Official "Not Awarded Tix" Thread

[cheyenne88]

I usually just lurk but created an account specifically to say this-

My girlfriend and I only registered for 2 tickets and weren't selected. I know that we'll probably be able to get some eventually through STEP or the March sale but I have to say that this whole system is causing a lot of people to feel really shitty. It's a combination of feeling stressed, sad, and rejected. As inconvenient as the old system was on opening day, at least everyone who wanted to buy a ticket in January could get their ticket in January. First come, first serve was fair. This year, because we can't afford to register multiple times but other people can, we get fucked. This system penalizes low income burners and does not alleviate the net stress felt by people during this period.

I realize they implemented this with the best intentions but clearly the lottery system does not work. Furthermore, if they continue with this system, then next year this problem will be much worse because everyone will remember that there weren't enough tickets to go around and so will register multiple times. I think this year, a lot of people (myself included) only registered once because we were confident that there would be less than 40,000 people entered in the lottery. Next year, if it's a lottery again, everyone will register multiple times and the whole system will be fucked.

I urge the ticketing team to either go back to the old system or move to a stronger system with better servers but please PLEASE do not continue with the lottery.

^This

Well put

[trigs]

Soooo disappointing!!! And what did we learn today boys and girls? Next year, all of us who played nice (I only ordered ONE ticket) are going to try to game the system too. What a clusterfuck next year is going to be! That's nice that everyone who got extras can distribute them to slacker friends who won't be ready for months, but what about those of us who were prepared and ready NOW? I agree with all of you describing feeling rejected and saying that all the waiting and uncertainty is difficult. For what it's worth, in the coming months, I'm going to refuse any ticket above face value. I'd rather not go, than encourage the scalpers. I really hope other will do the same.

[JadeF0x]

My boyfriend and my roommate both got their tickets and i didn't, And Im the one who inspired them to go! While i am very disheartened by not getting one. I know because of how bad i want it i will make it happen for myself. I hope it's not too much of a struggle. I definitely did not have the resources to have multiple bids through other people but I have faith in people recirculating their extra tickets and then I have the march sales. Not all is lost! Hope I dont get price raped! Fingers crossed!

[gibson_]

I'm a little bit disillusioned here... I mean...I tried to play by the rules with this lottery thing, I registered for the one ticket that I needed, I only registered once, I registered at the pricing tier I could best afford.
And yet...no tickets. The people who weren't honest, however, and had all of their group register for two tickets multiple times with multiple cards...they did get tickets.

I'm...a little bit heartbroken today. So is that what I have to do now? Be a dick to the community so that I can participate in the community at all?

That's...awful. I don't want to be a dick to people, I don't want to try and screw my neighbors out of being able to get home this year, but if I had, I'd probably have my ticket.
We STEP happens, and there is an opportunity for me to game the system again (as I'm sure there will be), what do I do? Be honest again and get burned again?

And then end up buying from a scalper? Ensuring that they'll come back next year to scalp...again?

[666isMONEY]

sad to read that so many ppl in theme camps did not get tix for all their crew

sad that many ppl don't know what to do: if they're going or not . . . having to wait -- again -- for March sale & STEP.

[haolegolucky]

Lame.
No precharge. No email. No ticket.

I feel sad about it. I'll try to get a ticket come March or through friends who bought extras, but if all else fails I will probably just work through BM and then take a nice long trip somewhere. For what it costs to come from Hawaii to BRC and the monies spent there, I could spend a few weeks in Central America.

I hear Panama is nice! Maybe I'll go this year?

Still, this is the first time in seven years where I wasn't sure I was going in January, so that makes today a wee less bright.

[A Jester]

Well well well - yeah, that "lottery" system worked well.
...words words words.....

FUCK BurningMan.
I would encourage those that were volunteers and contributors to abandon BullshitMan and seek out other events that remain true to the spirit of volunteerism, random acts of artistic endeavor and collaboration with other artists.
Fuck Larry and all the rest of the elitist organizers.

Boycot BullshitMan.

I'm looking forward to sneaking in to burning man for the first time. I'm going to keep playing by the rules with STEP and the open sale in March, but I'm getting a little jaded about it all. I'm absolutely sneaking in though, if I continue getting screwed over.

GOOD NEWS EVERYONE! There are at least two less people who are going to try to get tickets on STEP or through the open sale! Your odds are getting better.

