New Burningman Ticket Process - 2012

[Sola Gangsta]

burnermotto.jpg

I DO CONCUR!!!

I'm not worried about the ticket fiasco. BMORG might screw up and be left in the dust with the 1% ers due to the winds of change... There's plenty of burny shit happening right now and I'm sure that it is going to get even more so next year. Stay tuned!

[kel_dog]

NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Whats wrong with first come first served?

Im a Brit and we just had a lottery system for Olympics tix next year and it resulted in those who have the resources and time to 'play the lottery' getting disproportionately more tickets or more chance of tickets and loads of really keen 'little guys' missing out.

A lottery will break up friend groups and camps.

Like I say we are Brits, how are we supposed to plan our travel etc? How can we plan our camps when dont even know who will be in the group? What about performers?

Lottery = Really bad idea

PLEASE DONT DO IT!!

[redrayvn]

I understand the need to minimize the scalper effect when dealing with a 'sold out' situation. What I am failing to understand is why with an increased demand for tickets, BMORG doesn't just expand? I am certain BLM has their price, their rules but there is PLENTY of desert out there SHEESH!! (

I think the lottery is a VERY BAD idea for the primary reason that people plan, and plan and PLAN for this far in advance. How are large groups who form camps or large art installations or are part of fire troups, ems, etc. supposed to function with only a 'lottery' of people to man them? Also, you are not really aiding in the scalping issue as this will likely INCREASE the demand & therefore the panic about not getting a ticket. Bottom line is Burning Man needs to expand with demand or realize that it WILL sell out!! I agree with a prior post that selling an individual ticket to only one person in their name with no entry allowed to others with that given ticket & making Burning Man Tickets the sole swap, resale place is the way to go to avoid all this!! Please ditch this lottery thing before it bites us all in the face! The art & the ambiance of the playa will undoubtedly suffer over time... (

Occupy Burning Man hehe! That's rad!

[Sola Gangsta]

I understand the need to minimize the scalper effect when dealing with a 'sold out' situation. What I am failing to understand is why with an increased demand for tickets, BMORG doesn't just expand? I am certain BLM has their price, their rules but there is PLENTY of desert out there SHEESH!! (
Occupy Burning Man hehe! That's rad!

The two lane road can't take the traffic, but it doesn't matter because the burn has left the desert...

Fuck the burn in the desert and leave it for the 1% ers. We're going to show them how its done LIVE at the home of the original burn at Baker Beach with Occupy SF. Be there or be SQUARE!

[tamarakay]

edit: I also want to bring to the attention of this community that stored credit card numbers are a terrible idea, sony, steam, amazon, all have in the pretty recent past had massive leaks, they have far better IT people than our prior ticketing agent, I do not feel comfortable with them holding my information for any appreciable amount of time.

This is the most excellent point i've read on here. BMORG don't miss this point. Not only will you be storing CC info, you have announced you are storing CC info. Double down on your security as you really won't be able to handle the shit storm that happens after you get hacked.

[Canoe]

edit: I also want to bring to the attention of this community that stored credit card numbers are a terrible idea, sony, steam, amazon, all have in the pretty recent past had massive leaks, they have far better IT people than our prior ticketing agent, I do not feel comfortable with them holding my information for any appreciable amount of time.

This is the most excellent point i've read on here. BMORG don't miss this point. Not only will you be storing CC info, you have announced you are storing CC info. Double down on your security as you really won't be able to handle the shit storm that happens after you get hacked.

And, accepting and storing a credit card number for future use transaction that may or may not take place at an unknown time: must be done in a manner legal under privacy and any other applicable laws.

What will happen? Process the transaction for the purchase through a secure credit card payment process at the time of application to the lottery, and then refund the losers and the difference for winners of lower tier?

So, how many people, camps and theme camps can plan their attendance under such a scheme where you don't know who will manage to be able to attend?
Can the theme camps afford/collect fees to prepare their camp without knowing how big their theme camp will be or even if it can go ahead?
How many will purchase tickets under such a scheme?
Your purchased ticket has no refund if the event is cancelled. What if they don't sell enough tickets for the event to go ahead?

Why does it start to feel like BM 2012 will be 30,000 first timer rich tourists standing around looking at each other saying 'we here, entertain us'.

[Sola Gangsta]

edit: I also want to bring to the attention of this community that stored credit card numbers are a terrible idea, sony, steam, amazon, all have in the pretty recent past had massive leaks, they have far better IT people than our prior ticketing agent, I do not feel comfortable with them holding my information for any appreciable amount of time.

This is the most excellent point i've read on here. BMORG don't miss this point. Not only will you be storing CC info, you have announced you are storing CC info. Double down on your security as you really won't be able to handle the shit storm that happens after you get hacked.

Being a business owner (internet merchant), I know this is a violation of credit card regulations to store complete information outside of the security of the authorize.net gateway. Merchants are subject to severe penalties for doing so.

[Canoe]

Being a business owner (internet merchant), I know this is a violation of credit card regulations to store complete information outside of the security of the authorize.net gateway. Merchants are subject to severe penalties for doing so.

