Is Your Theme Camp Now Missing Most of its Members?

[ygmir]

I say we send any known scalpers over to Apokoliptika.

and, then, they'd be turned into "scalpees".

[Bay Bridge Sue]

OOOOH OOOOH OOOOH!!! Barbecue!!! Gotta go, gotta go, gotta go FIRE up coals, Make sure spit is spit shined, and let Admiral know to put cans down, FRESH SPLEENS are on way!! YAY!!!

canned_spleens.jpg (48.35 KiB) Viewed 807 times

[FIGJAM]

Vent before use!

[Trishntek]

Placement wrote in an email tonight:

"Burning Man’s most important priority is to make sure the community stays intact in the face of the current challenges."

The ticket shortage is impacting theme camps, mutant vehicle projects, and also Burning Man's core volunteer infrastructure. The majority of our volunteer staff of our departments have always purchased their own tickets.

With that commitment in mind, we want to encourage you to register your camp, though it appears currently that you do not have enough tickets for even your core people. We do not want you to miss the opportunity to register your camp, should solutions to your ticket shortage appear after the April 26th Placement registration deadline. The Placement questionnaire goes live in nine days: on Wednesday February 15th at noon Pacific Time.

Finally, look for information on this list soon for how to RSVP and attend our upcoming our upcoming Placement Resource Forums
Limited seats in person, via phone and the web will all be options. For now, save one of these two dates:

Wednesday, February 15th, 6-9pm Pacific Time
Saturday, March 24th, 11am-2pm Pacific Time

Hang in there.

Thank you,

At least they acknowledge the problem!

[CornMan]

BRC 2012 without the theme camps?

[oneeyeddick]

as for the topic of this thread...

Yes! My camp is missing all of it's members, including myself!

[CornMan]

Back on topic: Out of 20 of us from the Endorphins reporting, 6 have tickets. It's pretty much the same story for Orphan II. I haven't heard from Orphan III yet. I think they (we if I get a ticket) in Endorphin Camp want to continue together and will probably be taking in more Orphans.

[hotmess]

This will be my 6th year and our camps 4th. Over the past few years I have stepped up and taken the reigns, organizing our camp, helping virgins with tips about securing their tents, making sure our garbage, recyclables, and trash are sorted, and offering a cool place to sit and a cold beverage for weary travels that have wondered far away from their home base. Last year something in our camp clicked and it became a true haven on the outskirts of the city. Like many I have been making lists and organizing since September in the excitement that I knew I could improve our camp and offer even more to the community at large. We are not a massive sound camp with 100 + members, but a smaller group of people offering just another alternative to what it means to have a good time on the playa. Our camp was going to consist of between 20 to 25 people this year. Sadly only 6 people got tickets. We have not given up hope but I am not going to pay outrageous fees to scalpers just so I can make it out there. That is against the ethos of the event and why I choose the playa over other festivals every year.

Last night i had the strangest dream. I was in my friends driveway packing away the last of our gear into the truck. After closing the gate I made two large signs and placed them on either side of the truck with the message, "BURNING MAN IS NOT A SPECTATOR SPORT". You can be sure that if our camp does make it out this year I will be reminding everyone around me of that message.

[The CO]

"Is Your Theme Camp Now Missing Most of its Members?"

Nope, I know where all of them are.

[hotmess]

"Is Your Theme Camp Now Missing Most of its Members?"

Nope, I know where all of them are.

Ahhh that made me smile from ear to ear!!!!! You so smrt!

[FIGJAM]

"Injun not lost, teepee lost!"

[ygmir]

"Injun not lost, teepee lost!"

where the "Fugahwhee"?

[PapaBear2120]

It's worth starting threads just to see the responses

[ZaphodBurner]

I say we send any known scalpers over to Apokoliptika.

and, then, they'd be turned into "scalpees".

I'm willing to pay $500 for a scalped ticket, IF I get to fight the seller in the Thunderdome.

