Official "Not Awarded Tix" Thread

[AntiM]

Just a random thought, are those who were denied tickets going to be the squeaky wheels and skew the perception of how many burners got tickets? 10 people shouting is louder then 1000 people rejoicing? And not on eplaya?

[JulzQ1]

Man, what a bummer! No dice for me, my husband, and 6 friends and counting. This would be my 6th year in attendance since 2000 and the year I was planning an art installation with a friend who's a virgin (she also didn't get a ticket).

It really stings! I've been left playing the waiting game. I've seriously considering not starting the project until later or scrapping it altogether. It's a lot of money, resources, heart, and soul that goes into creating things out there and I've been wanting to do this project for 5 years. I've put a lot of thought into it and now this year is the year it finally could become reality. it's hard to be creatively inspired and be gung-ho when tickets are up in the air. How in the hell are people supposed to plan their theme camps or art installations when so many people in their groups are without tickets? We need to wait YET ANOTHER one to two months for STEP and the 10k main sale, all while precious time gets wasted that could go towards CREATING.

In a couple of the years prior that I've gone, I've waited until the last minute and got tickets from burners on eplaya.I could never afford tickets right after Christmas when they went on sale (this was prior to last year's sell-out) and even then, when tickets were abundant, finding a ticket that was 2nd tier took a bit of work and checking the boards all-the-time and contacting a dozen people, only to find the tickets were sold..and continuing to look and look.

I'm trying to stay optimistic. I think a lot of people that want to go will be able to and have faith that the community will be self regulating. However, I'm seriously disappointed with the BMORG. They fucking dropped the ball on this one like no other, and hope they see the uproar and furor this has caused with long-time burners and virgins alike. Make the damn tickets non-transferable for christsake.

[orogob]

allright, let's all buy tickets back for 1300 USD each. you somewhat blew it, ticket-crew. welcome tourists with the funny hats. this will be burning man then.

try your lock here; I encourage all of you long time playa goes to buy tickets at outrageous prices:
http://www.stubhub.com/burning-man-8-27 ... =433947188

[zenseed75]

Yep, me and 3/4s of my camp didn't get tickets. Joy to the world and all that crap...

[tstaxel]

First post

About scalpers: remember that this is the first day after the main sale. Saying things like "only xx% of tickets are in the hands of scalpers" based on present listings is not an accurate way to measure the real number of tickets held by those outside the BM community. Following the same logic, we don't know how many tickets will appear on STEP in the coming weeks.

That being said, as a BM virgin I am EXTREMELY disappointed that I was not selected, but that's just how lotteries work. Under ideal circumstances where 1 person registers for 1 ticket, I'm sure the system would have been fine. Even though that is not the case, I do feel positive about the number of tickets held by the BM community and not third party resellers. If STEP works as intended, I expect that many tickets will flow from the hands of those with an abundance to those without, for fair prices. With the redistribution of tickets and the upcoming secondary dump sale, I think everything will work out even though there will be more mouse clicking involved.

After reading about how wonderful 2011 was, I wonder how the atmosphere for those that do attend this year will feel, especially for first-timers like myself. Will art installations suffer? Will camps be smaller? Will sound camps be smaller or non-existant? I hope the camps shattered so far will manage to work everything out in time.

[packlet]

The worst is that STEP requires the person selling it back to the community to LOSE $$$. Imagine how much that will piss people off. You would think that BMORG, having created this mess, would suck it up and pay the fee.

hunh?

In all fairness, if i had an extra ticket to sell, i would NEED to sell at what i paid for it (including fees).
And i can't imagine any burner being peeved at buying a legit ticket at face+BMORG+inticketing+shipping fees.

IE, I don't see anything wrong with including fees paid when passing along a ticket at face value...

If this STPE thing doesn't allow that, it's an instant FAIL in my book, and i'd look elsewhere to pass on any
extras...

