1 ) We're so sorry, so very very sorry. This was a learning experience for us and it will be much better next year. Work with us!
2 ) We believe that everybody who wants a ticket will be able to get one. This is just a minor setback for you.
3 ) You can still apply for one of a very few low-income passes in a few months, if you're poor, have time to spare, and can write a good essay.
4 ) We've come up with a STEP program, coming out in March, which will be a great and safe way to sell tickets at face value. It'll be just as well done as the lottery was, don't worry!
5 ) You can always wait 2 months for the secondary sale, when a small number of tickets will go up for grabs on a first-come-first-served basis. They'll cost $390, plus convenience fee, plus ticketing fee, plus printing fee, plus shipping - merely $500 or so. Mark your calendars!
6 ) Don't you dare get your tickets from anywhere except us. Then you're part of the problem.
7 ) This was your fault. You all tried too hard to get tickets by any means possible, and that's why it didn't work properly.
8 ) See you on the playa!!! Dusty hugs!!
Not in those words obviously, but I believe all of those points will be covered in the email. Let's see how close I am.
This would be my 5th Burn and each trip Home has been better than the last! (Although my virgin year will always be super magical, of course!)
1st time, I wandered onto the website and got tickets at about $180 several days after they went on sale. No hitches.
2nd time, I bought about a day into the ticket sale, and willingly paid over $200 because I could afford second tier, even though first tier still hadn't sold out. I wanted to help poorer Burners, in case I was ever a poor Burner. Felt great.
3rd time, I paid $280. I forget exactly the circumstances, but I think first tier sold out within hours, and I had been unable to get in line earlier.
4th time, which was last year, I was a indeed a poor Burner. I sat in line and refreshed a billion times because the server was messed up, but got first tier tickets at $210.
5th time, this year, I had to agree to buy something I didn't even know the pricetag on, keep my credit card bill paid down for a long period of time, spend countless hours dealing with bugs, waited through a ridiculous lottery system, and got nothing.
BMORG, please listen to the people who make up this event, rather than your own stubborn beliefs about this situation. It didn't work - get it? You failed. I know you'll never admit that publicly, but please, let it sink in to your heads and your hearts. Look at the results of your latest ill-planned experiment, rather than what you believe should have or could have happened. This colossal failure was predicted by thousands of us, because it was impossible not to see it coming. How you didn't is beyond me. All we've had from you for the past couple years are empty promises and little to no results. Yes, many have tickets. Sadly, many more don't. Your track record has gone from "below satisfactory" to "poor" and is headed for "abysmal". You've spent most (or all) of the stored up capital you had in the form of good will and trust within the community. We can only go so far on apologies and assurances that it will get better. For some, that line has yet to be crossed. All I'm saying here is that you've already stepped over it, in my opinion.
Please don't continue in the direction you've been heading, because it's not a good one for a huge portion of this community.
To other Burners: Agree, disagree, discuss, and debate. But please don't tell me I don't have the right to feel this way, or to make my thoughts known. Thanks