[mshaman]

The Lustrous In-Dust-rious camp is the union of two older camps--Burning Oasis (FL, also fielded the Pillow Punch camp at BM) and Gypsy Luvbus (CO)-- that was originally looking at providing a number of services and 3 to 4 art cars: the Nautibus (45-foot bus + 10 foot platform on the back, with roof deck) a little pirate ship, a Gypsy wagon (self-propelled, with roof deck), and the War Rocket Ajax (From 1980 Flash Gordon, made from airstream trailer parts). We had professional psychics lined up to do readings in the gypsy wagon and professional belly dancers lined up to dance on it. We had folks willing to give workshops on sustainability using our infrastructure as an example (as of this year, we brew our own fuel for the 2200 mile round trip, recycle our gray water, and recycle the heat from our appliances like generators and fridges). None of them got tickets. Of the 36 actually camping with us, 12 got tickets, and none of the volunteers (e.g. bellydancers) who were going to camp elsewhere got tickets. So yes, we're missing most of our members.

Yes we are still fielding an entry, yes we are scaling back, only bringing the two art cars that are already done, postponing the gypsy wagon and big phallic rocket-ship until we see a policy decision out of the LLC that actually supports our ability to offer these cars and services.

The one good thing is that it has forced us to meet some who were "campless" and talented. We've recruited an electrician, a welder, and a mechanic, which helps spread the load of infrastructure development (only one has a ticket, BTW the other two are receiving use of our RV's at regionals in exchange for their help). But even with some new talent, the lack of foresight in ticket policy this year has us gun-shy infrastructure development, large-scale services and art, and further investment in Burning Man as an event. I have roughly $80K of equipment that I was preparing for this year.... RV's, big generators, sound systems, shade structures, water and heat recycling infrastructure, etc. At this point I'm containing my losses, reducing my investment, and looking for others to share the risk, because counting on the LLC to manage continuity and growth through responsible policy has proven to be risky indeed.

Anyone along the Colorado Front Range that wants to help us recover the situation and field a strong showing despite this years ticket debacle, please PM me. PS, we could still use tradesmen/women, help with welding, fab, etc. If there are other camps that want to join forces with us, we're open to that, too.

[mrscience]

Our very modest theme camp from last year, Art Pirates, had about 12 campers (it varied); 2 of us have a total of 3 tickets from the lottery this year; 2 have comped tickets, some didn't enter. I think 3/7 for actual lottery entries. We had 2 schoolbuses, one with pirate ship painting and mast/crows nest, and did art classes and body painting under shade. We were planning to metastasize, i mean fission, this year into two camps, but we essentially aren't planning much right now. Arrgh...

[trilobyte]

@Papabear2120 - I think it is a bit premature to write off your campmates who don't have tickets just yet. Your campmates might be resourceful, and they may not give up so easily. If they do, you still have options. Open your arms to new campmates, or consider joining forces with another camp. Two months to find 4 tickets last year seems like a dramatic embellishment - the event didn't sell out until July 24. Going back to a time before I started participating, Burning Man's population doubled from the previous year 6 times - that means that on 6 occasions half the population had never been to the event. The event not only survived, but it thrived and grew to the size it is today. Lots of new people may prove to be a challenge, but it's not a disaster.

@dactyl - I don't agree that they've treated theme camps like garbage. If you're doing it because you expect special treatment or entitlements over other burners, it might be better to take the year off.

@Schwarttzy - I put all my comments as well as speculation on who got the tickets into an article I posted on my camp's site, you can find it here.

@graidawg - good idea, I've seen a few posts here and elsewhere from camps that are looking at joining forces this year to make it work.

@yellfireinatheater - sorry to hear about the situation, but glad to hear you're carrying on. There's still time left, hopefully you and your campmates are able to get things worked out and you'll be able to keep them safe and share in their joy and wonder

@Trishntek - for what it's worth, I'll be at that forum and taking notes to share with everyone on ePlaya. Plans are also being made to record audio from the event, which will also be posted online.

@Zeke Chapparal - I think it would be a mistake to think that there would be no theme camps on the playa.

@mshaman - sounds like a great camp and some awesome vehicles. Hopefully your campmates are able to secure tickets, and you're able to connect with enough new blood that everything works out for you financially.

