Plex Expands into Movie Ticket Sales with Fandango Partnership

Plex is expanding its business beyond media server software by helping users buy movie theater tickets. The company's move comes as it seeks to monetize its content-discovery capabilities and tap into a new revenue stream.

In partnership with Fandango, Plex will allow users in the US to purchase tickets for movies currently playing in theaters from within the app. This integration is aimed at driving ticket sales among people searching for movies to stream on Plex's platform. When a user searches for a movie, they'll be able to click through to Fandango's website to find showtimes and buy tickets.

Fandango has been selling movie theater tickets since 2000 and currently offers tickets for 31,000 screens in the US. The partnership with Plex allows Fandango to leverage data from Plex's streaming service, which sees users make over 100 million decisions each month about what to stream. By tapping into this data, including ratings and cross-platform viewing habits, Fandago gains insight into audience intent.

The integration also enables direct attribution through Kochava, giving studios and advertisers a clearer picture of how their campaigns are translating into ticket sales. This level of visibility is expected to help studios and advertisers refine their marketing strategies.

The integration of Fandango's ticketing system into Plex is expected to provide a more direct route for studios and advertisers to measure the effectiveness of their marketing campaigns. This collaboration will enable marketers to track which promotions are driving ticket sales, allowing them to refine their strategies accordingly.

Plex's goal is to become the go-to platform for discovering new content, regardless of where it resides. By leveraging its user data, Plex aims to provide personalized recommendations that can help drive engagement and viewership. This could potentially open up new revenue streams for the company through targeted advertising and sponsored content.

The need for effective content discovery tools has become increasingly pressing in the streaming industry, with various players attempting to crack the code. Smart TV OS operators, streaming service providers, and AI-powered chatbots are all vying to help users find what they want to watch among the vast array of available options.

Plex's Fandango partnership stands out from its media server business, which allows users to share movies with friends and family without incurring licensing fees. This contrast highlights the company's diverse range of offerings and its ability to balance competing interests in pursuit of growth and innovation.

Plex has expanded its offerings by launching a ticket sales service for movie theaters. This move marks the latest addition to the company's diverse range of services, following the introduction of its streaming platform and free ad-supported television (FAST) streaming service.

The new venture coexists with Plex's existing media server software, allowing users to choose which features they want to use. Those who only need media hosting can opt out of on-demand streaming services and data sharing, giving them greater control over their experience. However, it is noted that Plex does collect data from its media server users through search queries.

The growth of Plex's non-server-software businesses may help fund advancements and maintenance for the company's media software. This could address challenges in making lifetime passes financially sustainable.