<P> In December 2005, Minnetonka, Minnesota - based Musicland Group, which owned Media Play, announced it would close all 61 stores by the end of January 2006 and refocus on its Sam Goody and Suncoast chains . </P> <P> Media Play had been unprofitable for a number of years . In late 2005, it increased its advertising and sales promotions, but this did not work . It is thought that the unprofitability, caused by competition from Wal - Mart, Best Buy, and online retailers such as Amazon.com, was the major factor in the decision to close the retail chain . </P> <P> The Musicland Group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January 2006, and in February announced the closing of 226 Sam Goody and 115 Suncoast Motion Picture Company stores, and all Media Play locations . Just months after the chain closed, the website MediaPlay.com was all that remained . In February 2006, Trans World Entertainment Corp. acquired the Musicland Group, which owned Sam Goody, Suncoast, and MediaPlay.com . Some former Media Play stores became home to f.y.e. superstores beginning in June 2006 . </P>

When did media play go out of business