Poll on what tiers will you participate in

[jerroc]

Well I took a better look at the ticket sales layout and this will not work for me. If I am unable to find a teir 1 ticket befor the event I'm going to have to skip out on 2012 and catch the Utah and Oregon regionals instead.

[Rice]

I appologize if it seemed as I was trying to make myself sound better then others because I have the opportunity and resourses to apply for a presale ticket.

Don't apologize for being able to afford things and for being richer. Please...
I still consider US of A to be land of dreams where everyone can achieve the status they want without being apologetic about it.

Ya, but I'm Canadian, so we appologize for everything. Someone punched me in the face last weekend and I appologized that my face got in the way of their fist.

I am sorry you apologized;)

[Rice]

Well I took a better look at the ticket sales layout and this will not work for me. If I am unable to find a teir 1 ticket befor the event I'm going to have to skip out on 2012 and catch the Utah and Oregon regionals instead.

I wonder how many burners have never attended a regional event??

I go to most of my own regional events (gatherings, whatever) and the spring regional event in Alberta (FreezerBurn)... Plus, of course, visiting BRC for a week or three

[theCryptofishist]

Define "regional event." I'm in the Bay Area--do "Spark Clubs" count? The annual picnic?

[Corvus]

I wonder how many burners have never attended a regional event??

I go to most of my own regional events (gatherings, whatever) and the spring regional event in Alberta (FreezerBurn)... Plus, of course, visiting BRC for a week or three

I attended the Arizona regional (Toast! at the time) before I attended my first Burning Man. I wanted a sample to see if what these weirdos were doing was right for me. (It was.)

[JesseGrrl2009]

Just finished getting my money together! I manged to scrape up $240, so lets hope that I get drawn for it!

[trilobyte]

Excellent news, JesseGrrl2009, congrats! (Don't forget to have the additional fees covered)

[JesseGrrl2009]

I just read the tickets faq with the extra costs and that shouldn't be hard to gather

[sabalore]

I'll be going for the 240 or 320 tickets - I really can't afford the (basically) $400 for the third tier tickets at this time. I can't really manage the 320 right now either, but figure I can float the amount on my CC for a month or two... my first burn was 2010 and I didn't make it last year and REALLY want to make it this year, so I'm willing to try. If I don't get a ticket in the first round, I plan to really save between now and the second round and enter for the 390 then if I can afford it

[feistypenguin]

For those who are scared poopless about not making the raffle this year, might I remind you...
It took until July for tickets to officially "sell out" last year.

While the event is growing in popularity, I'm not convinced that demand will be SO high that 100,000 people will instantly put in for tickets on registration day. The people who are serious about going will still be the earliest ones to register, since registration is potentially the price of a ticket. I would be interested in seeing if this uncertainty actually deters scalpers, or if they will all just flood the lowest tier at registration time.

As for those concerned about not affording tickets... I tried comparing this year's system to last year's, and found that:

• People who are willing to pay more, have better chances of getting a ticket. Just like last year.
• It is possible for a wealthier burner to get $240 tickets, while a low-income burner gets crowded out of the $240 pool. Just like last year.
• It is possible for scalpers to flood the $240 pool with registration attempts.
  
  • IMO more of an issue with the newer system than the older system, but it depends on how much scalpers are willing to pay.
  • BMorg notes that they will have controls in place to weed out scalpers; we will have to trust them.
  • Purchase limits and higher prices help control for scalping as well.

The only problem I see being resolved by this new random selection system, is that the system itself is less prone to failure. BMorg doesn't have to worry as much about a system crash screwing everyone out of the queue at launch day. Last year I was kicked and reshuffled in the ticket queue twice, but eventually I received mid-level tickets. That is NOT an experience I want to go through again.

As for those living on the west coast who are saying they can't afford more than the $240 tier, my heart goes out to you but the grass is always greener! At least you don't have to pay $350-400 in airfare, car rental fees (with a waiver saying "I will not take this car to Burning Man")... it kills me to have to buy so many supplies over again just before the event because the other option is to Fedex them around for the same price...

[feistypenguin]

Sorry I had to get the rant out... back to the OP, I'd say I am going to go full-monty and hope I get a lower tier. That's the philosophy I had last year, and I received middle-tier tickets.