[ess ahh]

After a combined total of 26 years on playa - my husband and I have not been invited back to BRC this year. Somehow this doesn't beat waiting for 8 hours in a ticketing queue where I know I'd eventually get tickets to be on playa.

[Nickel]

Is everyone ready to start predicting the average ticket price from scalpers yet? I'm going to go with $800.

[Magpie Sparkles]

This system sucks.

First come, first served is always going to be fairer - and based on last year vs this year - MUCH less time consuming and stressful.

To stop scalpers PLEASE consider using the system that Glastonbury festival in the UK uses - participants register with a photo. Their photo, name and address are printed on the ticket. So their ticket is THEIR ticket and ID needs to be shown on the gate to match the ticket.

Extra tickets can be changed into new names via the STEP system etc...

I just don't understand why this hasn't been implemented.

[piehole]

Good thing my camp has been having fundraisers non-stop for the past 2 months... We went 0-5 on this fucking piece of shit lottery. We'll find a way to the burn one way or another, but goddamn this is some bullshit.

1/6, thanks for excluding me dick

lol oh Pie guy!

We'll get everybody tickets one way or another, don't stress. I'll be watching these forums like a hawk for the next few months

[twister5voy]

Has anyone actually gotten the rejection email yet? I've yet to hear a single thing either way but figure since trillo said the drawing's over it must be on it's way.
It's definitely going to be a bummer of a day but hopefully those of us that didn't win can count on the STEP to do it's job.

[hellolinds]

As long as there is a market there will be fuckwads who will manipulate and abuse any system and make it impossible for that system to work to the benefit of the burner community.
Refuse to pay their prices and perhaps there will be fewer fuckwads next year!!!

Bravo to you if you are trying to keep a positive attitude! It can't be easy...

I agree with what you're saying about refusing to pay the prices on the 'market' BUT that's not a good solution to the ticketing problem, or the scalping problem. It takes all of the responsibility out of the hands of BMORG and passes the buck.

I can't stand behind the lottery system even if everyone ends up getting tickets eventually. Seems like a lot of people after those 10,000 tickets during the open sale. I'll be interested to see how many are up in STEP. If they use the lottery next year, it's going to be MORE of a frenzy with more tickets in the hands of people who don't actually need them - more redistribution after the fact instead of in the hands of those who planned ahead and actually need them.

How is a camp supposed to plan if people don't have tickets in hand until March? That's so late in the game. I'm usually the one rallying the troops, and I'll still try to do so but it is definitely disheartening. There is no guarantee of a ticket - it's down to a scramble.

[forge]

After a combined total of 26 years on playa - my husband and I have not been invited back to BRC this year. Somehow this doesn't beat waiting for 8 hours in a ticketing queue where I know I'd eventually get tickets to be on playa.

Yes I agree completely I would rather wait for eight hours and eventually get the ticket i need then wait for 3 weeks and get nothing.

[Ed Phunk]

Theres a lot of assumptions in this thread. I ask that people hold their opinions until STEP comes out 2/22 so we see who exactly has these tickets. It could be a lot of people have extra tickets. You don't know if its all "virgins".

I'm a virgin here, this would have been my first. Am I salty? yeah a little bit, but from what I've seen of my own friends.. its been 50/50 all around.. 50% new 50% old.. success rate about the same. It sucks yes but what are we gonna do.

[Simon of the Playa]

This board, and the info coming in from various bookface groups.
Loads of groups/camps are either scaling back, or pulling out completely.
But hey it was a success, all the tickets were sold without a computer crash, yay!!

i'm afraid that what bounce says may be all too true...the logistics of a large Theme Camp are overwhelming without the added pressure of herding 160 cats into ordering tickets on time...

next to impossible.

i hope this is not the case, but speaking from loads of experience, i honestly have to say we might be kinda up shits creek, and it will turn a normally insane amount of work and coordination into a mind-boggling clusterfuck of lists upon lists and frantic prep work.

tractor trailers, sound engineers, lighting techs, dome builders, tipi builders, stage builders, hot sparklepony babes, as well as the crew that volunteers to clean up that fucking mess, and work security and do the 2 day non stop load out load in that goes on.

im getting agita just thinking about it. Throw in a few good dust storms to wreak havoc on the equipment and yeah, it is not easy pulling that shit off.

i hope everything works out, i hope the Large Sound Camps return, but if we/ they do, it's going to be of the utmost importance to Leave No Trace,and i hope to fuck we arent a skeleton crew of 3 trying to clean the aegean stables of pony shit by ourselves... i'm calling dibbs right now on all pills found on 10 oclock on tuesday after exodus BTW, something tells me we're gonna need them.

oh, and Congrats to everyone who won....we were all virgins once, and everyone should get a fair shake, regardless of how old the glove is.

