Why aren’t people going to the theater anymore?

Why aren’t people going to the theater anymore?

More than a billion theater tickets were sold in 2018, whereas in 2022 less than 900 millions were sold. We all know that the theater industry has been declining, but do you actually know the reasons why?

First of all, Streaming is killing the cinema industry. Indeed, the cinema industry has been suffering from the growing popularity of streaming platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney + and many more. As a result, fewer people visit movie theaters to see the newest releases, which is harming the industry. Because it paved the way for the growth of streaming services, Covid had a disastrous effect on the movie business. All the theaters were closed during COVID-19, leaving us with no choice but to watch movies online via streaming platforms. Therefore, a lot of people grew accustomed to it and lost interest in the excitement of seeing a new movie in a cinema.

We only need to look at Netflix's growth to see how COVID-19 impacted streaming platforms. Although Netflix has always been popular, COVID-19 gave it an amazing increase. Between 2020 and 2021 they gained 70 millions members.

However, there are further reasons for the decreasing popularity of theater. In fact, a lot of people believe that the theater industry is collapsing since tickets are simply too expensive nowadays. According to an American Association of Retired People poll, 40% of elderly citizens no longer visit the movies because they can't afford the prices. The average ticket cost $11 in 2022 compared to $8 in 2012.

In a survey from Morning Consult Poll, 55% respondents said that they are more interested in watching movies at home than at the theater.

Furthermore, consumers would prefer to wait since all blockbusters are now often accessible on streaming sites after a month or two.

Some even have simultaneous release dates, therefore theaters everywhere are forced to compete with a free-watching experience.

As a result, going to the theater is a luxury that not everyone can afford.

The two last reasons as to why people stopped going to the theater is because of the advertisement and the content they offer.

Many people believe that there are too much advertisements, to start with. This has previously happened to all of us; the movie is scheduled to start at 2pm. However, you must sit through 20 minutes of advertisements and another 10 minutes of previews, resulting in a two-hour theater visit for a 1 hour and 30 minute film. This is something that could ruin the experience for some people.

Last but not least, not everyone enjoys the content that theaters offer. Back to the morning consult poll, 32% of respondents said that they have no interest in the films now showing in theaters.

Movies theaters’ attendance has definitely been decreasing for the past decades. Although I believe that theaters will always exist, I do think that most of them will close, which I find to be very tragic. Even though I am aware that going to the movies has gotten incredibly expensive, I do not believe that watching a movie at home will ever compare to the unique and enjoyable experience of going to the theater. Everyone should occasionally visit a cinema to

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