Happy Ticket Day!

Did you not get tickets? End up with more than you need?
Here are some rose-tinted thoughts on the 2012 situation:

NOTE:
Feb 22 – Secure Ticket Exchange Program (STEP) opens
March 28th – Open Sale (10,000 additional tickets)


**NOTE: I AM NOT AN OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF BURNING MAN. I am merely a Participant with a passion for the event, people, and Principles of Burning Man. **

About the author: John "Halcyon" Styn

John

Halcyon is a 21-year Burning Man participant and co-founder of Pink Heart camp. He is author of "Love more. Fear less." and producer of the Burning Man short film, "The Pink Path." He's won Webby awards for his over-the-top personal site & his "Love On Demand" video podcast HugNation.com. Halcyon co-founded the San Diego based "1st Saturdays" homeless outreach program based on Burning Man Principles and coaches people how to be radically self expressed in the default world. You can find his full Playa Tips & Tricks series at www.PlayaPrinciples.com

63 Comments on “Happy Ticket Day!

  • Drew says:

    That Pre purchase random draw was fixed. 25 friends all with top teir bids in an not a single successful drawn pre purchase ticket . I call shenanigans on your random draw. Boo

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  • Andrew says:

    I try not to go to dark areas either, but sometimes I get blinded by the light – i.e. the light of my computer screen telling me that I didn’t get my ticket!

    Thankfully, this video lit my fire once again. I love your gift-giving way of looking at things.

    My primary concern is having to pay the full $390 for a ticket. I’ll have to go scrounging for the extra cash.

    Cheers,
    Andrew

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  • Nick says:

    That video gave me more hope. And to know that you think the ticketing systems is much to be desired is always good. Great Video John, Cya in the dust!

    Cheers, Nick

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  • Elliot says:

    Thanks for the positivity, buddy. Got any tickets?

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  • Felix says:

    Oh how I’d love to stay positive, I really really would! But all indications thus far point the other way. Where are all these people with extra tickets? Fewer than 1/3 of people in my camp were lucky enough to have been selected, and all tix were ordered with specific people in mind. Result: we might have to call the whole thing off. Hearing the same story from everyone else too.

    Just saying “it will all be OK” is not enough to make it OK. Not that I have any relevant suggestions, the damage is done at this point; all we can do is try STEP / open sale and hope for the best. Should people give up entirely on going this year? Probably not. But going full ahead with preparations at this point and trusting that things will just work themselves out, that’s just stupid.

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  • WTF says:

    What I find especially hilarious about this is that it even says “Here are some rose-tinted thoughts on the 2012 situation”.

    Either the person who wrote that doesn’t know what “rose-tinted” means or they think what he says is bullshit.

    For your reference, here’s the definition of “through rose-tinted glasses” from the Cambridge Idioms Dictionary- “if someone thinks about or looks at something with rose-coloured glasses, they think it is more pleasant than it really is”.

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  • Matt says:

    I’ll have some of whatever he is having please… oh and some tickets too, thanks.

    Meanwhile, it looks like a large majority of people who end up actually attending the event this year will have to buy their tickets second-hand, in a non-lottery fashion, using either:

    – this STEPS thing (god I hope the system doesn’t suck, please please don’t suck)
    – fending for themselves via ebay or craigslist or whatever (risking counterfeits etc, ugh)
    – I would add friends-of-friends to this as well but I haven’t heard of a single surplus ticket in my personal network yet, only a lot of people that didn’t end up with anything (like me).

    So in the end, it comes down to first-come-first-serve-style radical self reliance anyway. Just with more hassle, more uncertainty, a much later date of finding out if everyone in my camp can get a ticket or not, and probably more cost, since my only price options are now $390 or whatever is available through resales.

    Sigh.

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  • boaterguyx15 says:

    We already have scaplers asking $200 to hold a contracted ticket till june. On top of that, there asking $1000 per ticket. That $200 you spent to hold the tickets for that time is not part of the $1000. $1200 for a ticket. If I had an extra ticket and I put it on the burningman site for the same price i bought if for, Who’s to say a scalpers not going to buy my ticket and sell it to someone else for $1200. The scalpers have to be like these fucking guys are stupid.

