AMC Has Banned MoviePass E-Ticketing in Denver and Boston

Megalith

Megalith

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AMC Theatres, which wants MoviePass dead, has begun pushing back against the $10-a-month service by disabling electronic ticket sales at its Denver and Boston locations. Unfortunately, this maneuver is akin to “throwing a pebble at a tidal wave,” being that E-ticketing is only available at 6% of the locations that support MoviePass anyway, and subscribers can just as easily get tickets the standard way (checking in with your phone when you’re in proximity of a theater). The service has exceeded 150,000 members after announcing its cheaper plan.

AMC Theatres is clearly not giving up without a fight when it comes to trying to stop MoviePass from becoming a big deal. Funnily enough, Boston and Denver were the locations where AMC Theatres and MoviePass were once testing a partnership that would have had subscribers pay a little extra for a subscription that included IMAX and 3D movies. There were even talks of an AMC exclusive card that wouldn’t require users to check in to a movie through the MoviePass app. That makes me wonder if the reason AMC Theatres is really upset about this is because they were getting their own subscription service together, just with a more expensive price tag that couldn’t compete with MoviePass’ new price.
 
I'll be honest, I don't yet trust MoviePass - I'm suspecting something akin to the only theaters qualifying being 20 miles away and a hole in the wall - we will see in the coming months (and I may join if the issues clear)
 
I had to look up moviepass. Never heard of them before.

Who signs up for this? I mean, who even goes to movie theaters anymore? Let alone often enough to warrant a subscription service?
 
Cyraxx said:
I'll be honest, I don't yet trust MoviePass - I'm suspecting something akin to the only theaters qualifying being 20 miles away and a hole in the wall - we will see in the coming months (and I may join if the issues clear)
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I think qualifying has more to do with the theaters ticket price. All of the AMC's in my area are qualified.

It's a debit card, so not much can be done on the theaters side of things. I'm guessing they may use the data to eventually request kickbacks from theaters to be qualified (e.g. "our historical case studies show that X# of additional moviegoers equals a % increase of concession revenue" - the case study was done with AMC).
 
Zarathustra[H] said:
I had to look up moviepass. Never heard of them before.

Who signs up for this? I mean, who even goes to movie theaters anymore? Let alone often enough to warrant a subscription service?
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The thousands of annoying teens at my local malls. Only reason I stopped going to the theaters is because I hate people and most movies have sucked. Saw Dunkirk in a completely empty 9 am showing though, it was fantastic.
 
NickJames said:
The thousands of annoying teens at my local malls. Only reason I stopped going to the theaters is because I hate people and most movies have sucked. Saw Dunkirk in a completely empty 9 am showing though, it was fantastic.
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I never thought of going that early. Gonna have to check it out
 
My local AMC has significantly revamped their offerings.. Nice big electronic leather/leatherette recliners, reserved seating, walls between rows (no more tap dancing on my seat you little pricks), upgraded audio and video equipment, and now they serve alcohol. $15 is near the price of a single ticket and I go to the theater about once every 1-2 months or so, so this sounds like a great value proposition for me and my wife. I'd consider it, but I haven't done enough research on the service to see if it's worth it.
 
If moviepass was explained properly, and that the theater gets paid full fare, AMC is doing this wrong. Take movie pass.. for every theater, every show. Burn through that VC money ASAP and just kill it while selling more tickets.
 
I'm in Denver and the theater I go to the most (AMC at Southlands) supported e-tickets so I was tempted to join. Glad I waited.
 
E-ticketing is a simple redemption process that allows you to reserve your same-day ticket in our MoviePass app, before arriving at the the theater. Simply open your app and select your theater. From the list of films that appear, select your desired showtime and confirm your check-in. This check-in will generate a redemption code that you can present at the kiosk or box office to retrieve your ticket.
 
So now when I go to AMC (I'm live between both AMC and Regal) I'll bring my own candy. they got me at the popcorn but I'll swing by Walgreens and pickup a box for a buck verses their price of five bucks.
 
I hope the drop the subscription to $5/month in Boston and Denver to push back against their push back.
 
NickJames said:
The thousands of annoying teens at my local malls. Only reason I stopped going to the theaters is because I hate people and most movies have sucked. Saw Dunkirk in a completely empty 9 am showing though, it was fantastic.
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While I'm not as much of a curmudgeon as you, yeah know when kids are supposed to be in school, go see movie at those times. Of course you need to have a flexible work schedule to do that.
 
As someone else said, AMC should just ride the money train and bleed moviepass dry and then when MoviePass goes out of business, they probably won't have to worry about the deal anymore. If MoviePass does go out of business, then the next owner is the one responsible for paying AMC full price or the deal is nullified.
 
It baffles me why AMC is so up tight about this.