[Nipple]

First post

About scalpers: remember that this is the first day after the main sale. Saying things like "only xx% of tickets are in the hands of scalpers" based on present listings is not an accurate way to measure the real number of tickets held by those outside the BM community. Following the same logic, we don't know how many tickets will appear on STEP in the coming weeks.

Agreed...(since I'm the one that said that) but I prefer to get mad at numbers, not ghosts and fears.

[abigdeal82]

so wait. i register within the first hour on registration day. fill out their entire survey (positively even!). i just ask for one ticket. i'm assured that "everyone who wants a ticket will get a ticket." i hold on to $400 for over two weeks, making sure i don't spend a penny of it. i called my bank to let them know not to decline any charges.

i have been checking my email obsessively the past 36 hours. NOTHING.

and i have to read online that the drawing is closed? no notice or anything? nice touch.

i bought my ticket last year in JULY and the year before that in AUGUST. the one year i try and get a jump on it and i'm not even notified at all that i have or haven't gotten a ticket and i have to find out on eplaya that the drawing is over?

this whole thing is total bullshit. you'd think that one person requesting a single ticket who completed every form required with honest, legitimate information would make the cut. i'm reading tons of posts about people buying more tickets than they need and they get them no problem?

this is totally FUBAR. shame on you BMORG. shame.

[EB]

Just a random thought, are those who were denied tickets going to be the squeaky wheels and skew the perception of how many burners got tickets? 10 people shouting is louder then 1000 people rejoicing? And not on eplaya?

I'm confused by this post, AntiM.

Is this not the "Didn't get tickets" thread? And skew whose perception exactly? And why do we care if it's skewed? (I ask respectfully and w/o snark or 'tude.)

Judging from anecdotal data from our camp/friends' camps/these boards, this lotto could have a devastating effect on the Burner eco-system. Your wayward art camp might be all by itself.

[Mofessor]

Just a random thought, are those who were denied tickets going to be the squeaky wheels and skew the perception of how many burners got tickets? 10 people shouting is louder then 1000 people rejoicing? And not on eplaya?

the question is, where did the tickets go (and what are people going to do with them)? What's being reported over and over again on eplaya, facebook, and even friends I've spoken with here in Reno, is that well over 50% (or more) of their camp didn't get tickets. And so far, I haven't talked to many people who have extras.

Obviously, they probably wouldn't post about it, but even in private messages between camps there seems to be a scarcity. Who knows, maybe I'm just talking to the wrong people or people don't want to admit they have extras...

[Ratty]

Oh well, My husband got the 'Dear John' letter. At least he gets first shot at the STEP re-sale site. We're not worried a bit.

[TheWh33lz]

Didn't get tix. Here's to hoping I can get them via step.

[Astrochuppa]

I am from Australia, and was hoping to attend my first Burn with my partner this year...
Played by the rules, put in for two tickets for all 3 tiers..
Alas, it wasn't to be...

Not sure what to do now.. whether to book flights and just hope for the best... or what.

We were hoping to contribute in any way we could - Not tourists in funny hats looking for naked girls and drugs

A bit wary of the non BMORG ticket sales, as it would suck to come all the way to the USA and find out the tickets wern't legit.
And waiting for the extra main sale tickets might be too late to book non-expensive flights!

Though I wouldn't want to be taking tickets from some of the regular burners who contribute greatly to Burning Man.. that wouldn't be fair.

I'm guessing that there will be a similar rush on the tickets in the final sale - With people all jumping on simultaneously trying to get as many tickets as possible for their freinds, thus leading to a similar situation as we are in now.

Shoganai ne.

But sometimes adversity can make the final event more alive, because of the extra effort you have to put in - It makes it more powerful when you finally get there.

Fingers crossed.

[selectricity]

The haves and the have nots.

What can we learn from this situation?

I'm saddened to see so much suffering as a result of attachment. Let go. There is more to life than Burning Man. Nothing lasts.

