What Is It Worth?

[Leo]

Given the fact that demand for tickets exceeds the supply, it might be time for the Bmorg to revisit the ticket prices. If the price tiers were dropped and ticket prices raised, the supply of tickets might be balanced with the demand. IMHO if the tickets were priced at $500.00, Burning Man would still be a bargain. At $1,000.00 for a ticket, I would probably have second thoughts about attending. As the ticket prices increase, I would assume that the event would have more spectators and fewer participants. The price of admission is ultimately worth what someone is willing to pay for it, whether the ticket is purchased from the Bmorg, Ebay, or StuHub.

[haolegolucky]

Um, no.

This economy combined with a lot of lower income people and your suggestion is a piss poor idea.

I

[Trishntek]

As the ticket prices increase, I would assume that the event would have more spectators and fewer participants. The price of admission is ultimately worth what someone is willing to pay for it, whether the ticket is purchased from the Bmorg, Ebay, or StuHub.

And along with that idiotic logic, as the event has an increase of spectators and fewer participants, the VALUE of a ticket becomes WORTHLESS!

[wh..sh]

This is not a purely competitive market. So, name your price will not work.

If prices were increased, sure, demand might go down. But there will still be a big population of people who would be unhappy about the whole deal.
There is just no way to make everyone happy in this situation.
Considering BMorg knows that a group of people are going to be unhappy, how should they pick these people? Through some random selection or based on money?

[Leo]

I'm not saying that the Bmorg should take this action. I'm just tossing this out as a rhetorical question. The selling price of a ticket will ultimately be decided by the marketplace (Ebay, & Craigslist). The value of a ticket is a personal and subjective matter. Cost and value are two different issues. Some people know the cost of everything and the value of nothing.

[BBadger]

And the point behind that "rhetorical question" is what? That BMOrg could maximize their profits by finding that correct balance of demand and price? Is this reduction in demand--as a function of cost--being framed as a "benefit"? I'm not seeing what you're trying to accomplish here.

[Leo]

I don't know that there is a point. Just asking a question.

[theCryptofishist]

Some people know the cost of everything and the value of nothing.

Oscar knew them as cynics, but nowadays they are typically economists.

[Leo]

The current discussions on "plug n play" camps shows that the market is willing to pay big bucks for the Burning Man experience, even if the experience gets "watered-down" by being a spectator, rather than a participant.

[catinthefunnyhat]

Given the fact that demand for tickets exceeds the supply, it might be time for the Bmorg to revisit the ticket prices.

As a 40-year-old grad student in a field with little real-world relevance, who does not intend to remain in academia after graduation, I'm somewhat nervous about what the future holds for me. I could make a lot of money (relatively speaking) by working for an essay-writing service. I give good essay.

The current discussions on "plug n play" camps shows that the market is willing to pay big bucks for the Burning Man experience, even if the experience gets "watered-down" by being a spectator, rather than a participant.

The proliferation of essay-writing services shows that the market is willing to pay big bucks for a university degree, even if the learning experience gets "watered-down" by being a customer, rather than a student.

Just because someone can make a lot of money by doing something doesn't mean they should. The fact that the market will bear it doesn't make it right.

[RedHeaven]

I'm not totally fucking myself over at $400 this year, but fairly close to....Any more and I would indeed have to apply for low income and just tough it out.
I already know I cant make 2013 due to the cost of going. But each individual is different. I also share my monies with my husband who does not attend. While he likes that I go, it is taking away from a trip we could have together. Sigh.....but I do love Bman and feel its worth the money. Not sure how I feel about the current price, don't know if it is justified or not so I have no comment. BMan is certainly worth a thousand bux, but there is no way I could pay that, nor would I want to be surrounded by rich ass trusty fux. Its already fairly upper classy....dont want it to get any hoity toityer. I know, discriminating, but you get the point.

[knowmad]

YASTI = Yet Anouther Stupid Ticket Idea

[drutter]

Best cost for tickets is $0, but bills have to be paid, so the actual cost is (supposedly anyway) as close to $0 as possible. Raising the price of tickets not only makes Burning Man a for-profit event (even more than it already is), but it changes the demographic of who goes. From starving artist and talented societal misfit, to rich RVing tourist who put Burning Man on their bucket list and finally got around to checking it out.