[Katiebaby25]

Well I took a better look at the ticket sales layout and this will not work for me. If I am unable to find a teir 1 ticket befor the event I'm going to have to skip out on 2012 and catch the Utah and Oregon regionals instead.

I wonder how many burners have never attended a regional event??

I go to most of my own regional events (gatherings, whatever) and the spring regional event in Alberta (FreezerBurn)... Plus, of course, visiting BRC for a week or three

I've never been to a regional yet, last year was my first Burn but I'll be at Freezer Burn this year for sure with the Space Gnomes!

[Rice]

Well I took a better look at the ticket sales layout and this will not work for me. If I am unable to find a teir 1 ticket befor the event I'm going to have to skip out on 2012 and catch the Utah and Oregon regionals instead.

I wonder how many burners have never attended a regional event??

I go to most of my own regional events (gatherings, whatever) and the spring regional event in Alberta (FreezerBurn)... Plus, of course, visiting BRC for a week or three

I've never been to a regional yet, last year was my first Burn but I'll be at Freezer Burn this year for sure with the Space Gnomes!

I'll see you there. Freezer Burn is a blast!

[NellieX]

I missed the poll, but I'll be opting up to the highest tier. Of course I hope I get chosen for a lower tier, but there will always be someone who needs a cheaper ticket more than I do. If I fail to get drawn, I'll be trying for the open sale, and failing that, will buy my tickets on the aftermarket.

[Alexey]

...And of course, the reality of how many people act is somewhat irrational. There will be people who will enter at say the $240 level, but once they lose, express regret and be ready to pay much more in the secondary sale or after market..

Why is this irrational?
Here was my reasoning:

[*] Tier 3 is the same price as the secondary open sale, so no reason to rush and go for that.
[*] Tier 2 is $70 less then tier 3, so why not try for tier 1, and If "loose", go in the secondary open sale and I only lost $70. But If I "win" then I saved $150.
And If I don't get a ticket that way, I still might be able to buy a face value ticket in aftersale maybe even still for $320.
If all else fails - well then there's next time or other things that I still want to do in this lifetime.

Just throwing it out here, please present alternative viewpoints or flaws with my reasoning or misunderstanding the selection process.

[trilobyte]

The big flaw I'd see with your reasoning is that strategy gives you significantly fewer ticket opportunities. By choosing $240 in the main sale, you have a chance at 10K first tier tickets, and then there will be 10K additional tickets (plus leftovers from the main sale, if any), that's 20K ticket opportunities, instead of 50K (40K in the main sale, and 10K in the secondary sale).

That's not to say that I agree that it's irrational behavior or that your chances of getting a ticket (between the two sales) are small - it's just a different choice than others may make. Good luck!

[Alexey]

Thanks trilobyte.

[Corvus]

The thing to remember here is that last year's event did not sell out until July. Unless there's been a radical shift in everyone's buying strategy, I would be surprised if the entire January lot sells out which would leave a fair number to add to the March lot. Further, I predict the March lot will not be depleted until at least May -- earlier than last year, but then folks are now aware that they can be shut out for reasons other than affordability.

One disadvantage I can see with the new system is the admittedly rare desire of opting out of the cheaper tiers. During last year's ticket stampede in January I was lucky and did not lose my place in the queue -- it did take four hours to get to the head of the line. When it was my turn, the first tier was still available but I voluntarily bought my one ticket at the second tier (and kicked an additional $20 for BRS besides). With the registration system now there is no way to do so.

I do have to confess, with my buying two tickets this year (I've pretty well talked my brother into attending) and the $80 dollar difference between tier 1 and 2 (last year's was less) I would not have repeated that largesse this year, even given the opportunity.

[littleflower]

The poll is over? i didn't know you could end polls.

i put in for up to 2nd tier. I can afford the higher tier, but not easily, and i'm really not worried about a sellout before march, or even june .... so why put up $390 9 months early? too much can happen in the meantime. and i suspect that if people do hoard, there will be plenty of opportunities to buy tickets at a discount later.

i'll miss the eplaya ticket party, but otherwise this seems much easier to me, and i'm curious to see how it works.