Official "Not Awarded Tix" Thread

[Shadowcasting]

I still haven't even gotten my 'you got screwed' letter. So what does that mean? Does that mean they removed perfectly legit entries (that only requested ONE ticket) thinking they were duplicates?! Seriously, I'm certain there were few to no other registrants from this conservative Minnesota town. GRRRRRRRR!!!

[rchapin]

"This Blows" is putting it mildly. I just hope someone is reading this from BMC since this is the fastest I've seen the community turn ugly, and the only way to salvage this now is to do some seriously quick damage control.

As it is, several members of our theme camp "Swing City" did not make the cut, which means the camp might not happen. And this isn't just a camp, it's a whole circus rig which we've brought to the playa on our own dime for the past 2 years! http://www.robertchapin.com/swingcity

And I suspect we're not the only theme camp that's been sabotaged. Burning Man is all about theme camps, and theme camps are all about community, and it only takes a few key people, either uninvited or pissed off, to shut it down completely. People don't even want to start planning this year because they're not sure they will be able to get in.

What a complete disaster. Instead of making this thing fair, they've alienated the entire community. Even the people who did get selected are pissed because many of their friends didn't get in. I have friends who are going to Burning Man for the first time, but now they aren't sure they want to go because I didn't make the cut.

What's worse, the lottery didn't stop the scalpers at all. Tickets were already found on ebay for over $1000.

If they wanted to make this fair, they should've given priority to the people who have contributed and helped to make Burning Man possible every year - theme camps, artists, musicians, the healing tent. There's a possibility these guys won't make it this year because of this bullshit.

I'm thinking of saving my $390 and going to Maui instead.

Bob

[BBadger]

They're probably sending out the emails in batches like they did with the drawings. If you send too many out at a time it can inundate the server, and possibly look like a spammer operation. Plus, the messages might look like spam and get caught in peoples' filters.

[veleda]

Spaceman Spliff..
I just want to say WERD. I agree with everything you stated. As another large-scale Esplanade camp.. who spends all years organizing and making shit.. I think what just happened is crap..and fuck it if it gets me in trouble for saying so. Most of my core leads didn't get tickets.. I am sure a bunch of the big name DJs we book either couldn't afford to get a ticket this early in the year or were not chosen as well. Also big art projects are all sorts rely on having a cohesive team of people and once people start falling out..its easy for all volunteer efforts to completely disintegrate.

I also will probably get a ticket eventually..and we will all have to devote our time and money to finding tickets..and some of our core people will i am sure end up dropping out which means we'll be chasing after finding new technical leads and the like instead of building art....which means that we will have a much smaller production. I imagine that is the same for most of the larger camps that have large production teams.

I am scared to admit that i am starting to think the org on the verge of becoming a non-profit is turning burning man into a primariy wealth spectator game and alienating most of the Creators that spend all year making the festival what it is.

yes new things will arise..but it takes years to buid up good infrastructure and teams... and if this continues..the type of year to year changes in leadership will not result in the awesome that occurs when you have tried and true crews that work well together and have tons of experience.

I tried speaking with the org on this and all i was told was 'everyone should get tickets that wants one' that is BS.

[Playa Fred]

I was still kinda holding out HOPE that I would et an email saying I got my two tickets ...

[BBadger]

What's worse, the lottery didn't stop the scalpers at all. Tickets were already found on ebay for over $1000.

Bullshit.

The lottery wasn't meant to stop all scalpers, only reduce the effects of them.

Nor are there any tickets on eBay at all. Nobody has their tickets. The ticket system could have been created in perfection by the gods and still anyone could post some eBay listing for a BM ticket.

[sunkenstate5683]

Just got my rejection letter.

3rd year - somewhat disenchanted- Lamplighter burner, planning on early arrival and late departure to help setup / tear down the city with the Lamplighters. Also planning on volunteering and jumping with BurningSky.

Feels fucked up to me.

[Jemma]

If you really want to go this year, you'll find a way. It sucks, I know...this is the second big rejection I've gotten this week. Yuck. Where there's a will there's a way. I know finances can definitely be an issue, but I really do think there are a lot of people in the community who want to help you. Such is life! Sometimes it sucks and is inconvenient. I hope to see all of you on the Playa.

[forge]

Got the rejection letter. Feel like crap. Really wanted to volunteer and help out with a camp instead I get to scramble and hope i get a ticket.

Seriously, how could you not see ticket hoarding with this lottery?

1 ticket per person non-transferable - would eliminate all of the hoarding and the scalping.

Hope I get to make it this year. But, currently, don't have much faith because obviously according to this lottery I have fucking shitty ass luck this year.

I feel like I have been kicked out of the community.

Last year I went on the site and waited for hours to get my ticket and felt fine about it. This year fuck i don't know - feel like giving up. Sad.

[Spritle712]

So if my math is right (based on what I've read and my own camp's high fail rate), they must have received ~200,000 ticket requests (mostly @ 2/request). Didn't BM think something was up? I'm hoping this gets worked out quickly but I fear it is what it appears to be - i.e. A disaster.

[A Jester]

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...

There's so much going on in this thread, but this keeps coming up to the front of my mind.

[moltensteelman]

Denied, not too worried about it I'm sure I will no people with extras, and if not there's always next year.

[skyhawkecks]

I'm positive someone has a ticket for me. They just don't know it yet.

[twister5voy]

Finally got my you suck letter. I also got it in duplicate, talk about salt in the wound.
At least I can have some closure now.

