gypsy101 said: "i love Hamilton and want this filmed performance as much as anyone but this seems like an odd business strategy. i feel like this could take away good money from the many live productions. still excited for it and when it finally is released"
I love it for this exact reason; it may finally put to death the myth that releasing a proshot will kill sales of the live show.
Anyone who's a dedicated theatre fan has already seen the bootleg. Bootlegs are everywhere, you can watch it on youtube, the barrier to entry is very low and regardless of morality most people have watched it. And yet, we all still shell out for the live version.
As for the tourists, it can only help imo. A lot of them go to NYC, say "while we're in new york, we should see a broadway show!" and pick something they recognize and know they'll like. A proshot increases the likelihood that they'll recognize the property, and choose it as their live show to see.
For Hamilton, the first big rush is over. There will never again be people sleeping outside for 3-5 days or paying several grand a ticket. They need to make sure they're positioned as an iconic property and a mainstay on broadway a la Phantom (Or to a slightly lesser extend, Wicked) if they want to stay prosperous. Gotta look long term.