Earlier this week, AMC announced AMC Stubs A-List, its very own movie subscription program in the vein of competitor MoviePass. Through Stubs A-List, consumers can see up to three movies a week for the cost of $19.95 a month. Considering that AMC was no fan of MoviePass in the past, its entrance into the subscription space was notable. MoviePass has made its own thoughts on AMC's program clear, and now Sinemia, another rival subscription service, has issued its own statement about AMC's model and how it believes that AMC Stubs A-List is ultimately unsustainable.
We are happy to see new entrants in the market who understand that movie ticket subscriptions are the future of moviegoing, and AMC is a great example of this. However, we have concerns over their strategy. We believe that, with three tickets per week at a $20 price point and limited to a single theater chain, AMC's plan is trying to reach a niche segment of super moviegoers. We have been an advocate of sustainable movie ticket subscription offerings for last 4 years, and when we look at the details of the AMC plan we fear that this will devalue the movie experience and simply is not sustainable. We think that this plan may even result in the cannibalization of AMC's own customer base. That said, competitors always push us forward, and we welcome AMC into this market. We will continue to develop the Sinemia**service and mobile app to be the best solution for both moviegoers and the movie industry.
In its statement, Sinemia expressed doubt in AMC's business model, writing that the movie theater chain would only be reaching a niche group of people, due to Stubs A-List only being available at AMC theaters. Sinemia and MoviePass are accepted by several theater chains. Sinemia went as far as to say that AMC would be "cannibalizing" its own customer base.
Sinemia is a movie subscription service that offers a variety of plans for consumers that differ from the options provided by MoviePass and now AMC Stubs A-List. The service has four different plans, with the cheapest starting at $4.99 a month and the most expensive at $14.99 a month. Each plan comes with its own offerings. For instance, consumers can see one movie a month for $4.99 a month; two movies for $6.99; two movies for $9.99, but including 3-D and IMAX; and finally three movies a month, plus 3-D and IMAX, for $14.99.
Since AMC's announcement, MoviePass and Sinemia have made moves to offer new benefits to their programs. Sinemia has family "Family Plans Promo" for each of its different plans. MoviePass is introducing several new features, such as Uber-like surge pricing, a family/bring-a-friend option, and a premium pricing option that will add IMAX and 3D showings as options.
The movie subscription industry is suddenly a very hot space, and we'll have to wait and see which program consumers will prefer. Until then, stick with CinemaBlend, and we'll keep you updated with new information as soon as it becomes available.