...
What will happen? Process the transaction for the purchase through a secure credit card payment process at the time of application to the lottery, and then refund the losers and the difference for winners of lower tier?
...

Can that happen?
How could they process such a refund?

I hope someone has thought this through better than it appears has happened.

[mournlight]

Eric said, [quote]Factual correction:

No, they didn't. 1st & 2nd sold out the first day, 3rd the next (if I remember right). 4th didn't sell out until I believe May, and they released the Gate tickets to be sold and those lasted until early JULY. In other words, the tiers didn't sell out until July- about 6 months after going on sale. As for there being more people trying to get 1st & 2nd tier than there are tickets- that has been true since I started going in 2003, probably before, and the first two have sold out on day one or two for years.[/quote]

Eric, that seems to be a big part of the problem. As they worded it, you only get to register for one tier, so if you choose to register for tier 3 and it sells out, you have no more opportunity to try for another. If they've simply worded it poorly, I hope they correct that soon. It would not make sense to only lets folks try one time and have tickets left over, but that is what the written word said.

Also, I have experienced having credit card info stolen twice online - once from Sony and once from amazon. It flat out sucks, so I will take the advice of others and buy a pre-paid card. However, I have been told in the past that those are not as acceptable as credit cards. It will suck if they don't take them.

Bluesbob said, [quote]If I'm in a lottery...say for $240 tickets...yet my name isn't drawn, is my name put in the lottery for $260 tickets? Or am I fucked? bluesbob[/quote]
That is, indeed, what I read. But we'll make this work somehow. Hopefully, people in some camps will continue to help out their campmates.



Lemur, it takes all kinds for the event to be what it is - the longtime contributors and those who simply show up. I hope it keeps the balance.

[lemur]

ferengi.jpg

[Canoe]

...I will take the advice of others and buy a pre-paid card. However, I have been told in the past that those are not as acceptable as credit cards. It will suck if they don't take them....

I used pre-paid cards for my BM ticket, and my RV rental. Use it for online purchases all the time. Airline tickets too.
Did not work at Nevada gas stations. Usually not valid for automobile rentals. Check ahead.

(Some Pre-paid card vendors allow you to have additional cards, in your name or someone else's (spouse, offspring off to college, etc.), tied to the one original account, which is the one you fund. An additional card can also be in your name, so if that card/number gets compromised, that supplemental card gets cancelled and not the original account and the other supplemental cards depending on it. So you only make purchases using a supplemental card.)

[lemur]

[Phil Wyman]

Wow. Not sure how an attempt to simplify a process ended up looking so complicated.

[Kickin' It]

Ok, so not saying anything as to what I may think of the lottery ticketing process, I have one question::::

Did anyone else with a gmail email account not receive this issue of JRS? I have a gmail account while my partner has a yahoo email address, and I did not get this JRS in my email, while he did receive it at his yahoo account. I have received all other JRS's without fail for a couple years now, but this one did not come through (and is not in my spam/junk folder). I wanted to ask if anyone else had this problem, and raise the issue in case there is some error. Because, of course, you can't be informed if you don't have the info. Thanks!

[MyDearFriend]

Wow. Not sure how an attempt to simplify a process ended up looking so complicated.

The Law of Unintended Consequences.

[theCryptofishist]

( I really did see an Ebay auction for 2 tickets sell for $10,000, not just listed, but SOLD!)

There was a certain amount of angry false bidding and then not paying. I simply don't believe that there was anywhere near the amount of paying thousands of $$ for a ticket that people saw.

[theCryptofishist]

In response to the new "Ticket Lottery" Burning man is proposing, I say this: The idea I have is to require everyone that buys a ticket to have their name specifically for that ticket number. At the gate they must show their valid ID with their ticket and the two must match. If you buy it as a gift you buy it in the gifted persons name. If the ticket doesn't match the ID, the ticket is void and worthless. This would solve all ticket problems. If you loose your ticket you are still in the database, tickets can be scanned at the gate. No price scalping, no ebay auctions. If you are serious about going you buy your ticket, its in your name and that's it. no scams This can also be set to if you cannot go and know in a reasonable time, you submit your name to a list the Org controls and your ticket is transferred through the org to someone on the waiting list

The way the playa works on electronics, there'd be constant failure of the scanners.
Also, many camps buy an extra ticket or two, and don't know who will need one until August--no way to put a name on that.

[theCryptofishist]

Only two thoughts --

1) It may take days or weeks for Cowboy Angel to catch up on the conspiracy angle.

2) Might be helpful for the org if new eplaya users fill in their profiles wrt Location, etc.

Bwahahaha! Thanks, Bob.

[Kickin' It]

K, got my answer about the Gmail account issue, thanks!!!

[pinemom]

Only two thoughts --

1) It may take days or weeks for Cowboy Angel to catch up on the conspiracy angle.

2) Might be helpful for the org if new eplaya users fill in their profiles wrt Location, etc.

Bwahahaha! Thanks, Bob.

