No, movie-ticket prices will not approach the size of the NFL postseason anytime soon, even though it appeared they were going in that direction earlier in the year.
According to the National Association of Theater Owners, the average domestic admissions price averaged $7.71 in the third quarter, a 2 percent drop from the $7.88 reported in Q2 and 3 percent decline from the record-high $7.95 tallied in Q1.
For the year, the average ticket price is $7.85, up about 5 percent from $7.50 in 2009.
Premium 3D ticket prices are key to the volatility, with mega-performances from first-quarter films "Avatar" and "Alice in Wonderland" skewing the average higher at the beginning of the year.
However, a willingness by exhibitors including AMC to come down off price-point precipice — the chain caught heat for charging $20 for tickets in Manhattan earlier this year — can also be attributed to the decline in average price.