[tiredofbeingnice]

so wait. i register within the first hour on registration day. fill out their entire survey (positively even!). i just ask for one ticket. i'm assured that "everyone who wants a ticket will get a ticket." i hold on to $400 for over two weeks, making sure i don't spend a penny of it. i called my bank to let them know not to decline any charges
.

You are completely full of shit if you think you were told everyone who wants a ticket will get a ticket.

[tstaxel]

But sometimes adversity can make the final event more alive, because of the extra effort you have to put in - It makes it more powerful when you finally get there.

Fingers crossed.

more post like this!

[HuskyVon]

We have over a 100 people in our camp and so far less than 20 received tickets and only 3 received rejections. We are an art car and theme camp who have contributed to B-man for well over 10 years, most burners in our camp are 5+ year veterans and we have 7 virgins this year also. Our camp master did not receive a ticket nor did our major team players and integral camp organisers, 5 virgins received tickets however.

I guess it hurts and we are all very very disappointed. But the way we see it - Fate might be on our side for this one.

With all this new processing and lots of virgins receiving tickets and not so many contributors or camp leaders receiving tickets, B-Man 2012 might not be the home we all know and love, therefore to prevent us from feeling negative or upset about our "changed" environment it has decided to let us go another way this year and come back in 2013 to the original world we all work so hard to create and make a community.

NO negativity here... Maybe a lot of disappointment and some sad emotions but I know my world is a b-man world, whether on the playa or not, so if I need something and/or deserve it, fate will deliver, if it is not meant to be fate delivered that for me as well.

My boyfriend, brother, best friend, brother-in-law and I will make every attempt to source a ticket if not we will be home in 2013. x

Uh... How about not?

This lovely thread was created by our great friend Trilobyte with the intention of creating a space for those not awarded tickets to vent and express whatever emotions they happen to be experiencing as a result of not being selected to participate in the experience of Burning Man. Anger, rejection, isolation, betrayal, fear and uncertainty to name a few. These are not easy emotions to deal with, as adults we know this, or at least we should. Declaring a fellow community members emotions invalid by labeling them as "whining" is at the very least callous, if not rude.

If we can learn anything from this debacle (one thing dammit! Can we please learn one thing?) it's that there is a whole hell of a lot of people in OUR community with some pretty hurt feelings as a result of this, right? What kind of community are we if we are insensitive to our friends who are grieving over something that is perceived as lost? Or at the very least very far away and likely unobtainable? The sheer number of "newbies" on Eplaya attests to that and the fact that they are all here because they're pissed, or hurt, or whatever, and looking to their community for support. Lets give them that at the least. That's not why I made my Eplaya account a couple years ago, there are several reasons why I don't post much or partake in much of the "conversation" that occurs here. The reason why I choose to partake in this conversation is because I too am feeling rejected and hurt by the lack of a ticket, even though I played by the rules. I am not hopeless. Oh, I KNOW I will be on playa in 2012, but I feel let down by the BORG, and I understand that there are many others who feel the same way. I'm sure Trilobyte had the best of intentions in starting a thread for the 'whiners', I suspect an action motivated by empathy, respect and a genuine love for his fellow burners. Thanks Trilobyte! Now where's yours?

Well said ... Here Here to this!

[Joker6tynine]

The haves and the have nots.

What can we learn from this situation?

I'm saddened to see so much suffering as a result of attachment. Let go. There is more to life than Burning Man. Nothing lasts.

Wow.. Goes to show what you know.. There are people who live the whole lives around this single event... So why don't you shut it and let these people be themselves..

This is probably coming from a person who has a ticket or someone has one for you...