1. Move theaters don't make their profits from ticket sales, the movie studios do.
2. Their profits come from selling greatly marked up concessions.
3. Moviepass is going to pay the FULL ticket price, theaters lose NO money.
4. With moviepass the people that use it will likely go MUCH more often to the movies and thus spend a lot more on concessions, making theaters more money.

It's literally like crying that someone is actually going to help you make more money and they are too stupid to see it.

Also AMC's stocks have literally TANKED this year, they need all the help they can get so whining about this REALLY seems childish at this point.
 
Stiler said:
It baffles me why AMC is so up tight about this.

1. Move theaters don't make their profits from ticket sales, the movie studios do.
2. Their profits come from selling greatly marked up concessions.
3. Moviepass is going to pay the FULL ticket price, theaters lose NO money.
4. With moviepass the people that use it will likely go MUCH more often to the movies and thus spend a lot more on concessions, making theaters more money.

It's literally like crying that someone is actually going to help you make more money and they are too stupid to see it.

Also AMC's stocks have literally TANKED this year, they need all the help they can get so whining about this REALLY seems childish at this point.
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I agree with all but #1. I am sure they make some money off the tickets themselves. Not enough people buy their shitty food to make it a viable business otherwise (especially those theaters that allow you to bring in food...).
 
cheap movie ticket .... $10 box of skittles and a $15 soda.

That's why I don't go to the movies.
 
kju1 said:
I agree with all but #1. I am sure they make some money off the tickets themselves. Not enough people buy their shitty food to make it a viable business otherwise (especially those theaters that allow you to bring in food...).
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They get like 20% of the ticket price the first week and like 10% more each week after, it's really not much. Whereas they get all the money from concessions
 
My GF and I tried to see a movie at AMC a few years ago, the cost for the 2 of us? $32 or $33 dollars ... we about died .................

We only pay $6.50 a piece at Cinemark near us and super nice movie theater.
 
Probleminfected said:
Going to the theater to watch a movie is about as dead as coal mining...

Things change, assimilate or die...
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Movie theaters still have relevancy. Nolan furthered that point by an absolute extreme with the release of Dunkirk. The true IMAX at 70mm was by far the most immersive movie-going experience I have ever had. I truly felt like I was in the movie at times. This experience is something you just cannot replicate in your home basement.

I have not been to an AMC theater in at least 5 years, living in the LA metropolitan area has its advantages and movie theater options are one. I am a 3 minute drive away from a newly built Cinemark theater who supports moviepass - they will see more of me once I receive my moviepass. Meanwhile the AMC theater across the city just looks more and more bleak whenever I pass by it, this move they have decided to go with is just another nail in their own coffin.
 
BETA. said:
Movie theaters still have relevancy. Nolan furthered that point by an absolute extreme with the release of Dunkirk. The true IMAX at 70mm was by far the most immersive movie-going experience I have ever had. I truly felt like I was in the movie at times. This experience is something you just cannot replicate in your home basement.
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Challenge accepted...
 
Is there a place where you can look up movie pass locations that are supported? I can't find a map/list anywhere anymore.
 
How To Do Things The Stupidest Way Possible (aka AMC Is Run By Fucking Idiots):

1) Make agreement with MoviePass to honor their service and ticketing.
2) MoviePass slowly raises pricing over time and less people sign up and use the service, AMC still gets paid full fare for each moviegoer using a MoviePass at their locations including revenue from selling food/sodas/etc.
3) MoviePass lowers price to $10 and signs up a shitload of people quickly thereby ensuring that AMC will now get more moviegoers and still be paid full fare for each of those people using MoviePass including that revenue from food/sodas/etc.
4) AMC bitches about it, can't seem to understand it means MORE FUCKING MONEY FOR THEM considering the full fare ticket pricing is being paid to them for each MoviePass put to use and that revenue from food/sodas/etc.
5) AMC starts actually banning the use of MoviePass at some locations and in some entire cities thereby LOSING MORE FUCKING MONEY FOR THEM because they're run by fucking idiots.
6) MoviePass says "Fuck you, then..." and competition in the theater industry laughs about it as they accept the MoviePass from people that want to watch movies and spend money on food/sodas/etc and are quite happy about it.
7) AMC just mulls about it and keeps digging their own grave more by the second.

I mean really, how colossally fucking stupid can their management teams and ownership investors be to allow this public relations fiasco to continue is beyond my ability to comprehend.
 
AMC is probably looking to do something similar themselves or in an alliance with other theaters. If MoviePass really catches on and get a significant user base they will pressure the movie theaters into giving them a cut of the profit. Therefore even though MoviePass may provide some additional revenue now, in the long run it is bad for business.
 
AMC needs to sue Costco next for selling those AMC movie passes, often used as gifts for people, they literally can see a movie for free! I mean no one is going to pay for movies ever again if they're allowed to see movies for "free" !!!
 
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