    When you were table topping this lottery thing was everyone in the room on M or did at least one person raise there hand and say…..I have a question…..are you fucking high????????

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  • alias~ says:

    Interesting point:
    What are the possible effects of this chaotic splattering of tickets? Will our great city be riddled with holes from camps that got separated? Unable to plan ahead to pull of the great feats of magic?

    Perhaps there is a need for a halfway house for splintered camps..
    support group camp ?

    This will be interesting.

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  • swervy says:

    I fear that Burning Man will not be the same this year. So many of the hardcore burners and people who build amazing camps do not have tickets at this point. My camp has a core of about 50, and only 6 people won tickets in the entire camp. I feel this year that the larger camps and the people who work months to make the event amazing will not happen because of lottery. I hope I am wrong as I love Burning Man. In my opinion, the lottery is a complete failure and in the end it probably going to do a ton of damage to the event this year…

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  • alias~ says:

    6 out of 50!!!! *throws hammer and rebar in the air* we’re all screwed…

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  • Tex Allen says:

    The TRUE TEST isn’t about who’s “Burner’ enough or finances or…..
    NO, it’a about how the entire situation plays out and how we react and hold together as a community, regardless of who does or doesn’t, can or can’t attend.

    How do WE respond and what do WE reflect about our culture to the “outside” world, when there is a challenge of this primal magnitude?
    What solutions do we employ and do we come up with new agreements?
    Do we emerge stronger or weaker?
    Are we TRULY #emphasis TRULY a COMMUNITY or are YOU and others kidding yourselves?
    We collectively, ARE humanity in some of it’s best and purest forms…
    So, do we bind together with support or fall into dissent and miss our chance to show the world that there IS a better way to exist?

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  • @Elliot – I wish! My camp is about 16 tickets short so far.

    @WTF – Yeah, I know what rose-tinted means. It was only a slightly tongue-in-cheek

    @Matt – I agree, the lack of surplus in my network (and the number of ticketless) is disconcerting.

    @Nick – See you in the dust!

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  • BS says:

    Roll out STEP immediately.

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  • Lucca says:

    SAW IT ON FACEBOOK – PASS THE WORD

    Ok, results of a search on the first day of official scalping….
    Stubhub => 86 tickets in large blocks, 82 over $700, top price $1650.
    VividSeats => 38 tickets in large blocks, 30 over $1000, top price $1720.
    TicketsNow => 23 tickets over $1000, Many large blocks (8 or more) at $1527.
    To be clear, these prices are for a single ticket.

    Knew it was coming, this is just the beginning. The only viable thing is for NO ONE to buy these ripoffs and force these bastards to go through BMs STEP program for face value. If not, this event will become just like Rock Concerts. Any event producer prices their tickets based on “Scalper” rates or “What the Market will Bear.” We need to start the biggest fight this country has seen since the Civil War. Pass the word.

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  • t groan says:

    What a bunch of horseshit! This years ticket sale was worse than last years. BM is trying to put lipstick on a PIG!

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  • Dusty McShroomface says:

    I was lucky to get my two tickets, but the majority of my fellow Music Savages campers were denied. I don’t think the lottery process is to blame, nor is it scalpers (which may account for less than 1% of the 43,000 tickets sold so far.) The real issue is that BM is such an amazing, energizing experience; one that looks really exciting and fun, and with the explosion of facebook and youtube across the globe over the last 4 years, it’s no wonder that demand far outstrips supply of tickets. First come, first serve is not the answer either, as just as many people would be left ticketless.
    Having the Man striding across the two platforms at Rites of Passage last year was a sign for what really needs to happen. BM needs to step out of Black Rock Desert and leave its imprints on other continents. We need more Regional Burns.

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  • Glen DeGeare says:

    This party was on my bucket list, I have gone to many regional burns and was going to finally go to burning man this year and now cant. MANY of my burner friends here dont have tickets as well (16 of 24 that entered) and now IF I can get a ticket I will leave my friends behind.

