Cinemark is testing whether a live NFL game can become a ticketed cinema event. On Dec. 7, the chain will screen the Dallas Cowboys-Seattle Seahawks Monday Night Football game at its West Plano, Texas, dine-in theatre—its first-ever in-market NFL watch party. Tickets go on sale Nov. 10, with an XD seat priced at $30 for the venue’s largest screen and customized surround sound.
What the ticket bundles
The play is an event, not a standard screening. Fans get a pre-game tailgate and a Cowboys merchandise pop-up before kickoff. The concessions pitch includes star-shaped pretzels, a blue ritz margarita and Cinemark cups featuring six Cowboys players. Darren Woodson, Rowdy the mascot and the Cowboys Cheerleaders are scheduled to appear.
- Live Cowboys-Seahawks game on the biggest XD screen
- Tailgate and Cowboys merchandise pop-up
- Themed F&B: pretzels, margarita and player cups
- Appearances by Woodson, Rowdy and the cheerleaders
Look at it as a per-head revenue stack. A standard movie ticket monetizes the seat. This package adds food, drink, merchandise and a themed live event on a premium screen, which is the kind of revenue stack cinemas want when a Hollywood tentpole is not on the schedule.
Why it matters
This is an evening, in-market game, not an out-of-market broadcast in an off-peak slot. That makes it a direct test of whether cinemas can convert a prime-time sports audience into a paid, concession-heavy crowd and fill a weeknight auditorium.
The model has precedent. Canada’s Cineplex has long screened NFL, NHL, NBA, Olympics, UFC and WWE events. UK Premier League matches have filled U.S. cinema auditoriums on weekend mornings. Cinemark’s difference is the local, prime-time hook: a marquee Cowboys game with stadium-like extras.
For exhibitors, alternative content is one way to raise midweek occupancy without relying on a new Hollywood release. A local game with a team partnership also brings a built-in fan base, which can lower the marketing cost for the event.
What to watch
Treat this as a one-off pilot, not a category shift. The numbers that matter are attendance per screen, food-and-beverage spend per head, and whether the audience is incremental or simply moving from home viewing or a sports bar. The risk is familiar: a local fan can watch the same game at home or in a bar without a $30 ticket. Cinemark’s answer is the screen size, sound and social setting. The pilot will reveal whether those factors justify the price.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
