"If you are meant to be at Burning Man, it will happen.."

[skyway34]

I try to read through the lines as to exactly what this means. I am pretty sure it is not really some sort of supernatural reference, like a horoscope lol. It seems to me that there are "gatekeepers", people with access to fairly large numbers of tickets to distribute who are judging others as to whether they are worthy of attending or not. Which is not necessarily a bad thing. I get that it is crucial to have attendees who truly want to contribute to the cause, as opposed to looky-loos who just want to sit back, offer nothing and then check off Burning Man from their bucket list. I'm just trying to understand what is actually going on here. Most everybody I know who is going got their tickets through low-stress means other than sitting at their computers on the sale days like yesterday. Am I generally correct on this? Thoughts?

[FIGJAM]

Bucket list gets you nothing!!!

Bucket Cooler gets you EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tamarakay]

There are long term eplayans still looking for tickets. We madly clicked links on ticket day like everyone else. We do have a community here that tries to help each other and we have members that volunteer many many hours to make the event possible. Some of them have a proven track record of hard work that has earned them staff tickets.

[Ratty]

It may be a case of 'who you know and what you've been doing for the past 10 years'. When someone says 'active in the community' they don't mean sitting at home typing cute remarks. If you attend local events and volunteer, bring art, lend a hand, supply some needed article of food, clothing or gear you will someday be rewarded. (Or not).

If I wasn't an eplayan I wouldn't have a ticket this year. I got one. I could have bought several due to the generosity of this community.

[Savannah]

I try to read through the lines as to exactly what this means. I am pretty sure it is not really some sort of supernatural reference, like a horoscope lol.

Right--nothing mystical about it to me, either.

It seems to me that there are "gatekeepers", people with access to fairly large numbers of tickets to distribute who are judging others as to whether they are worthy of attending or not. Which is not necessarily a bad thing. I get that it is crucial to have attendees who truly want to contribute to the cause, as opposed to looky-loos who just want to sit back, offer nothing and then check off Burning Man from their bucket list. I'm just trying to understand what is actually going on here. Most everybody I know who is going got their tickets through low-stress means other than sitting at their computers on the sale days like yesterday. Am I generally correct on this? Thoughts?

There is a strong correlation between knowing and befriending other Burners, being part of a camp, and/or being involved in your local Burner community and getting a ticket on the aftermarket sales. These are some of the factors:

* There aren't many "gatekeepers", but some camps get targeted distribution because they offer a lot to the city and are tried & true--and because they can't put off building their projects until July or August to see if they have enough people to make a theme camp. They have to submit their camp for consideration by April 30. (If I remember correctly, a significant drop in theme camp participation the year of the first sell-out made targeted distribution a "thing".)

* Burners who suddenly can't go like to sell to other Burners they know, or at least friends of friends. Who wouldn't want to make a friend's day/week/vacation?

* Burners who CAN go like to use a spare ticket to help a friend see the Burn for the first time.

* Most Burners abhor scalpers. Strangers may be Burners, but . . . they may also be scalpers. Or they might take your ticket and run. So it's not about "Are you worthy, stranger?" so much as "Are you a scalper? Or worse?" that makes selling to acquaintances feel much better.

* People aren't usually sitting on tickets, but 1) if they know a friend is looking, and 2) they hear of a sale, they will often rush to introduce the two parties. This is common as heck--I've done it. This is why you should always tell your friends, family, coworkers, regional contacts, etc if you're looking for a ticket. They might not have a spare . . . but in a week they might hear about one.

It is not an issue of worthiness so much as friends and acquaintances preferring to deal with each other and not total strangers, scalpers and the unknown.

[skyway34]

Everything said above makes sense. I am a bit turned off by many of the almost cryptic remarks that indicate getting a ticket is basically a guarantee...for the people deemed worthy or cool enough. Given so many well-intentioned people face what seems like a crap shoot at best. It does give the appearance of a sort of underground path to getting tix that is only open to a select group. I get the impression there are plenty of people who really make no notable contribution to the event, but happen to know the right people and end up with a ticket with a minimum of effort. And others who may be able to make a great contribution but don't know the "right" people, don't get introduced to the underground tickets and thus can't go.

[Meat Hunter]

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[The CO]

It does give the appearance of a sort of underground path to getting tix that is only open to a select group.

Not really anything underground about it. Directed Group Sales are for camps and projects that have proven they bring 'value' to the burn, be it interactivity, art, whatever. But like all things, one must prove that you are bringing it. DGS does not go to first time camps.

There is also the tried and true method of becoming a volunteer/staff, but you must prove your worth there as well. If you work enough to earn a free ticket, you get it for the following year. Best way I have found to not worry about where your ticket is coming from.

Summary: bring the awesome to the burn, in camp, art, community, or volunteer form, and you will find tickets much easier.

[theCryptofishist]

I've always regarded it as a piece of bs. A sort of dodge. Just one more woo-woo comment to keep you from engaging with the pain of someone who doesn't get in. At least you know that anyone who says that is an asshat--it's nice when they announce.

[Eric]

EI am a bit turned off by many of the almost cryptic remarks that indicate getting a ticket is basically a guarantee...for the people deemed worthy or cool enough. [snip] I get the impression there are plenty of people who really make no notable contribution to the event, but happen to know the right people and end up with a ticket with a minimum of effort. And others who may be able to make a great contribution but don't know the "right" people, don't get introduced to the underground tickets and thus can't go.

The only people absolutely guaranteed tickets are the people who are absolutely required to be there to make the event run - core staff, medical, other emergency services, some people from Gate & Perimeter, etc.
The "distributed tickets" for camps don't guarantee those people get one, even if their camp is on the list. It's a first come/ first served sale like all the rest, and when they sell out people who didn't get one are S.O.L. for them (and they're still full priced tickets). You also have to remember that you may think of something as barely a contribution while someone else thinks of that same thing as the center of their Burn (see: big sound camps, the Temple, "party barge" MVs, playa newspapers, etc - there are people who love or hate all of them).

The simple fact of the matter is that the old phrase "those who plan, Burn", or the newer "if you are meant to be there..." one, are both no longer valid. We have reached a point where the demand is massively higher than the number of tickets the BLM will let the event sell. Not everyone gets to go anymore, no matter how much they want to. That said, actively being a part of your local Burn community, and camp on playa, is going to put you in contact with more people - which means when you're looking for tickets you'll have a wider network to find them. There's nothing "underground" about it - it's known as actively participating. Just remember, you don't get to be the judge of what counts as actively participating and neither do I - only the person with the ticket to sell does.

[Dis)'(rack]

Haven't been on eplaya in a while. Stopped in to see the pulse of it.

Gotta say that post from Eric above hits the nail on the head. About as close to reality as it gets.

The straight truth is there aren't nearly enough tix to satisfy demand. It is an undesirable fact.

But in terms of certain camps or scenes as a 'gatekeeper', I'm not sure if there is a lot of meat there at this juncture. Some of the 'biggest' and 'most popular' installations of the past many years didn't get directed tix, or even placed for that matter. Volunteering for many branches of brc isn't a guarantee or certainty chance at directed sales. Folks I know who have been involved and doing it since the 90s with strong connections have struggled mightily. It's just plain tough.

I'll just say I hope the best of luck to everyone trying to get a tix. And if you do get in try to enjoy every moment of the experience... Not just the playa but the experience of your friends, your camp, and your extended family taking great measures to do a burn. Even the time in line when the gate keepers look so far away from your parked position...try to enjoy. it is not easy.

Lastly, thanks to the mods on eplaya. Great purveyors of truth.