    Basic economics – High demand, low supply – high cost.

    Thanks alot for ruining the experience for me burning man organizers!! I will just go on a cruise instead I guess.

    Its unfortunate to see such a great thing die. I hope the ticket scalpers use lube while I get fucked on prices.

    Many other forums show polls that not many will give the to the step program….. your pipe dreams and bullshit will kill a great thing.

    In short I STILL want to go, it makes me upset you claim this system fixed a problem? I got tickets to EDC in vegas and I am sure that will sell out.

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  • GBC says:

    Many of my friends and I are also without tickets. If places like Stubhub, VividSeats, and TicketsNow are selling BM tickets at non face value, BM should pursue them legally for scalping. BM can’t rely on the good will of its community alone. Where there is a market, someone, maybe not a veteran burner, will typically buy the tickets. Whatever ticketing system BM chooses to use, they should be more vigilant about pursuing those people who abuse the process.

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  • mullingitover says:

    GBC: Scalping is legal in CA and NV.

    Furthermore, the BMORG had options that would eliminate scalping but instead chose a system that not only made it easy to scalp, but gave scalpers ample time to stack the lottery, create panic thus magnifying demand and driving up prices. I personally don’t blame the scalpers, they’re doing what they always do when an arbitrage opportunity is handed to them on a golden platter.

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  • Eric says:

    The scalpers are so delighted by this! Not only have they secured a bounty of first round tickets, but we’ve given them the means and enough time to prepare for the 2nd rush.

    People don’t have “a ton of extra tickets” from word on the street… my group had about 15/100 people successful.

    Halcyon, you’ve lent your spirit and name to help correct this awful treatment we’ve received from BMorg. I appreciate you, but when people don’t respect BMorg anymore… what does the event become?

    Hope they are enjoying their $1million cash. All of this was predicted… and all came to be.

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  • Dustin says:

    What about the spillover effects? How many camps have put planning on hold, or are scaling back plans because of the uncertainty? Do you know anyone in the mood to contribute to art project fundraisers or kickstarters right now? The energy we should be putting into art is now going into scrounging for tickets and jumping through BORG hoops instead.

    Going to Burningman is logistically challenging for most people (especially those who don’t live within driving distance). When you add on top of that a ticket fiasco and a huge price increase ($390?!?) – a lot of really creative people I know are deciding to put their money, time, and creativity into events and trips that are more deserving – and I don’t blame them one bit.

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  • One problem is that the STEP system should have been up right after ticket awards where given. Now, some people who already have a lot invested will have no choice but to feed the scalpers. Imagine if you where flying in from overseas or something like that. You would just eat the extra few hundred dollars even if you are not rich and then of course this just encourages more scalping in the future. We need something that is not monetary based as a requirement for going. Like a written essay for new people, or for all people at least once. I would also be in favor of everyone having to walk through the gates nude. If someone is not open enough to do this then they probably are a spectator anyway. In any case, I am the only person from my long time camp who got a ticket. So, now we are thinking that we will simply not go because it is not likely that hardly any of us will get tickets. It seems like the delay in ticket distribution will cause the artist to either scale back or cancel the more ambitious pieces because they may not get to go. I think the scalpers are ultimately to blame. However, the ticketing system is also at fault because the right to have this experience has been made into a monetary game. We all could save our $700 that would be paid to scalpers and instead go set up another burning man event on the out skirts; like folks did last year. In the end we are there for each other and not for the big toys.

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  • Glen says:

    Ok, results of a search on the first day of official scalping….
    Stubhub => 86 tickets in large blocks, 82 over $700, top price $1650.
    VividSeats => 38 tickets in large blocks, 30 over $1000, top price $1720.
    TicketsNow => 23 tickets over $1000, Many large blocks (8 or more) at $1527.
    To be clear, these prices are for a single ticket.

    WOW way to kill burning man…… congrats

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  • Leonard says:

    @Glen 86+38+23=147 tickets outta 40,000. .3% of all tickets not a scalper revolution make.