@Papabear2120 - circling back again, to answer the question posed in the topic - about half my known campmates have tickets. We're also planning on expanding the camp this year, so that's a bunch of additional question marks. We're not a huge camp though, so we don't need thousands in dues by March 1st or anything like that. We've been in design and planning phase for months and will likely remain so for a few weeks, and we still have a few months before we need to start worrying. I have faith that my campmates who are determined to go will find the tickets they need (through the exchange or the 10K in March), and that all our space will be filled.

[hotmess]

@Papabear2120 - I think it is a bit premature to write off your campmates who don't have tickets just yet. Your campmates might be resourceful, and they may not give up so easily.

@Papabear2120 - I have faith that my campmates who are determined to go will find the tickets they need (through the exchange or the 10K in March), and that all our space will be filled.

Thank you for putting this all into perspective. It is a brave new world for Burning Man. But with the remaining 10K tickets left and 6 months till the event I believe that there will be tickets out there for those camp mates that are resourceful, pro active, and determined to come home.

[wraith]

@Papabear2120 - I think it is a bit premature to write off your campmates who don't have tickets just yet. Your campmates might be resourceful, and they'll eventually come to terms with paying what the scalpers want for tickets.

Fixed that for ya.

[CornMan]

@Zeke Chapparal - I think it would be a mistake to think that there would be no theme camps on the playa.

It was a joke. I was looking for an excuse to post the picture.

[Trishntek]

Just today one of my prime members acquired a ticket PLUS we gained a burgin BBQ aficionado. We still have at least three others seeking, but we have a dozen tickets for our camp of 30ish. We're over 30% now, Yay!

[mshaman]

@Papabear2120 - I think it is a bit premature to write off your campmates who don't have tickets just yet. Your campmates might be resourceful, and they'll eventually come to terms with paying what the scalpers want for tickets.

Fixed that for ya.

@wraith, grim. Very grim.

Some of our folks have committed to doing "whatever it takes" and some like myself will not pay scalper's prices as a matter of policy. When we view it from a financial perspective, the scalper's profit (say, $500) is less than 1% of the capital assets that I had committed here, and it would be crazy to let it sit over a measly $500. But, I guess I'm crazy; I won't pay more than face value. There is one available ticket among all of us. I'll probably get it because I'm the dude who provides most of the infrastructure. But that screws our cook, artists, etc. We'll be cutting close to the bone on this one.

[Trishntek]

'Tis a mystery to me why very few accept the notion that there were simply 80,000 people seeking 40,000 tickets and scalpers are a minute part of the "problem".

[laughhearty]

I LOVE this thread! The community is coming together and some folks are jumping right in and grabbing this adventure by the horns. Let's not let go.

BMORG tried something. Guess what? Sometimes new ideas don't work out so well. And We honestly don't know if we ARE getting the short end of the stick. Suppose, just suppose there had been first come first serve and tickets had sold out in 15 or 20 minutes? I think it really wouldn't be much better off than now. I really think that what's happened is that Millions of youtube viewers have discovered Black Rock City and many of them decided this year would be great year to go (do not underestimate the power of social media), coupled with the large number of 2nd year burners (Last year had a huge number of birgins! Maybe the theme had something to do with it.)

There's plenty of time and a lot of resourceful Burners. Isn't that what makes us so damn fricken hardy? Our resourcefulness. Our DO or DIE attitude. So maybe going home this year lacks the ease of past years and it's more like salmon swimming up stream? But it's that gut instinct that tells us: It's time to go home. Some of us will sit this year out by choice or by lack of procuring a ticket. But I tell you many folks you meet on the playa this year will have busted their asses getting there, they will have a story to tell, they will have a burning sense of accomplishment and we will all bond on a much deeper level because of it.

This is our family. It doesn't just appear and disappear like Black Rock City. It's here right now. I feel it, especially, on this thread. I was fortunate enough to get a ticket. My fortune is currency. My fortune inspires me to seek out tickets for those without. I want to be an instrument of Playdipity. I know that I will be. There is no "us with tickets" and "those without". There are just Burners, burning on the Playa or off. There's only one big family and we are going to do our damndest to work this out. That's all we got: our effort. Without it we'll get nothing. With it? Well, hell, there's a chance to eat dust, Playa dust!

