AMC 34th Street theater reopens after COVID-19 closures, Friday, March 5, 2021, in New York. Movie theater operator AMC has ditched plans to charge more seats with better sightlines after competitors did not follow along.
Evan Agostini/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
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Evan Agostini/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
AMC 34th Street theater reopens after COVID-19 closures, Friday, March 5, 2021, in New York. Movie theater operator AMC has ditched plans to charge more seats with better sightlines after competitors did not follow along.
Evan Agostini/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
AMC Theaters is abandoning its plan to price tickets based on where a customer chooses to sit.
In February, AMC said it would follow pricing models of other entertainment venues, such as arenas and live theaters, in a program called Sightline. Middle seats would be a dollar or two more, while front row seats would be slightly cheaper.
But on Thursday, the company said it was ending the initiative, as people were still unlikely to book front row seats despite the lower cost. This made AMC’s prices less competitive in the market, as competitors did not follow suit with the new cost structure, the company said.
“Sightline at AMC will not continue at the current pilot locations once the test ends in the coming weeks, and the program will not roll out nationwide,” it said.
Instead, AMC said it would pivot to testing new seats in the front row that would recline further back to allow for a better view.