[fembot]

Burners pay a heavy price of BRC ignoring Lottery Concerns - Posted in the Tickets Discussion too, but putting it here as well

Postby fembot » Wed Feb 01, 2012 3:56 pm
In any other year, Burners have tickets in hand, bought mid-January and be deep in art projects and camp preparation. Instead, many sit without tickets. Even if I had tickets, I would be writing you on behalf of those who now sit without them, some who helped make you who you are today. Below are my concerns

Dragging on the suspense for those who only wish to create and contribute:

People want to work on art and community building, not scramble to attend. Planning starts as soon as the last event ends. I, as many, sunk thousands of dollars beyond the ticket price and countless hours supporting the community and its art – which in turn help you attract people pro bono¬. You drive away those who give vision, effort, and money to make this a wonderful event.

If you must have the lottery, why does the recirculation system wait for three weeks, with the second round wait an additional two months - March 28th? Why drag on, considering the current shortage, will immediately sell out, and offer only on first-come, first-serve, basis, rather than granting priority to those who registered in round 1?

The Lottery creates a stressful, competitive, and anti-communal environment. While I could have afforded to enter multiple times, I felt uncomfortable gaining the system and paid a high price trying to be fair. Burning Man has become bitter-sweet, a stark contrast to time when I only felt pure delight and transformation at the experience.

Decommodification? Radical Inclusion? Or Apathy?

Perhaps most disappointing is that in spite of community predictions and protest, Burning Man went ahead anyway and every fear came to light. You could have fixed the technology to better accommodate mass ticket sales or even kept the old system. It wasn’t ideal, but this is much worse, with so many dedicated attendees without tickets and so may scalpers posting.

https://buy.stubhub.com/checkout/checko ... =433840575

BRC has the advantage to sell out regardless. This lottery ensures sales and up-front money, yet fails to maintain integrity to the principles which Burning Man promotes. The magic of the playa feels in decline… especially when the community wisdom is ignored, and excludes the very people who helped both build this space to get you where you are today.

A New System that is not a Lottery

Future Note: A random lottery system puts regular attendees on even footing with scalpers. You have long time burners who could get priority admission that contribute to theme camps, etc or have attended regularly. I would feel much better not getting a ticket because others had priority registration for making greater contributions or having seniority, rather than it going to scalpers. You could allocate a portion to random entry as well, but this would keep the spirit the same, just something to consider for the future.


Botched Survey

This is just a small note for your census. I answered the survey honestly, but I bet your scalpers did not, on the chance that it would get them premium tickets.

[trypnotic]

No rejection email yet... I have a sick feeling that something went wrong in registration and they didn't even RECEIVE my entry. I am over the sadness of not getting picked for the lotto but I'm scared that I won't have a chance to sign up early for STEP. I keep saying over & over that I will get to the playa no matter what in 2012 but I've definitely got that horrible feeling in my stomach =/

[Sgreenreno]

Since I did not get at ticket I need to get into the STEP program. When can we sign up for the STEP process. I was lead to believe in an earlier posting by the ticket crew that the 'you lost' email would give us sign up instructions. Please advise

[skyhawkecks]

No rejection email yet... I have a sick feeling that something went wrong in registration and they didn't even RECEIVE my entry. I am over the sadness of not getting picked for the lotto but I'm scared that I won't have a chance to sign up early for STEP. I keep saying over & over that I will get to the playa no matter what in 2012 but I've definitely got that horrible feeling in my stomach =/

It's weird. I definitely received the confirmation email stating that I was in the registration and lottery, but still no confirm/deny on whether I got tickets or not. Need closure

[sinhache]

This should be my 6th year and my boyfriends 10th (in a row), and we were denied tickets in the main sale. I have lurked here often but have never felt inclined to post until now. We are disappointed that we didn't get tickets yet, but some of the discussion here and on Facebook is what really breaks my heart. It is clear that the ticketing system is seriously flawed. But while BMORG set up the system it was up to each of us to decide how to react to it. A friend of mine called it a "practice in surrender." Unfortunately many people let fear drive their actions, hoarding tickets and lashing out at people on this forum. I really expected this community to meet this challenge with dignity. While some did, many did not and that upsets me far more than the ticketing fiasco. We will still try to get ours through other avenues, but all the negativity surrounding this process has made me wonder if it is worth it. I refuse to scramble and panic to get myself to the playa. It goes against everything beautiful that I have learned out there. If we are meant to go we will be there. If not I will consider spending my time/money working to spread the positive aspects of Burning Man to the world off playa through something like Burners Without Borders. Seems like a more rewarding experience than spending a week with people who thought they were so much more worthy to be there that they stepped on members of their "family" to get a ticket.