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  • joe says:

    @ Lucca & Glen – OK just to put this into some perspective -> (86+38+23)/40,000 tickets = 0.0037 or 0.4%. I realize this is just the beginning but… just sayin

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  • HK says:

    What is MOST irritating is that if BM had not been using a rinky-dink outfit to handle ticket sales last year…none of this would have occurred.

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  • JJ says:

    Something like 9-10 out of 75 people in our group got tickets. You guys sure screwed this up!!!! No way to plan our camp this year even if another 20% get tickets at the next drawing. Probably we’ll all just try again in 2013 and see if it isn’t so screwed. Also everyone has to pay more this year cause now its all $390. Great job!!!!

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  • Mark Lindsell says:

    Burning Man organizers have a list of the people that were refused tickets. Why don’t they just re-issue the tickets returned from the over buyers to us less fortunate?
    How many people were tuned down? What percentage was refused from the over all ticket sales? Perhaps Burning Man has gotten too big! Perhaps those that have gone in the past should have priority in future sales. I’m looking for two tickets and as a first timer from Vancouver Canada, this doesn’t look good to getting hold of tickets.
    Too bad. It sounds like the true concept of what Burning Man was all about has lost it’s flame.

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  • factoid says:

    So – this happened: http://alchangplus.blogspot.com/2012/02/why-you-and-your-friends-didnt-get.html

    And just as it seems 99.8% outside of the Org predicted, the scalpers and the Burners who over-registered to cover their bets prevailed, and the vast majority of us are left holding our dicks.

    Consequently, we’re reduced to waving them around, until the Org does the Right Thing.

    IMHO, the Right Thing is represented on this petition, which I encourage you all to sign:
    http://signon.org/sign/burning-man-lottery-recall

    I’ve recovered (mostly) from my bed-pummeling tantrum, and made up my mind to follow all the Org-recommended channels for redress so that my wife and I can return to the playa for a 9th time (since ’96), bringing our kids (ages 10 and 12) for their sixth burn.

    If we succeed in getting the two measly tickets we need, we’ll bring XyloVan again, we’ll pitch camp, volunteer, share and burn like we always do.

    And if we fail, well, fuck. I suppose we’ll sit home and pout.

    But honestly I have to register utter shock that the Org – which has done a really fine job of letting the raucous fucking mosh-pit of ’96 evolve into this glorious city of 50,000+ over the years – just marched straight into 2012 with such a horribly flawed plan.

    I’m willing to chalk it up to a cosmic “Oops” – but only if they do WHATEVER THE FUCK IT TAKES to reverse the damage done.

    I’m not so optimistic as Halcyon. It is *not* all gonna work out for everyone.

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  • Loml and Loyl says:

    One simple idea:

    Refund the tickets and start again… They were all purchased with credit cards. How difficult could that be? Why is this not being discussed????

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  • General Chaos says:

    Yeah, due to some health issues I’ve been a little out of the loop, and didn’t even know this was how they were going on sale.

    I checked on ebay, out of curiousity (and not to buy!) and saw some people are already trying to sell tickets for up to $3000 each – for what they call a “VIP” ticket…

    hmmmm

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  • John Merrick says:

    It appears things are broken to say the least. All tickets should be canceled and money returned and the LLC should take the hit for the cost. Then tickets should all be sold for $300 to all. If you want to give people some kind of break offer a lottery for travel vouchers. Tickets can be sold through regional burn offices and the LLC of Black Rock City can pay for that. I never even heard back about my ticket. All but one person in my camp did not get a ticket. I do not believe Big Puffy Yellow will be attending this year. First time in Ten years. This is just a guess.
    Good luck

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  • Dane Ballard says:

    The term Rose Tinted Glasses… means not really seeing things as they are.

    I can’t help but get the sense that the reason we are in this situation is because people like you are running BMORG.

