PVR INOX, Cinépolis tap sports and live events to widen cinema revenue beyond films

Cinema chains are scaling sports, concert, comedy and corporate screenings as a higher-yield complement to film releases. PVR INOX drew 64,000 viewers for the FIFA World Cup final, while Cinépolis says alternative content is aided by premium ticketing, F&B and advertising demand beyond metros.

— Source publishedMon, 24 Aug, 2026, 01:25 IST·First seen Mon, 24 Aug, 2026, 01:33 IST·Source Financial Express · BrandWagon

What happened

PVR INOX and Cinépolis India are expanding sports, concerts, comedy and corporate screenings to diversify beyond films and OTT-affected box office. Alternative

Key facts

  • 64,000 people watched the FIFA World Cup final in PVR INOX cinemas
  • Cinépolis recorded nearly 100% occupancy at some cinemas for Brazil and Argentina football games
  • Sports and concert screenings contribute 3-5% of Cinépolis India revenue
  • Club Cinépolis covers over 1 crore members
  • Organised live events market projected to grow from Rs 14,500 crore in 2025 to Rs 19,600 crore by 2028
  • Cinema advertising contributes around 7-8% of earnings
  • F&B contributes 30-35% of cinema-chain revenue

Why this matters

Prioritize partnerships or acquisitions that secure exclusive live-sports, concert and event-distribution rights, while bundling sponsors and premium-format inventory to create defensible non-film revenue platforms.