AMC considering charging more for blockbuster movie tickets
11-18-16, 10:35 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
AMC considering charging more for blockbuster movie tickets
Ticket prices for high-profile Hollywood movies may soon rise, as AMC Entertainment explores the possibility of variable ticking pricing.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, AMC CFO Craig Ramsey said the company is considering a more flexible price structure after its recent acquisition of Odeon & UCI Cinemas, during a session at the MKM Partners Entertainment, Leisure and Consumer Technology Conference.
Ramsey noted that Odeon & UCI Cinemas "are further advanced in variable pricing, where tentpole movies are priced up on release," which is something AMC has discussed and considered implementing in the United States.
"We expect to learn a lot with what they've done. We think it will position us to start having those conversations about pricing opportunities in the U.S.," he added.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, AMC CFO Craig Ramsey said the company is considering a more flexible price structure after its recent acquisition of Odeon & UCI Cinemas, during a session at the MKM Partners Entertainment, Leisure and Consumer Technology Conference.
Ramsey noted that Odeon & UCI Cinemas "are further advanced in variable pricing, where tentpole movies are priced up on release," which is something AMC has discussed and considered implementing in the United States.
"We expect to learn a lot with what they've done. We think it will position us to start having those conversations about pricing opportunities in the U.S.," he added.
11-18-16, 10:43 PM
#3
DVD Talk Hero
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: In the straps of boots
Posts: 28,004
Received 1,183 Likes
on
835 Posts
Re: AMC considering charging more for blockbuster movie tickets
Suit #1: People aren't coming to our shitty theatres. What should we do?
Suit #2: Raise prices for the movies people are going to see!
Suit #1: Brilliant! Bonuses all around, fellas!
I have three theatres within a 10 minute drive (Cinemark, AMC, Alamo). A 4th theatre (Santikos) is about 20 minutes away. By a wide margin, the AMC is the worst one of the bunch. Fuck AMC theatres.
Suit #2: Raise prices for the movies people are going to see!
Suit #1: Brilliant! Bonuses all around, fellas!
I have three theatres within a 10 minute drive (Cinemark, AMC, Alamo). A 4th theatre (Santikos) is about 20 minutes away. By a wide margin, the AMC is the worst one of the bunch. Fuck AMC theatres.
11-18-16, 10:52 PM
#4
DVD Talk Hero
Re: AMC considering charging more for blockbuster movie tickets
AMCs are pretty good out here. We have a dine-in AMC and one of the firsts Dolby Cinema theaters. Of course helps that they're headquartered here.
11-18-16, 11:49 PM
#6
Re: AMC considering charging more for blockbuster movie tickets
With tech...doesn't it feel like theaters are a dying industry. 3D died, wasn't that the final straw? Why release winter soldier for five a five person family vs. $10.99 a family. I love my tv, I know you do to! Why wait when we can force the industry to give the product to us now in every way that we might want it. I'd Rather watch rogue 1 in my house than To pay 50$ for popcorn and a soda. Just saying.
Money talks, give me product...no blocks.
Money talks, give me product...no blocks.
Last edited by david12; 11-18-16 at 11:52 PM. Reason: Spelling errors
11-19-16, 03:05 AM
#7
Moderator
Re: AMC considering charging more for blockbuster movie tickets
I have no idea if it's accurate, but my recollection is the theater at Mall of America wanted to raise the ticket prices for The Phantom Menace back in 1999 but it was illegal to charge more for one movie or some movies but not others. If that's true for then, has something changed that would let AMC do this now?
BTW, the MOA theater came up with another solution: raise all ticket prices by a buck across the board. That'll show 'em!
BTW, the MOA theater came up with another solution: raise all ticket prices by a buck across the board. That'll show 'em!
11-19-16, 05:54 AM
#8
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: AMC considering charging more for blockbuster movie tickets
This was common during the 1960s but everything was single screen so one theater with an exclusive would charge premium prices.
Films like Lawrence of Arabia, My Fair Lady, 2001, etc. Later the films would move to other theaters and drive-ins at "popular prices"
Go back and look at movie page of newspapers and you'll see ads with "Now at Popular Prices!"
Films like Lawrence of Arabia, My Fair Lady, 2001, etc. Later the films would move to other theaters and drive-ins at "popular prices"
Go back and look at movie page of newspapers and you'll see ads with "Now at Popular Prices!"
11-19-16, 08:19 AM
#9
DVD Talk Hero
Re: AMC considering charging more for blockbuster movie tickets
I have no idea if it's accurate, but my recollection is the theater at Mall of America wanted to raise the ticket prices for The Phantom Menace back in 1999 but it was illegal to charge more for one movie or some movies but not others. If that's true for then, has something changed that would let AMC do this now?
My local AMC (and where I worked as a teen) is the best. The theater got a little old and undesirable for 5-10 years. And then they recently remodeled it, added luxury seating, a bar, etc. I was a little shocked when I went there and saw Suicide Squad (hadn't been there in probably 5+ years).
