How does the UGC Unlimited card pay for itself?

ixoy

Right, I have the UGC Unlimited card and something's bugging me about it. Now it's quite clear why UGC does it: most of their profit comes from concessions so the card means people will go more often and buy their over-priced popcorn. Fine.

.. However, what about the film studios? How do they repay them? Do they give them a set amount per card holder per month? How is that divided if they do? Or do they give a set amount per screening? The ticket stub says €3.81. Now IIRC studios get at least 50% of the cost of a ticket - which is generally €4 (from an €8 ticket). So therefore the studios would get a lot less as UGC presumably take a cut off of this €3.81 ticket. So how on earth do they pay back the studios? Say I see ten movies in one month - that'd be nigh on €40 worth they'd owe to the studios, for my €16 spending. It doesn't make sense... can anyone enlighten me?

DaithiSurfer

I've often wondered this too
This is my attempt at an explanation for it.

The studios get a percentage not a fixed amount. They have no
say in what a cinema charges to see a movie.

If you paiid €16 and went to see 16 movies then you have paid €1 per movie.

They know what movies you saw so they give each studio their percentage of each €1.

antwalsh

This is my best guess.....Let's say that UGC give out 50% of the ticket price to the film distributors. This is about €1.90. This means that you'd have to see more than 8 movies a month for UGC to make a loss from you. As not that many people would go to see this amount of movies UGC can reap the rewards. Also the fact that you don't hand over any cash for a ticket gives you a false sense of being cash rich. This leads you to be less guilty about buying some popcorn and coke. Hence even more profit.

I think that their subscription scheme is brilliant. If only they had a decent big screen they would totally dominate the city centre area.

Victor

See this thread http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=113051

Originally posted by ixoy
Right, I have the UGC Unlimited card and something's bugging me about it. Now it's quite clear why UGC does it: most of their profit comes from concessions so the card means people will go more often and buy their over-priced popcorn. Fine.

A huge amount of money comes from the munchies.

Originally posted by ixoy
The ticket stub says €3.81. Now IIRC studios get at least 50% of the cost of a ticket - which is generally €4 (from an €8 ticket). So therefore the studios would get a lot less as UGC presumably take a cut off of this €3.81 ticket. So how on earth do they pay back the studios? Say I see ten movies in one month - that'd be nigh on €40 worth they'd owe to the studios, for my €16 spending. It doesn't make sense... can anyone enlighten me?

They pay a staggered percentage depending on how new the film is, by having 8(?) screeen the can show older films with higher percentages. The card system means people visit more often which pays more of their fixed costs (staff, rent, etc.)

babyhack

I think that their subscription scheme is brilliant. If only they had a decent big screen they would totally dominate the city centre area.


i have not seen many screens bigger then screen 17 in UGC its mega

smiaras

This post has been deleted.

SteM

You have to sign up for one year but then you can quit whenever you want. So it's not 12, then resign to another 12 months etc.

UGC.ie says:

- Bring with you proof of your bank details and your
address (i.e., bank statement)
- Have with you a means of paying for your first
month's subscription (credit card, cash, voucher or
cheque)
- Minimum subscription is 12 months

Owenw

Originally posted by babyhack
I think that their subscription scheme is brilliant. If only they had a decent big screen they would totally dominate the city centre area.


i have not seen many screens bigger then screen 17 in UGC its mega

Just got this from their site (www.ugc.ie):

UGC's Development Takes Shape.


UGC's development on Parnell Street is taking shape. The first phase of UGCs €13M investment opened Friday September 5th.

The move to the new part of the cinema involved the opening of two new entrances. The new main entrance on Parnell Street is 45 metres closer to the Capel Street end of Parnell Street. This is clearly signposted from the original entrance.

Phase 1 of the development has 10 box office points, nine state-of-the art screens with escalators connecting all floors. There is a contemporary Café Bar on the first floor and a kids Party Room on the second.

All screens offer state-of-the-art in sound and vision. Each auditorium has a ‘4th wall screen’ which covers the whole wall-to-wall area. All auditoria are black with stadium seating offering the ultimate in comfort and lots of legroom. You will enjoy.

At the end of November the final phase of the development will be unveiled. Eight further state-of-the art screens will open, making the grand total of 17 screens.

