# Alamo Drafthouse Cinema: Tim and Karrie League

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2023-05-22
- Length: 1h 17m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-05-22-alamo-drafthouse-cinema-tim-and-karrie-league

## Summary

Tim and Karrie League, co-founders of Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, recount their journey from a failed first theater in Bakersfield to building a national chain of dine-in movie theaters. They discuss the operational challenges of combining restaurant and cinema logistics, the strategic decision to ban pre-show ads to build brand loyalty, and a pivotal lawsuit with franchise partners that led to Tim becoming CEO of the consolidated company. The episode also covers the company's near-collapse during the pandemic, Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and their current strategy of differentiating through exceptional guest experiences to compete with streaming.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-05-22-alamo-drafthouse-cinema-tim-and-karrie-league#t=0) Introduction: Tim and Karrie League and Alamo Drafthouse Cinema
- [7:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-05-22-alamo-drafthouse-cinema-tim-and-karrie-league#t=474) The Failed First Theater in Bakersfield
- [28:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-05-22-alamo-drafthouse-cinema-tim-and-karrie-league#t=1684) Launching the Austin Theater in a Parking Garage
- [43:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-05-22-alamo-drafthouse-cinema-tim-and-karrie-league#t=2622) Building Brand Identity: No Ads and Creative Events
- [53:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-05-22-alamo-drafthouse-cinema-tim-and-karrie-league#t=3226) Franchising, Lawsuits, and Consolidation
- [1:05:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-05-22-alamo-drafthouse-cinema-tim-and-karrie-league#t=3958) Cultural Crisis and Internal Reform
- [1:09:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-05-22-alamo-drafthouse-cinema-tim-and-karrie-league#t=4154) Pandemic, Bankruptcy, and the Future of Cinema

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, early-stage companies, companies scaling up, large enterprises

## Mentioned

- Alamo Drafthouse Cinema (company)
- Shell (company)
- UC Davis (other)
- Rice University (other)
- Bank of America (company)
- Austin Chronicle (company)
- Washington Post (company)
- New York Times (company)

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- [A Baseball Startup with Paul Freedman and Bryan Carmel](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2024-04-17-a-baseball-startup-with-paul-freedman-and-bryan-carmel) (Oxide and Friends)
- [Founder Feature: Jen Liao of MìLà](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2024-08-23-founder-feature-jen-liao-of-mila) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
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- [#65 Mid-Day Squares - National Target Launch, Business Therapy, and Dance Vibes with Jake Karls](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2022-10-18-65-mid-day-squares-national-target-launch-business-therapy-and-dance-vibes-with) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-05-22-alamo-drafthouse-cinema-tim-and-karrie-league. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to How I Built This.