TICKET PRICES TAKE RARE DOWNTURN

There were so many family-film hits in theaters during the second quarter of this year that the average ticket price slid to $7.88 from $7.95 in the first quarter — a reflection of discounts for kids, the National Association of Theater Owners reported on Monday. The decline occurred despite a proliferation of 3D films commanding premiums of as much as $5.00. They appeared to be no match for Avatar and Alice in Wonderland, which dominated the box office in the first quarter. “Prices fluctuate throughout the year, depending on what kind of product is in the marketplace,” Patrick Corcoran, director of media and research for NATO, told today’s (Tuesday) Daily Variety. “Last year, we had a big jump from first quarter to second quarter, then it went down slightly in the third. So it really depends on what’s out there. On average over four decades, we’ve managed to keep our price increases lower than the rate of inflation … because theater owners know that their market is the family and that people are price sensitive.”