AMC Theatres is making a significant adjustment to its pricing structure, charging different amounts for different sections of its theaters. It is the largest theater chain in the United States and one of the greatest in the world. Despite its huge size, AMC Theatres has encountered several difficulties in recent years, including the recovery from massive losses from closures throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and the shift in release tactics by major studios.
Variety reports that AMC Theatres will introduce a new pricing structure called Sight line in time for 2023’s most highly anticipated film releases. Moviegoers can choose from three different ticket prices thanks to Sight line. Standard Sight line seats will be priced similarly to the most common seats in theaters, Value Sight line seats will be available exclusively to AMC Stubs members. They will be located in the theater’s first few rows, and Preferred Sight line seats will be priced at premium rates and can only be reserved in advance by AMC Stubs A-List members. On Friday, the program will debut in New York City, Chicago, and Kansas. By the end of the year, it will have expanded to cities all over the country.
Explaining AMC’s Radical Experiments with Change
Theaters operated by AMC
Although viewers may be taken aback by AMC’s bold move, it isn’t the first time the network has tried something different in the American market in recent years. Before the 2022 release of The Batman, the firm had priced tickets at a premium compared to competing outlets. CEO Adam Aron defended the move by saying it was similar to how music and sports facilities charged for tickets.
The restructuring at AMC Theatres is part of the company’s efforts to recover from the $4.6 billion in losses it incurred in 2020 due to theater closures caused by the COVID-19 epidemic. While AMC has been able to adapt to the shifting theater industry successfully, other chains have not been so lucky; for example, Cineworld filed for bankruptcy late last year, leaving the future of Regal Cinemas uncertain; and many Regal Cinemas locations across the United States have closed in recent months. Theatrical markets have struggled in recent years, but recent releases like Avatar: The Way of Water and M3GAN have renewed optimism for their eventual recovery.
After the global COVID-19 outbreak, viewers were eager to return to their regular movie-going routines. This is evidenced by the fact that several movies had successful runs at the box office in late 2022 and early 2023. However, the reaction of moviegoers to the recent, significant price increases at AMC Theatres remains to be seen.
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