P.S. I was feeling sorry for myself until I saw this. Someone help this girl get to the temple.

Last year my boyfriend and I had to leave burning man on Wednesday because his father died - on the playa in the tent next to us. We really need to go this year, to visit his spirit at the temple. But we were NOT awarded tickets. This is devastating to us. If someone knows of where we can get one (at face value) please help us. We are years long burners, and so was his father.

[selectricity]

The haves and the have nots.

What can we learn from this situation?

I'm saddened to see so much suffering as a result of attachment. Let go. There is more to life than Burning Man. Nothing lasts.

Wow.. Goes to show what you know.. There are people who live the whole lives around this single event... So why don't you shut it and let these people be themselves..

This is probably coming from a person who has a ticket or someone has one for you...

One who realizes their self inherently realizes it has nothing to do with the material world, or events like Burning Man. The immediate experience is all there is. So your recommendation to let people "be themselves" I think should really be read, let people suffer in their moments of suffering, which I am. Following that, I am encouraging people to transcend that suffering and find peace.

I didn't get a ticket, and nobody has one for me. I've found a way to deal with it, and offering this wisdom to others in the hope that it can help them too.

[brittknee555]

Anyone else receive their denial email? I have yet to receive one and have only heard of a few going out.

This is frustrating, but we will make it if we wish to!

[Elderberry]

No tickets for John and I. We've already started booking alternate vacations.

[BetaBox]

100,000 ticket requests.......ffffffffuuuuuu

After so many rejections in life, I just never expected Burning Man to reject me.

[Harinama]

6 years in a row, i've gotten my ticket on the first day. Now it appears that BRC has forsaken me. In recent years, i'd already be in hardcore Theme Camp planning mode. Not this year..

Personal responsibility and gumption have been replaced by scalpers and PR. Has BM jumped the shark? Maybe...


To all those who received tickets, ENJOY!

To all of us who did not, guess what there is a great big world out there, spread some BM spirit around!


/cry

[spacecat]

After so many rejections in life, I just never expected Burning Man to reject me.

THIS EXACTLY.

[Kristine]

This has been frustrating. This is my tenth year. Registered for top tier. No tickets for me, my husband or my daughter.

I'm curious why the BMorg says that Burners have too many extra tickets and that STEP will solve this. They are not sharing what evidence they have that anyone has "extra" tickets. The Org was able to easily sell out 27-30K tickets in days in past years. So selling 40K tickets in one day the year following the first sold out event, with or without a lottery, doesn't reflect hoarding or hedging It's an indication of how many people want to go. Of course the registration went out of control, because if more than 40K want to commit to a ticket now AND they panic....well it wasn't hard to see that one coming.

If I somehow successfully managed to game the system, not for scalping but for my camp or group, and received 100 extra ticket confirmations yesterday, I would be able to gift them or sell them for face value for cash before midnight tonight in my own town. I'm not part of a theme camp and not very connected to the Burner groups in my town of 100K. But I sure wouldn't need STEP to help me sell tickets to Burners for face value. Has anyone ever needed "help" selling a face value Burning Man ticket? I know I haven't. It would be a new or isolated Burner, with no extended community that would need the help of STEP.

I hope I'm wrong on this and that there was some amazing gaming and hedging by Burners who will be happy to put the tickets on STEP. But I don't see it.

About that "this isn't the end" letter: what does "priority" in a "first come first served" process mean? That one had me chuckling.