Average price for movie tickets falls in third quarter

"The Dark Knight Rises," the most successful movie in the third quarter, was not shown in 3-D, which probably contributed to the decrease in the average price of a movie ticket in the U.S. in the quarter. (Warner Bros.)

By Richard Verrier

November 8, 2012, 12:44 p.m.

Moviegoers got some mild relief in the third quarter as the average price for tickets in the U.S. edged downward.

The average ticket price for the three-month period ended Sept. 30 was $7.78, down from a record high of $8.12 in the second quarter and $7.94 a year earlier, according to the National Assn. of Theatre Owners. 

The trade group's analysis is based on a survey of theaters nationwide and also includes lower-cost matinee tickets and tickets discounted for seniors and students. As a result, the average ticket price is well below what moviegoers pay in L.A., where admission fees are above $10.

Patrick Corcoran, spokesman for the theater association, attributed the decline to fewer 3-D movies, which command higher ticket prices. The biggest movie in the third quarter, "The Dark Knight Rises," was not shown in 3-D.

Box office revenue fell 7.2% in the quarter while theater admissions in the U.S. dropped by 5%, compared with the same period a year ago.

Year to-date-admissions are still up 3.75% compared with 2011, and the industry is expecting a strong fourth quarter led by "The Hobbit," "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn -- Part 2," and "Skyfall," Corcoran said.

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