theSITUATION: A Broadway Marketing, Broadway News and Entertainment Marketing Journal

Discount Madness on Broadway

Wed, June 18, 2008

Related Topics : Discounting, Variable Pricing

I’ve received over ten emails about Broadway ticket discounts during the 4th of July weekend. It’s probably safe to say that somewhere between five and ten million emails were sent about Broadway offering ‘special’ discount offers over the 4th of July. Now, I totally understand why the emails are sent out and I can see why email marketing would be the channel of choice.

But it feels as though there has to be a much more efficient way. As an entertainment ‘category’, 95% of Broadway shows will clearly have availability over the July 4th weekend. Instead of using discount codes, couldn’t we just slash the prices for the weekend at the box office and use publicity as a way to say ‘now is the time to experience Broadway’ just like NYC does with Restaurant Week?

I’m sure this has been talked about a million times, so I’ll shut up now. To put this together is obviously a pretty big undertaking but I hope the conversation is had so next year (and other periods similar to July 4th) can be addressed in a more efficient way.

In the meantime though – if I get one more email about a 4th of July discount, my head might explode.

For inspirational thinking, take a look at what Restaurant Week looks like this summer.

Read on.

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Movie Theaters May Turn to a Variable Pricing Model - Is Broadway Next?

Thu, February 23, 2006

Related Topics : Movie Marketing, Ticket Prices, Ticketing, Variable Pricing

Ah, the great topic of ticket pricing. Do we raise our top ticket price? Do we offer more affordable pricing for sections of the theatre.

Now, the new hot topic may become variable pricing.

As we are sure many of you read last week in The New York Times, the concept of variable pricing may be hitting movie theaters in the near future. According to Peter C. Brown, who runs the nation's second-biggest theater chain, AMC Entertainment, "I predict we will see it within a year."

What is variable pricing? Well, in the case of the movie theater industry, it simply means you will pay more for a ticket on the weekends and less on weekdays. You'll be able to buy a reserved seat in the center of the theater for a few extra dollars.

Should Broadway be next to follow? Should a ticket to a Tuesday night performance cost the same as a Saturday night performance? Should one show that opened to rave reviews have the same pricing structure of one that is simply not as "hot"?

Or, is this pricing strategy dangerous for Broadway or simply not feasible?