I love the theme camps. Yes. I think they are great. But damnit, I love the PEOPLE most of all. If you can drag only half your theme camp out there, that's fine and dandy. I'm just glad to see your smiling face and share the Playa with you. And honestly, it's ALOT of fricken work. Maybe a light year would do you good? Huh?

Love to you all. Truly and deeply.

[Trishntek]

laughhearty, GREAT FIRST POST! Welcome to eplaya! And we share the same coast! YAY!

[Canoe]

BRC 2012, camps reported members with tickets.jpg (147.6 KiB) Viewed 540 times

This is only 40 camps, and early data, but if you ended up with spare tickets, you know the camps can put them to good use...

[Trishntek]

I would be curious how that compares with the first week of February last year. How many camp members were ticketed at the same time in previous years? I would wager it was about the same or even less. But there is no way of knowing for sure.

Your obvious diligence in graphing all this out is admirable but meaningless. Are you assuming camps were 50, 60, 80% ticketed this time last year? Your measure means little without some kind of standard upon which to base it.

[wraith]

T&T, your comparison wouldn't mean shit anyway. The numbers for people in theme camps last year holding tickets at this time would be balanced against the fact that tickets at the higher tiers were known to be available, so beyond the truly enthusiastic and the folks who really wanted Tier 1, there was no reason not to avoid the server-crashing clusterfuck and wait a couple weeks to buy if you could afford it. I know I did.

'Tis a mystery to me why very few accept the notion that there were simply 80,000 people seeking 40,000 tickets and scalpers are a minute part of the "problem".

Because the notion doesn't fit the facts. We've had statistically steady growth around 4% for the last what, seven years? You could easily justify even double the usual growth. 80k people would be over 40% growth. No way in -hell- did 40% more people than there were tickets sold last year decide to jump in on the first-day lottery. Hell, a lot of the 'vets' didn't bother with it, figuring on the open sale or just not having read up on the changes. The fact that tickets are already popping up on every scalping site on the 'net six months before anyone will have them in hand supports that theory.

I like to think the vast majority of burners wouldn't be out to profiteer off the community, but it's not just us in this.

@mshaman : Yeah, I get a bit grim sometimes. Not giving up, by a long shot, but part of self-reliance is accepting the facts as they stand so you can make an appropriate response, after all.

Fuck buying from scalpers. I can take not going if it means they don't make a profit and fuck off back to selling fake superbowl tickets for next year instead.

[Canoe]

I would be curious how that compares with the first week of February last year. How many camp members were ticketed at the same time in previous years? I would wager it was about the same or even less. But there is no way of knowing for sure. Your obvious diligence in graphing all this out is admirable but meaningless. Are you assuming camps were 50, 60, 80% ticketed this time last year? Your measure means little without some kind of standard upon which to base it.

Well. Last year, you could go and buy a ticket, and then invest time, materials and effort knowing that you had a ticket to attend.

And, why do you feel the need to compare it to last year? Within the sample, it states how many camps are affected by this year's ticket situation and how many people that is. The graphic illustrates the people. The down side is that it's only 40 camps, a very small sample of all the camps that go, and biased to those that decided (for whatever reason) to post their numbers.

For those 40 camps, total: there's 1591 people, 310 with ticket (19.5%), 1281 without.
The tally for these camps with under 1/3 of their members with a ticket is: 31 of these 40 camps (77.5%), 1384 people, 208 with ticket (15%), leaving 1176 needing a ticket.
At under 50%, it becomes: 36 camps (90%), 1548 people, 277 with ticket (17.9%), leaving 1271 needing a ticket.

It's probably safe to say that 75% of camps have a significant number of people without a ticket. Then there's which people within the camp that are without a ticket: be it a core expertise, core equipment, art, art work, etc.

I trust BMorg has a much larger sample size from their phone survey.

[Sail Man]

"Injun not lost, teepee lost!"

where the "Fugahwhee"?

Near Topinabee ?