[Bounce530]

You really think STEP is going to work? I mean really the majority of the people that would use the STEP to sell back tickets are the same that gamed the system in the first place, you think they are not going to game the system again and sell them at profit? It's foolish to think that those kind of people are going to have a change of heart and put the tix back into the STEP system.
The STEP system is nothing more then political fluff, to make you think that the ticketing team gives a fuck, when really all they care about is not crashing their computers.

[forge]

This system sucks.

First come, first served is always going to be fairer - and based on last year vs this year - MUCH less time consuming and stressful.

To stop scalpers PLEASE consider using the system that Glastonbury festival in the UK uses - participants register with a photo. Their photo, name and address are printed on the ticket. So their ticket is THEIR ticket and ID needs to be shown on the gate to match the ticket.

Extra tickets can be changed into new names via the STEP system etc...

I just don't understand why this hasn't been implemented.

I know 1 person for 1 ticket non-transferable. How fucking simple is this. You want to beat scalpers and create a fair system that only the people who want to go buy tickets and go. There you go. This has been used successfully for years in Glastonbury. Why did you guys need to reinvent the wheel instead of using something that had already conquered this problem.

[socalhulagirl]

i didn't get my tix. i played fair and honest, followed the rules, only asking for two tix at the price i can afford. this woulda been my first burn. i feel worse for the folks that have been going for years that didn't get tix. that's more of a loss and makes me sad....what a bummer BM, instead of a spending time on this crazy lottery ticketing systems, you should have spent more time figuring out a way to keep tickets out of scalpers hands and in your family's hands. i will remain positive and try to get tix via STEP or in March if I can pay the $390 but i will absolutely not buy from a scalper .... NO ONE SHOULD FOR THAT MATTER!

[thestone]

Best of vibes to all of those shifting into freakout mode, I sincerely hope something can be worked out to enable the participation of so many who passionately wish to (re)burn this year!! Being a BRC virgin and an extremely grateful recipient of a couple tickets, just wanted to chime in on what I feel is the number one flaw in the lottery system: CAMP DIVISION.

The community is what makes Burning Man, everyone knows that. I am fearful that well-organized (especially returning) groups/camps who together provide artistic and unique contributions to the playa are (already) being greatly reduced. Less people, less resources. Smaller camp, smaller contribution. Pretty simple stuff.

So if half of a camp doesn't get tickets and doesn't have a good contingency plan for those who missed the lottery, the group's finances and energies must shift towards obtaining entry for the rest of the camp rather than enhancing art displays or constructing a mutant vehicle. If nothing else projects are going to be delayed and hopefully not diminished.

I am not going to see boobs and do drugs, I am going to witness and PARTICIPATE in the collective efforts of a passionate and creative group of individuals who TOGETHER create an unparalleled experience. That being said, I wish everyone "not awarded" a ticket the best of luck and urge everyone who still plans on inhabiting BRC in 2012 to work TOGETHER to help camps, lovers, and friends make it to the playa without supporting scalpers.

[socalhulagirl]

yes...what forge said!

[Jemma]

:[[[[[[[

I'll try my hand at the low income tickets (because I really shouldn't be spending that much on a ticket anyway...incredibly irresponsible..) but blehhh. I'm sad!


Although...March 28th is my birthday so if anyone feels inclined to buy me a ticket as a present...

[MedullaB]

I hate the negativity here... but sadly, it is completely warranted.

This is turning out to be an epic fail. Groups, families, friends fragmented by who got tickets. It pains me to think about the angst this has created.

If this thread and many others like it on FB and twitter, demand for the final 10k of tickets is going to be massive (by those who need tickets and by scalpers).

I have yet to see one thread in here of someone with extra tickets. The elevated demand was not from burners working the system, but by scalpers working the system... and it shows it works.

Add insult to injury, now people have to wait two long planning months to even get a shot at going.