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  • Madeline Morrill says:

    Too bad you didn’t just turn it over to Ticketmaster. Every year, except last year, which did experience a last minute sellout, anybody who wanted a ticket to Burning Man got one. Now over half of the population have not succeeded this January? Fractured theme camps are bleeding. It’s like the St. Valentine’s Day massacre in a lot of places right now! The only thing certain is that there will not be a lottery like this again next year, correct?

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  • andy says:

    Checked Ticket Stub and the tickets are dissapearing. Only 16 at the moment. Guess they are all getting pulled. So much for the scalper conspiracy.

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  • Cyan says:

    So, where did all the tickets go?

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  • Stellan says:

    Impossible to organize under these circumstances. What was wrong with first-come first-served? It allows motivated burner-camps to make plans, and motivated new comers to jump in. And how about only one ticket per person? Again this rewards the early individual commitment.
    I have only come twice so far, 2007 and 2011, and feel blessed to have been a part of such an amazing gathering. Last year I bought my ticket in mid-July on what turned out to be the last day of available tickets. I was very lucky in that regard, but if I had missed out it would have been due to my own late commitment. Isn’t that normal justice?
    I distrusted this lottery idea from the moment I heard about it. It made no sense to me at all.
    Can we hear more from some official Burning Man spokespeople? Why so silent?

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  • Stellan says:

    Well, I just re-read the official BM site. Guess not so silent. Can I take that comment back?

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  • Beca says:

    I want to say that as someone that has never been to Burning Man, has had it on my bucket list for years, and did win a ticket, I am so so thankful. My girlfriend and I are both first timers and I can’t wait to have the experience that I have heard so much about. I hope that everyone that is saying that people should just quit and wait until next year don’t really do that. For me, coming from Florida, it would be a tragedy not to get the full experience because there is no telling if I will ever get this chance again. Please, please for our sake do what is right so that we can fully experience the world that is Burning Man.

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  • TK says:

    There is a simple solution. If the organizers announce that they will sell a ticket to anyone who wants one, scalpers will be left in the dust. The only way to sell a ticket will be at face value, since you have essentially killed the aftermarket. Will the total go over 50,000? Yes, but not by much. There just isn’t 3x the amount of people wanting to go this year versus last.

    Figure out a way to expand the event by 20-30%, and this all goes away.

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  • Mazer says:

    WHERE DID ALL THE TICKETS GO?????
    WHERE DID ALL THE TICKETS GO?????
    WHERE DID ALL THE TICKETS GO?????
    WHERE DID ALL THE TICKETS GO?????
    WHERE DID ALL THE TICKETS GO?????
    WHERE DID ALL THE TICKETS GO?????
    WHERE DID ALL THE TICKETS GO?????
    WHERE DID ALL THE TICKETS GO?????
    WHERE DID ALL THE TICKETS GO?????
    WHERE DID ALL THE TICKETS GO?????
    WHERE DID ALL THE TICKETS GO?????
    WHERE DID ALL THE TICKETS GO?????
    WHERE DID ALL THE TICKETS GO?????

    ONLY 30% of people from ay given theme camp got TICKETS… IF THIS WAS A RANDOM LOTTERY THOSE NUMBERS WILL BE TRUE FOR EVERYONE. ITS TRUE IN MY CITY AS WELL… I KNOW MANY BURRNERS FROM OTHER CAMPS AND GROUPS IN MY CITY.. PERSONALLY ASKING AND HAVING FRIENDS ASK AROUND THIS 30% NUMBER REMAINS TRUE..
    THAT IS BULLSHIT TO SAY THAT DEMAND WAS 70% higher than SUPPLY..
    BMORG IS LYING TO YOU ALL…. THERE IS NO WAY DEMAND WAS 70% HIGHER THAN SUPPLY….
    START ASKING THE REAL QUESTION PEOPLE

    WHERE DID ALL THE TICKETS GO?????
    WHERE DID ALL THE TICKETS GO?????
    WHERE DID ALL THE TICKETS GO?????
    WHERE DID ALL THE TICKETS GO?????
    WHERE DID ALL THE TICKETS GO?????
    WHERE DID ALL THE TICKETS GO?????
    WHERE DID ALL THE TICKETS GO?????
    WHERE DID ALL THE TICKETS GO?????
    WHERE DID ALL THE TICKETS GO?????
    WHERE DID ALL THE TICKETS GO?????