There's a reason this very simple and very stupid idea hasn't been proposed already - because it's very stupid. Do you even know what Burning Man is about?

[theCryptofishist]

Okay, the LLC is a business structure that typically is a for profit venture. I don't see that there are piles of money that come in that don't go back into the party. I think the people involved should get a living wage, and San Francisco is not a cheap place to live. I think that saying that burningman is a "for profit" company is a distortion.

[laffingblonde]

Ticket prices have climbed $90 in two years for the highest tier and I doubt there'll be any more water trucks or porta-crappers than incremental increases based on larger populations. This isn't cheap as it is for something that once involved showing up. Continuing to turn this event into an occasion for the rich and capitalistic is rather contrary to entire original purpose of burning the man. My father even heard about all this mess and asked me the other day why I support something that's strayed so far from its supposed ideals. I told him America's ran rather astray as well, but I keep fighting for it. What else can we do?

Next year there should be one price tier if the community thing is going to remain the focal point of a week in the desert. Hopefully a solution that allows the maximum number of people who've built this event to attend is reached rather than catering to the wealthy and people who watched a stupid video on youbewbs.

[BBadger]

Right, a $90 climb over two years is the threshold separating those fabled "rich 1%" and the rest.

Also, if you're going to champion a single pricing tier, you should also make comparisons with that. The average price of a ticket this year is $326.25 (which would be the "single tier" price). The average price in 2010 was $269.40, so the average price jumped about $55--about the cost of a single night at the cheapest hotel virtually anywhere.

How much does it cost to fly these days, especially compared to 2010? It cost me about $390 for the shittiest airline to get me to that shit-hole Oakland Airport from Utah, so I could drive down to San Jose to avoid the extra $200 it would've cost me to go to San Jose airport directly. What about hotels--sorry, motels? On that same trip I got to spend $60 a night at a Motel 6--a bargain considering the cost of other hotels in the area. At least they were cool enough to give me free WiFi. Every moment I'm thinking "this whole damn trip--the shitty food, the accommodations, the cramped airline seat, the traffic--is going to to cost me more than an entire week at Burning Man and only for a few days. WHAT THE FUCK!?"

So $90 more on the highest tier ticket? I think I'll stomach that.

[ZaphodBurner]

My father even heard about all this mess and asked me the other day why I support something that's strayed so far from its supposed ideals. I told him America's ran rather astray as well, but I keep fighting for it. What else can we do?

Awesome. Thanks for being that!

[ApolloPan]

Now, let me see if I understand this all correctly: demand suddenly surged this year. The lottery experiment failed to account for major contributing members of the community whilst distributing the tickets at random. The 10,000 first-come, first serve tickets have been redistributed to artists, artcars & camps which were hand-picked for their community services.
Sounds about right?
Firstly, let's examine the first axiom: to quote Bender "Demand suddenly sky-rocketed, you all saw it!" This is an illusion.
I would suggest that demand was manipulated by having a single drawing for all of the tickets. Please stay with me here, I'm not here to remonstrate or to endorse anyone. My intent is to provide clarity. Remember waaaay back when the Exodus road was all ONE single line, snaking all the way back to Center Camp during peak hours? This is essentially what happened when everyone heard the news of a singular, giant lottery drawing for event tickets this year. Perhaps a time-staggered lottery system may have had a chance, but as I stated, I'm certainly not endorsing anything.
Secondly, the forms we all filed out as a preview to entering the lottery...I'm mystified here. Granted, "I have mystical visions and cosmic vibrations," but I could not discern any purpose to filling out how many years I've been to the Burn if the tickets were distributed at Random. So why was that information requested? I know, that's a question that calls for speculation, but if we're honest with ourselves, then aren't we all just the least bit curious?
Finally, the feeding of the multitudes with the Ten Thousand golden tickets to the Chocolate factory...boo-hoo, my art car didn't get picked (kinda a relief really, as the deep-cycle batteries are all stone dead, a cost of $400 dollars to replace).
It was the best available solution, given the circumstances, yes. I may not have a ticket yet, but I'm willing to wager anyone who does will be feeling a great need to really make life FANTASTIC this year. Not about to halt my latest artistic creations just because the ticket's a little lost in the STEP, after all.
Alright lovers & friends, astonish me with your human kindness.