Simple solution:2013 tickets goto the people who attend 2012

[djmattdunn]

So the lottery fails. Instead of bitching about it lets figure out a way to keep scalpers from getting all the tickets in the future. My suggestion is giving everyone who shows up to BM 2012 a serial number (perhaps on a sticker that they get at the gate entry) that can be used to guarantee them an opportunity for one ticket for BM 2013 when those go on sale next year? So basically, everyone that goes to burning man this year gets first chance at buying themselves a ticket for next year. This should cut out the scalpers initially and get the tickets directly to those that participate first.

Does anyone else think this idea will work? What flaws do you see in this 2013 ticket distribution system?

[SaritaSyrah]

What about the folks who are try, but are unable to get tickets to 2012? Wouldnt that be another slap in the face?

"Oh, sorry about 2012, but now everybody who was awarded tickets in the lottery of 2012 gets dibs before you for 2013. Better luck next year!"

I dont see it going well.

[Bay Bridge Sue]

It would have worked if they started it LAST year. Then again EVERYTHING was better last year. So there.

(There are events that do this, you get a pog when you enter, and you turn it in when you buy the next years ticket. If you don't redeem by such and such a date (IIRC 4 months before gate opens) your pog makes a nice souvineer, but is otherwise worthless.

Kinda like continuing college students getting first shot at the classes before the freshmen.

[AntiM]

I'm still hot for a 2013 presale kiosk at Center Camp. Make the tickets expensive, limit two per household, say $500 each, and run the credit cards on the spot. Say 10K tickets this way, or a mirror of the low income numbers. Any attempt to scalp the tickets prior to the 2013 burn cancels the order and invalidates the CC number for future ticket purchases.

Sure it rewards those with disposable income. I'm okay with that. Even if I didn't qualify I'd be okay with that. Not everyone with a CC and a savings account is a rich tourist in an RV.

[djmattdunn]

Serial numbers could also be assigned to those that don't attend 2012 based on past BM participation verification.

The remaining 2013 tickets go to the general public, or the remaining tickets could be reserved for theme camps to distribute, or an essay contest could be implemented for the remaining general admission tickets for new people wishing to attend burning man.

Something other than "the scalpers get all the tickets" because they have the fattest money rolls has to be done quickly.

[djmattdunn]

I like the idea of having 2013 BM tickets available at 2012 BM kiosk - but one ticket per burner per credit card - no limit to how many people could do this - of course 60,000 people lining up to buy 2013 tickets would be a mess.

[djmattdunn]

I like the pog/sticker idea that gets 2012 attendees first chance at 2013 tickets better.

[AntiM]

A combination of both would be workable, wouldn't it?

[Nipple]

FORM THEN ON OUT: Tickets ONLY for Time Travelers!

[5280MeV]

FORM THEN ON OUT: Tickets ONLY for Time Travelers!

timetravel.jpg

[danprater]

It's up to us to fix this, and thanks to baby Jesus, we can fix anything.

First, in comment to prior posts, my personal preference is no money on the playa, and therefore no kiosk. I can envision Monday and Tuesday becoming "Happy TICKETS AAAAAHHHGGG!!! Day" and I don't want Monday's priority activity to be anything similar to waiting in line for Starbucks at the mall on the Black Friday. I know I'm being extreme in my criticism but I do, sincerely, fear that universe.

Rather, I think we can use ticket scarcity to strengthen the community and I'm posting this as a possible means of doing that. It's just a start.

First, I considered Lewis Hyde's advice in The Gift: "when gifts circulate within a group, their commerce leaves a series of interconnected relationships in its wake, and a kind of decentralized cohesiveness emerges."
... then added some concept of people meeting new people.

So what about this, as a start... (again, I'm soliciting constructive input)

I have heard of something done, and because of the individual vibe of each day, I would suggest we do this on Thursday, between sun up and sun down.

That something is that, once in a while, someone will close their eyes and take off from the Esplanade and walk out into the playa, hands up (kinda like a blind zombie!)