Let us all bow our heads in a moment of silence for those that didn't win.
And a big congrats! to those who did.

[Scorch2010]

Well, I was rejected. As were 8 of the 10+ people in my camp. My first burn, (two years ago) my boyfriend and I fell in love with it. My second burn (last year) we started our own theme camp, because we wanted to give back to the community who'd given us so much. We were small, and didn't have tons of money, but everyone who came by loved our camp and appreciated what we were doing. Also, I brought my little brother, who had recently returned from his second tour of Afghanistan. I was worried he didn't like it, because he spent all day sitting in camp, and all night doing god knows what. He told me it was the first time since going to war that he felt safe, like he could just sit down, drink a beer, and relax. He didn't get a ticket. I didn't get a ticket. My dear friends who intended to get married at burning man this year (and I was supposed to be the flower girl, damnit) didn't get tickets. Even more frustrating than not having a ticket... we decided to be a theme camp last year, and spend a ridiculous amount of money on creating our camp. With the expectation that we were investing in our future. But now, there's a huge chance we don't get to go, and the money we spent on a generator, wood, tarps, rebar, pvc, coolers, etc., is not going to go to use. We thought we'd have more money to spend and create an even better experience for people stopping by than last year. But now it all just feels wasted. We've helped to create an experience at burning man and I'm not the type to say "birgins can fuck off." Birgins are amazing. I tend to adore them. But the lottery doesn't seem to have worked, and people who were really relying on this experience have been screwed over. If I find a ticket, it goes to my brother. His quote, from the first night we got in (early entry) was "I've met all the best people in the world." It horrifies me that BMORG has created a system that favors scalpers over people who want, and need, to be there.

[BurningGirl]

Just got my rejection letters. Two for the price of one. Nice. I still plan to try all of the official ways to get tickets - but I have to say, the double rejection shakes my faith a little extra. If that was not flowing correctly on their part, what else might have glitched?

It does suck to see that this process has burst so many peoples Utopian bubbles. It will be interesting to see if there's an impact to the art and vibe on playa.

[Saigonborg]

Well I've gone through most of the emotions today; denial, anger, sadness,etc. I think I can accept that this just might be the year I don't get to go home. I will be ok with that, maybe not today, but soon. The thing that I am hung up on and can't get over is the thought that BMorg might keep the lottery in place and this is what it will be like every year from now on. This whole process has been so emotionally draining and drawn out. Just thinking about going through it again next year makes me more sad than anything else. Even if I had got a ticket this year I don't think I would be feeling much joy right now.

[wh..sh]

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.

Well said!

[Wrath]

Why can't this event grow naturally?

[Spritle712]

I can't wait for the JRS on this. It's really bothering me that I don't know how to solve our problem.

[scottslc]

I wish the good folks (I'm hoping they've been canned) in charge of this lottery would break their silence. At least acknowledge what a screwup they've made. Lets hear something official!

[TwoSBGuys]

Hmmmm...

Number 1 on the list...

Radical Inclusion
Anyone may be a part of Burning Man. We welcome and respect the stranger. No prerequisites exist for participation in our community.

NOT so much!!!

[bluesbob]

I got tickets. But I'm not happy about it.

Although there are 10,000 tickets coming up for sale soon, there's the STEP program, Scholarship tickets, and whatever shows up on this forum...I can't believe the number of people in my camp that did not get tickets.

Last year within 24 hours of the opening of sales everyone in our camp was celebrating their return to the playa. We have averaged 100 people in out camp over the last three years. Right now only about 40% have tickets, the rest got the "Dear Burner" emails. We have a core group of about a dozen people who are available every year for early arrival and set-up for our camp. Currently, not one has a ticket. Looks like 2012 is shaping up to be the year everything died. Fuck the lottery...it's proving to be a fucking disaster for our camp.

[OaklandPurple]

i guess id say that everyone who has already gotten to go should just sit back and think about how fortunate we are to have even just been once. i remember a few weeks back i came home after a night out and laid down, and a house down the street had some bass thumping, and i closed my eyes and it felt like i was back in my tent. and i cried. it felt so good. i got to go with my pops for my first year, and my best group of friends for my second. many people in this world are born into starvation, poverty, genocide, etc. i guess its not the end of the world. i will still try. but life goes on.

[Killbuck]

.
Sorry, the board attachment quota has been reached.

Wow... I'm doomed!!!!

[Kenrock]

Got my official "LOSER" email at 4:24 pm PST. Sob.

[BailOut]

I intensely disliked the whole idea of this lottery system from the first time I read about it, but I kept my mouth shut and played along. Now I have earned the right to give a big ..|.. to this whole process.

Oh, the irony... When scalpers were supposedly a problem, I had no issue getting a ticket exactly when I wanted to. In fact, it was painless compared to some music concert tickets I've dealt with. Yet when controls are put in place to curb a supposed problem, and I follow every part of the involved application process perfectly, I do not get a ticket. Again, ..|..

This whole process has completely soured me on attending this year. All the waiting, the wondering, the hoping, and then... nothing. I will not seek a ticket any further, I will not donate to any art car projects this year, and I will not be on the playa to volunteer at the Center Camp Cafe, as is my custom. Great job, BMO.

[OaklandPurple]

oh and by the way. the world ends this winter so its all good. it was fun while it lasted.

[danbrown10000]

Maybe they should move the whole thing to a different desert without population caps.

[bluesbob]

Maybe they should move the whole thing to a different desert without population caps.

The government owns it all.