Rounding this all out is the appearance that the draw was done in reverse to what was stated (I have always been in favor of the draw being reversed but people NEED to be aware of the rules before the draw happens). As well, treating entries of one ticket and tickets without defining it as such left those who were purchasing multiple tickets at 50% less odds than those purchasing single tickets - something again that should have been spelled out before hand - or maybe I missed a memo?

Argh. Not feeling good about this.

MB

[trigs]

Has anyone actually gotten the rejection email yet? I've yet to hear a single thing either way but figure since trillo said the drawing's over it must be on it's way.
It's definitely going to be a bummer of a day but hopefully those of us that didn't win can count on the STEP to do it's job.

I just got mine. Get ready for a long wait. As the newscasters say here in FL during hurricane season, it's time to "hunker down."

We're really sorry to inform you that your entry was not selected in the Main Sale to purchase Burning Man 2012 tickets. But remember this isn't the end - you still have other options for acquiring tickets!

The next chance to buy is directly through the Open Sale, which begins March 28, 2012. There are 10,000 tickets that will be offered in that sale at $390 each. The Open Sale is a first-come, first-served, no-registration-required sale.

We will also open our new resale system, the Secure Ticket Exchange Program (STEP), for the buying and selling of secondhand tickets starting February 22. We expect that a fair number of tickets will be redistributed within the participant community (as happens every year), and we ask that you use the STEP system to do so, avoiding sites like eBay, Craigslist, or ticket resale sites, so we can maintain a central source for tickets and discourage scalping. Full details will be posted on tickets.burningman.com and through the Jack Rabbit Speaks email newsletter.

Please help us discourage scalpers. Don't buy or sell Burning Man tickets above face value.

Since you were among those unable to secure tickets through this Main Sale drawing, you will get priority in signing up for the STEP system's first-come, first-served process. Please watch for an email before the end of February with details about how you can participate in this program."

[Ed Phunk]

people just can't accept the game has changed. The old system is not coming back.

[spacecat]

After reading through the forums, going on facebook, and twitter, it seems like a lot of people are feeling really depressed because of this system. Personally, I have never felt hurt by or angry at the borg before but it seems like I'm not the only one experiencing this.

There's something about the language of a lottery that makes all of this worse. You can think of it as "winning" a ticket which means if you don't get one, you're a "loser. If you look at it simply as being "selected", that means you weren't selected (the fact that it was random and by computer doesn't really lessen the blow). A lot of people have been commenting that they feel like the kid left over that no one wants on their team. It hurts.

What's worse is that this situation is starting to create feelings of jealousy and resentment within the community. It's hard not to feel that when you know that other people got tickets because they entered multiple times but you followed the rules and got fucked. We're 213 days from the Burn and, as a community, we've already got this rift between those with tickets and those without. Over the next two months, this frustration is only going to build.

I hope years from now we can all look back at the year when Burning Man was a lottery and laugh.

[Freefall_Burner]

Step will be charging a restocking fee, so people selling their tickets will be losing money

[gibson_]

[quote="spacecat"]I hope years from now we can all look back at the year when Burning Man was a lottery and laugh.[/quote]

Hear, hear.

[jorgebongo]

Ya if I can't get a ticket at face value from somewhere I'm not going...
I will still help with the art car-
but it's not the end of the world-if no BM I think I will go somewhere with a beach....that has water hitting it. Or Vegas or the mountains of Colorado Archery Elk season is about the same time. Or start my own thing-Larry Harvey is not the only guy in town with a good idea to start something on fire. So happy for all of you that got tickets, I hope you all have fun and don't count me out yet...

[eastcoastpat]

So wait let me try to understand. I didnt get a ticket in the lottery I am going to be left with 3 options-

1. the next official sale, which will require 6-8 hours anxiously waiting at the computer and hoping the freezes/crashes dont prevent me from getting the 2 I need and the only 2 I signed up for in the lottery

2. Official resale program, which will mean 6-8 hours of waiting for my ticket at Will Call

3. Scalper, which will probably be an extra $100-$200. It terms of $$/hour and efficiency its not bad.
At work the opportunity cost of making the extra hundred bucks is about dead even with the other two options, minus the frustration.

Gosh darnit. This freaking sucks.
I dont want to support the scalpers but my response to most of these problems is to throw money at it.
And I have been planning on going since the last time I left the playa.