Movie theaters = the conference rooms of the future

According to a Monday announcement not even the Oracle of Delphi saw coming, Zoom, the company synonymous with online meetings, is partnering with theater chain AMC to bring said online meetings to real life. Or something like that.

🤔 What exactly is going on?... When the partnership launches in 17 major US cities sometime next year, companies will be able to book “Zoom Rooms” at their preferred AMC theater.

These rooms, aka individual theaters, will come equipped with all the tech necessary to host large-scale video calls. Auditorium sizes are expected to range between 75 and 150 seats, and each will offer traditional movie theater food and beverage options. Because there’s nothing quite like munching on some popcorn while getting the South American division’s sales update.

📸 Big picture: State-of-the-art visuals and sound tech notwithstanding, AMC and Zoom are hoping companies with decentralized workforces and customer bases will feel the need to gather employees and prospects in person for meetings and events. The partnership also comes at a time when both companies are looking for a bit of a boost.

Zoom shares are currently trading at $78.31, down from their $588.84 peak in October 2020. And while AMC managed to evade bankruptcy last year (s/o HODL’rs), it’s needing to expand its business in the face of a movie industry that still hasn’t returned to pre-pandemic levels.