Thursday! Zombie day!

Anyway, someone stops them. They talk. They discuss what they are doing in the world, where the good parties are, what they're doing for their art car, stuff like that, whatever people talk about, and they exchange email addresses. Then both embark on their separate ways, mutual contact info in hand.

Well, there's network-building in these actions. Stopping a person because they look interesting and talking about whatever the two of you have in common. Maybe some idea takes off because of the meeting, maybe you tell them about some cool camp, maybe invite them for dinner, marry them... Etc., etc... whatever happens, these types of encounters tend to build http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_capital.

Anyway, here's what we do with the email addresses. So each person zombie's off into deep playa three times, gets stopped (hopefully!) three times, and so each person leaves the burn with (at least) three other person's email addresses (three people that stopped you plus those of the people you stopped).

And now it's but a cross-referencing issue for attendee selection the following year (sorry, but selection is happening; might as well name it). I have three email addresses from the three people that stopped me, and they have mine. Match those up; they enter my email address, I enter theirs. Those who can show they did the zombie thing comes back.

Does this make any sense? It's a 3-step process for bonding with fellow zombies: zombie, talk, remind each other to register email address. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

I'm trying to think whether it's possible to rig this system. For example, for my campmates and I just to use each other's email addresses. Network analysis software would show the interconnectedness of that group and void those applications, but I'm not sure. (We could even consider using Facebook friendship associations to root out non-zombies). Anyway, we'll have to think of these things too.

Comments? Improvements? Substitutions? What do you think, baby Jesus?

[djmattdunn]

You got me at "zombies"!

[socks]

Sounds like everyone who likes this has a ticket for this year.

[FlyingMonkey]

Simple? Or just simple minded?
I have a ticket but I think your plan sucks!
What if this year there is an overwhelming majority of asshats that moop all over the place, don't participate in any way, & don't pack all their crap out at the end? However unlikely this may be still points to a fundamental flaw in your plan. Not to mention throwing the 10 principals right out the freaking window.

Why don't we guarantee tickets to everyone that got a rejection e-mail? That would be more fair since they may not get to go this year.

There are a lot of people that have been going for years that have helped make the event what it is, that don't yet, and may not even get tickets this year. The whole "I've got mine & screw the rest of you attitude is so defaultia".

If you are going to place conditions on the availability of future tickets then why not base it on something other than dumb luck or money? Why not have a merit point system where everyone starts out with zero points and then get award points for things like participation in a regional organization, volunteerism, participation at the event (artwork, theme camps, greeting, set-up & tear down, MOOP patrol.....)? Then you would be rewarding people that help make the event so special.

For me (a burgin) to have preference over an artist that just had bad luck in the drawings, or couldn't afford to pay a scalper this year, is just asinine! Would you feel this way if you did not have a ticket?

[lessrules]

2013 tickets goto the people who attend 2012

OR...

your 2012 ticket gives you 10% off 2013.... but,
you must gift it to someone or loose it.

if at least 3 burners gift you their 10%, then your ticket is CONFIRMED.

...and so on,

9 burners can gift 3 people 30% off, and those 3 lucky burners/birgins get CONFIRMED tickets.
or a camp of 10 people could give away one FREE & CONFIRMED ticket.

[FlyingMonkey]

2013 tickets goto the people who attend 2012

OR...

your 2012 ticket gives you 10% off 2013.... but,
you must gift it to someone or loose it.

if at least 3 burners gift you their 10%, then your ticket is CONFIRMED.

...and so on,

9 burners can gift 3 people 30% off, and those 3 lucky burners/birgins get CONFIRMED tickets.
or a camp of 10 people could give away one FREE & CONFIRMED ticket.

Less does rule!

I'll take WKRP over Jerky Shores any day!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ST01bZJPuE0&feature=related

[lessrules]

Less does rule!

I'll take WKRP over Jerky Shores any day!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ST01bZJPuE0&feature=related

gadzooks!
an esoteric genius has blown my cover!

and here i thought the best place to hide was in plain sight