Maloof Money Cup Cuts Deal To Air Event In Movie Theaters Instead Of On Television

The Maloof Money Cup has cut a revenue-sharing agreement with a national theater company that will result in its South Africa skateboarding competition being shown in more than 600 theaters nationwide. National Cinemedia (NCM) will show a delayed broadcast of the Sept. 28-30 finals in vert, mini mega-ramp and street skateboarding competitions. Regal, AMC and Cinemark theaters nationwide will show Maloof Money Cup Oct. 2 at 7:30pm local time. Tickets will cost $12.50. Maloof Money Cup and NCM will share revenues. It is the first time a skateboarding competition has been shown in theaters rather than on TV. Maloof Money Cup aired on Fox last year, but it will not be on TV in the U.S. this year. NCM has broadcast FIFA World Cup matches and Wimbledon finals in theaters in 3D in the past. NCM Properties VP Jim Millman said, "We thought the visual nature of skateboarding might be cool on the big screen. It's the first time we've tried it, and we'll see if fans come out to see it. It's an experiment for us and them." Maloof Money Cup President Tim McFerran said that the event decided to forgo TV because of the decrease in TV viewership skateboarding contests had seen in recent years. McFerran said, "Quite honestly, the theater goers are more in line with our target demographic than some of the networks which broadcast action sports programming." Connecticut-based 21 Marketing worked with Maloof Money Cup and National Cinemedia on the deal.