While movies are now grossing larger amounts than ever before, the ever-rising box office takes for such films as The Hunger Games and Guardians of the Galaxy belie the fact that theater revenue is actually declining, with 2014 seeing a 5% dip in domestic box-office sales.
In order to assess whether this is an increasing trend or just a temporary slump, a new PricewaterhouseCoopers survey set out to determine why less Americans are going to the movies. What the research found was that in spite of advances in technology, improved seating, and the ever-growing popularity of 3D films, the increasing cost of movie tickets is starting to discourage moviegoers. In the third quarter of 2014, the study found that the average ticket price was $8.08, which is up from $7.84 in the year prior, a fact that will likely not be lost on current producing school students who are learning how to produce profitable features in this declining platform.
While ticket prices were cited as the number one reason for declining sales, the authors of the study provided respondents with eighteen possible reasons as to why they would not go to see films in the theater. The top ten reasons are listed below.
- Ticket prices are too high
- Movies are not as interesting as they once were
- Prefer movies “on my own schedule”
- Prefer to spend money on other activities
- Can see movies at home shortly after theatrical release
- Prefer going out to dinner
- Don’t have as much disposable income as a year ago
- Decline in overall theater experience
- Online content is equally entertaining
- Too many people using phones and tablets in theaters
How do you feel about paying to see movies in theatres these days? Do you find yourself going less or more?