+10 LOL

[BetaBox]

So many knee jerk reactions, eplaya never ceases to amaze me. If you really want to go to burning man at this point in the year and buy your tickets early, you will go. If you are going to let this stop you, well, what can i say. Could/should there be some better system, of course, but you know what, burning man has made me a stronger person that can wade through thicker shit than this.

[Valgar]

edit: I also want to bring to the attention of this community that stored credit card numbers are a terrible idea, sony, steam, amazon, all have in the pretty recent past had massive leaks, they have far better IT people than our prior ticketing agent, I do not feel comfortable with them holding my information for any appreciable amount of time.

Yup, my first thought. Would love to see their PCI cert.

I think that with the new ticket scheme Death Guild should hand out rocks at Thunderdome and give real meaning to losing the Lottery !

I'll bring it up at our next meeting :p

[BurningDaylight]

If we actually get tickets, Abstininthe camp will dispense our 40 flavors of absinthe using the new modernized drink ordering method:

- You'll first register for the Abstininthe drink lottery during a Monday and Tuesday open registration period. At that time, you'll declare which Absinthe flavor you are willing to drink.
- After the drink registration period, we will run separate lotteries for each absinthe flavor. If your name is selected, a courier will be sent to your camp and you'll receive a drink confirmation (note: courier may get distracted on the way, and you may never receive your drink confirmation).
- There will be several consecutive lottery rounds, the number of rounds being determined by a 20-sided die.
- You will only be able to receive drinks from one lottery, more if you can actually bear the process, or can stomach our beverages.
- Yhere will be an unlimited number of drinks per person (except for Jesse - you know who you are).
- Drink fulfillment will be held until Sunday.

[theCryptofishist]

I understand the need to minimize the scalper effect when dealing with a 'sold out' situation. What I am failing to understand is why with an increased demand for tickets, BMORG doesn't just expand? I am certain BLM has their price, their rules but there is PLENTY of desert out there SHEESH!! (

But only one 447, a two-lane highway pushed to its limit by Burningman traffic. Maybe we should all sign a pledge not to drive like idiots on the way to and from the burn...

[ericthomasdavis]

Who was smoking crack when they came up with this idea......

Every year my wife takes the day off just to site infront of the computer all day.......the reward!!! is getting the lowest ticket price possible......we were happy and willing to do this ever year for the rest of our lives!!! BUT NOOOOOOOO!!!!

Now any DICKHEAD can get a low ticket price by chance....wow that sounds real fair

Burning Man and their "ideas" are just going down the toilet....They haven't even posted a them for 2012...Thousands of people/artists are pissed because it takes them the entire year to plan and make reality their project......

Oh yea, My family has attended BM for 8 years and my 7 year old son has been 6 times....we dump enough $$$ every year into going to BM we could take a E-ticket vaction to Europe with all the bells and whistles....and we are not well off by any means!!!!

Larry Harvey...if you are reading this, I have one question for you...Is this what you wanted BM end up as after 25 years????

Why don't you just average the ticket price and sell them all for the same damn price.....Wow I wasn't even smoking crack when I came up with that!
1) You can bank that the tickets will sell out again
2) It was make BM operations easier concerning ticket sales
3) BM can use the extra time to do important things like coming up with a theme

BM has changed in the last 10 years and this may be our last year.....the cost, time, and great playa exit times and just to taxing

[Nosferatu]

Why don't they just let people buy full price tickets from the start. The rush is always around getting a discount anyway. Let the theme camps get their tickets and be happy. Then do a lotto for the discount tickets. It does kind of suck to be poor, not have access to a PC on the magical day BMORG selects and not get the cheap ticket they say they designed for you because you can't afford the technology. Anyone can get to a PC at least 1 time in a 2 week time frame. Its not like full price tickets are going to sell out the first month, but it gives peace of mind to the die hards, artists, and theme campers. Sure everyone could wait and see if they win the lotto system a few weeks later and score a cheap ticket, but waiting to find out if you win helps with the sever lag on 1 day anyway. So basically:

Day 1 ticket sales as normal no limit to total daily sales but MAX price.

Do a sign up for a lotto for cheap tickets that happens some weeks later.

If you don't get cheap tickets, you can now buy the regular max price tickets because they have been on sale for weeks anyway.

If all this happens over January then if they sell out in February it's still your own fault for not getting a ticket.

[theCryptofishist]

If they do the higher priced tickets draw first, then there will be fewer people in the lottery for the low cost tickets...

[goathead]

why have cheap tickets?

[PetraLikesYoga]

It could very well mean that you pick the 2 low price categories (like we all would do) and just didn't get a ticket since you can only apply once...I always got my ticket right away when the sale started. Now I'm getting punished for applying early. But I guess the ORG will make more money with this idea ~

[burnrockburn]

A lot of whining/ bitching. How bout ideas


For us long time burners (10 years myself) they have our
Mail address. Mail not email. Send us a an individual confirmation number that we have to register
With ticket sales before tickets go on sale. This will at least cover a huge number of us that have gone in the last 5 -10 years and give us long timers access to tickets before general population.
I don't feel a lottery system where I might get a ticket to an event that I have been to and participated the last 10 years is
A fair system. You guys a tickets are smarter than this

Chicken juice