UGC will thus become Ireland’s biggest cinema. Size isn’t everything, UGC will show the most diverse range of films under the one roof.

From now until the end of November, it’s business as usual.

"4th wall screens" sound impressive - has anyone been their since they revamped the place?

I'm tempted to go see Kill Bill even though it means a trek into the city centre. What's the parking like round there?

SteM

There's parking in the Parnell Centre itself. Not sure how much it is per hour though.

skipn_easy

the parking is fine around ugc... i've parked on the street there without any problems, but there's also a big parking lot within the centre.

callmescratch

here's my thought.
they assume that a lot of the people who get the card wouldn't normally go to the cinema there enough to be giving them 15.99 a month.
by you getting the card, thats a guaranteed 15.99 from you where previously you may have only given them a lot less.
even if you go to a film every day, you'll probably buy enough snax so they can pay the studios for you seeing the movie.
plus, they know that there will be months where in general people don't use the equivalent of 15.99.
that must be the case, or else they wouldn't have the scheme.

ixoy

You're probably right callmescratch. I'm the kind of customer whom they don't want them, seeing around eight movies a month and very rarely ever buying their over-priced concessions

segadreamcast

Originally posted by Owenw
has anyone been their since they revamped the place? [/B]

Never leave the place saw Cabin Fever and Kill Bill there in the last two days. Best cinema in Ireland, bar none.

peanuthead

talk about ressurecting an old thread but how much is the yearly cost of this Unlimited ticket?

Victor

I think €19.99 x 12.

peanuthead

Victor wrote: »

I think €19.99 x 12.

And can you pay it once off? I would call but the number I have is not picking up and its a christmas present so I would like to pay it all off at once

Victor

http://www.cineworld.ie/cinemas/75?fallback=false&isMobileAgent=false

zAbbo

Search BA for a thread on the unlimited card.

The UK version works here and is considerably cheaper.

User45701

ixoy wrote: »

You're probably right callmescratch. I'm the kind of customer whom they don't want them, seeing around eight movies a month and very rarely ever buying their over-priced concessions

i have my unlimited card and have been to the cinema once in about 2 years.

Im sure they have made money from me - but then again years ago myself and mate who also had the card have gone to the cinema and seen 7 movies in 1 day so its really hit and miss for UGC.

Put it this way - i havent used my card since the prices went up in Jan 08

ronano

Would you not be better off cancelling the card if you've used it once in 2 years? it takes about 2 mins to sign up and print off a temporary card from the internet.

To the bumper of the post as someone else said just pay for yearly pass in one go on the uk site,it saved me i think 70 euro when i did it.

peanuthead

ronano wrote: »

Would you not be better off cancelling the card if you've used it once in 2 years? it takes about 2 mins to sign up and print off a temporary card from the internet.

To the bumper of the post as someone else said just pay for yearly pass in one go on the uk site,it saved me i think 70 euro when i did it.

And it can be used here too?? You're sure of that?

I'll do that so,

Tusky

peanuthead wrote: »

And it can be used here too?? You're sure of that?

I'll do that so,

It was actually me who started the thread in bargain alerts. Heres a link http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055351533&highlight=cineworld+unlimited+card

senordingdong

Ok, my understand of the situation (from a thread I read in this forum) is that Irish cinemas don't make a penny from ticket sales...that all the money from ticket sales goes back to the film company.

And therefore, a of their profit comes from food etc...

Is this actuay the case?
Can anybody shed any light on it?

neurodegenerate

Thanks Tusky, I followed your link there about buying the uk ticket at the bargain price! That's FANTASTIC!:D I've had the card for three years and will get the uk version when it expires. Just wondering, how many times a year would y'all use the card?! I've seen about 60 so far with my card and a few more months left:)

ronano

I think to see at least 2 films a week but really i like the card for the freedom to just say duck it lets go see 2/3 films in a row

Galvasean

Man I really have to do this. I once say two films in one day at almost a tenner a pop!
Next time Im in (January) Im definately doing it.

ScumLord

I would have expected a cinema to leace the film or pay some sort of fee to show it for a certain ammount of time. They may pay €50000 to show it for a month and it's up to them to make money whatever way they can.

Skinfull

Do you have to have an english address to the the UK card?
This is Class!!
Happy Christmas to me!