If they're going to increase the price, I wouldn't care. I buy a movie ticket the way I pump gas - I just walk in and buy it. Probably my very favorite places to visit.
If they do toy with the pricing, they'll need to be ready for complaints. It'll probably turn away a lot of people. Probably 5% of all customers would have something to complain about with the pricing. Whether it's the ticket price or food price. So much butthurt.
11-19-16, 11:15 AM
#10
DVD Talk Hero
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: Not necessarily Formerly known as Solid Snake
Posts: 29,260
Received 1,245 Likes
on
856 Posts
Re: AMC considering charging more for blockbuster movie tickets
Yep, not a new concept. Common practice up through the 1960s. Ended in the 1970s when the "blockbuster" was born.
http://www.npr.org/sections/money/20...ce-of-a-ticket
AMC sucks ass around here. We have three theaters in Springfield, all AMC. It is rare for me to go to a movie here. Rather than give them my money, I will drive 30 minutes to an independent, 60 minutes to an IMAX, or just wait till I am out of town.
I would really love to open a boutique theater here.
http://www.npr.org/sections/money/20...ce-of-a-ticket
AMC sucks ass around here. We have three theaters in Springfield, all AMC. It is rare for me to go to a movie here. Rather than give them my money, I will drive 30 minutes to an independent, 60 minutes to an IMAX, or just wait till I am out of town.
I would really love to open a boutique theater here.
11-19-16, 11:27 AM
#11
Banned
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Conducting miss-aisle drills and listening to their rock n roll
Posts: 20,052
Received 168 Likes
on
126 Posts
Re: AMC considering charging more for blockbuster movie tickets
The article seems to indicate this is already happening in other countries. Is that true? Where?
11-19-16, 11:46 AM
#12
Re: AMC considering charging more for blockbuster movie tickets
won't people just but tickets to the cheaper movie and then walk into the more expensive one? If they have to pay people to guard the door to the more expensive films it would defeat the purpose. Also don't most studios take like 90% of the ticket price the first few weeks of a movie release?
Increasing the ticket price of a blockbuster by $2 would only result in an extra 20 cents per patron. So if you even had 200 people seeing a blockbuster per showing, you would only net $40 per screening. Subtract the amount you would need to pay an employee to guard that theater room at minimum wage of around $7.50 for 2.5 hours and you lose $18.75 and it brings your net down to $21.25. Not really worth it considering all the negative impressions you would create from patrons.
Increasing the ticket price of a blockbuster by $2 would only result in an extra 20 cents per patron. So if you even had 200 people seeing a blockbuster per showing, you would only net $40 per screening. Subtract the amount you would need to pay an employee to guard that theater room at minimum wage of around $7.50 for 2.5 hours and you lose $18.75 and it brings your net down to $21.25. Not really worth it considering all the negative impressions you would create from patrons.
11-19-16, 12:29 PM
#13
Re: AMC considering charging more for blockbuster movie tickets
won't people just but tickets to the cheaper movie and then walk into the more expensive one? If they have to pay people to guard the door to the more expensive films it would defeat the purpose. Also don't most studios take like 90% of the ticket price the first few weeks of a movie release?
Increasing the ticket price of a blockbuster by $2 would only result in an extra 20 cents per patron. So if you even had 200 people seeing a blockbuster per showing, you would only net $40 per screening. Subtract the amount you would need to pay an employee to guard that theater room at minimum wage of around $7.50 for 2.5 hours and you lose $18.75 and it brings your net down to $21.25. Not really worth it considering all the negative impressions you would create from patrons.
Increasing the ticket price of a blockbuster by $2 would only result in an extra 20 cents per patron. So if you even had 200 people seeing a blockbuster per showing, you would only net $40 per screening. Subtract the amount you would need to pay an employee to guard that theater room at minimum wage of around $7.50 for 2.5 hours and you lose $18.75 and it brings your net down to $21.25. Not really worth it considering all the negative impressions you would create from patrons.
11-19-16, 01:01 PM
#14
DVD Talk Legend
Re: AMC considering charging more for blockbuster movie tickets
AMC is in the process of buying Carmike, which currently owns most of the theaters near me. If they decide to jack up the price for blockbusters I'll probably go to even fewer movies than I do now. I bought a big Ultra HD TV over the summer and streaming in 4K is looking like an even more appealing option.
11-19-16, 03:48 PM
#15
DVD Talk Hero
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: Not necessarily Formerly known as Solid Snake
Posts: 29,260
Received 1,245 Likes
on
856 Posts
Re: AMC considering charging more for blockbuster movie tickets
There are two different schools of thought here. I imagine AMC is taking the wrong one.
First is raising ticket prices for popular movies to make more money.
The second is more of what the Planet Money show was driving towards ... Lowering ticket price on less popular movies in an effort to encourage attendance. Similar to matinees and second run theaters, but right off the bat based on expectations.
First is raising ticket prices for popular movies to make more money.
The second is more of what the Planet Money show was driving towards ... Lowering ticket price on less popular movies in an effort to encourage attendance. Similar to matinees and second run theaters, but right off the bat based on expectations.
