing an ESPN Films documentary about the Wubble season.

Collectors Universe and an investor group led by entrepreneur and sports card collector Nat Turner have come to an amended merger agreement following the initial announcement of a $700 million deal in late November 2020. 

The new deal values Collectors Universe at approximately $853 million. The investor group — which includes D1 Capital partners and Steve Cohen’s family office Cohen Private Ventures — will acquire all of the company’s outstanding shares of common stock at a “best and final” offer of $92 per share in cash.

Collectors Universe has seen growth amid the pandemic as the trading card industry boomed.

• $30.8 million in revenue in its most recent quarter, up 52% year-over-year
• $7.8 million in operating income, an increase of 25%
• 130% jump in cards and autographs revenue, to $18.6 million

Collectors Universe is the parent company of Professional Sports Authenticators, which has certified over 40 million cards and collections with a cumulative value exceeding $1 billion since launching in 1991.

“We look forward to applying our collective experience scaling technology businesses and extensive knowledge of the collectibles space to expand the Company’s operational capacity and technological capabilities,” Turner said.