    DEMAND THE TRUTH PEOPLE…. AND FIND OUT

    WHERE DID ALL THE TICKETS GO?????
    WHERE DID ALL THE TICKETS GO?????
    WHERE DID ALL THE TICKETS GO?????
    WHERE DID ALL THE TICKETS GO?????
    WHERE DID ALL THE TICKETS GO?????
    WHERE DID ALL THE TICKETS GO?????
    WHERE DID ALL THE TICKETS GO?????
    WHERE DID ALL THE TICKETS GO?????
    WHERE DID ALL THE TICKETS GO?????
    WHERE DID ALL THE TICKETS GO?????
    WHERE DID ALL THE TICKETS GO?????

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  • Luap says:

    From the FAQs in support, prior to this ticket fiasco, there was already the question,

    Q: Why not just register each ticket with a name and require ID at the Gate to use the ticket?

    The arrogant presumption in the BMORG reply tells much:

    A: It has been our experience that a great many tickets are purchased for giving away, ensuring a project has coverage, or selling later to a friend in need. The administrative cost of changing the name on every ticket that ever changes hands exceeds our capacity. And frankly, many of your fellow BRC citizens are uncomfortable with the notion of showing ID just to enter the event (nor suffering through even longer wait times at the Gate). While we know some events use non-transferable tickets, we’re not convinced it works for our community. We’re counting on everyone playing fairly so we don’t have to go to an “ID-specific” process for ticket sales and event entry.

    It’s not too late to send out the message that only the credit card holder’s name matched to ticket and ID at the gate (plus the one extra assigned likewise in advance) will be valid, and duplicates won’t work. Scalpers with multiple tickets will be stuck, so they should be offered the opportunity to sell back to BMORG and only BMORG directly.

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  • Jim says:

    I’m angry, saddened and frustrated like everyone else over the lotto process. We had 125 peeps in our camp last year and 25 who helped set up. I know of 5 people who received tickets. There is no way I will begin to try and setup a camp with no one returning or available to help set up. Looks like a good time to take a break.. Our camp is talking about talking the money we would have spent on BM and all taking a trip together. Preference should be given to burners who have contributed over the years through theme camps, art cars, volunteering and art projects. We should receive tickets before the virgins… let them draw for the tickets after we get ours. We are waiting to see what develops, but I don’t get a warm fuzzy feeling… as no one wants to pay $400 for a ticket.

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  • Sasa says:

    The Solution:
    -retract all current ticket sales.
    -Redo, with names attached to the tickets
    -If you didn’t get a ticket, your name goes on waiting list…as first come first serve
    -If you did get a ticket and cannot make it, your ticket goes to the next person on the waiting list.
    -Show your ID at the welcome gate and you’re ticket will be waiting for you.
    (and yes, I have tickets…I just want to see everyone who is truly dedicated to get tickets as well, cancel out those scalpers)

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  • WELL..we knew this was going to happen the moment BORG opted for the ridiculious lottery system. Like so many of my friends in the BAY AREA – we simply didn’t even bother to register knowing this was going to be a terrible year of frustration and anger…Instead, we’re going Kuaii for three weeks- it will actually cost us less money then the week in BRC. BF’s first year was ’98 and mine was 01, we went again in’05 then have been for the last 4 years straight. WeE build a beautiful two person camp, decorate our yard with plastic flowers and pinwheels, always help our newbie neighbors…last years it was 6 kids from Canada, all Virgins, all exceptional first timers…So glad they could come last year – -it changed their lives. Can’t help but think of them right now as I’m sure they won’t be able to return.

    Talk about being left in the dust…

    Good luck everyone…

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  • Jonny says:

    The problem is more demand than supply, and not the technical selling strategy. So lets think about actual constructive solutions:

    There are 2 problems, each with separate solutions. One – more demand than supply and the other scalpers (that solve the first problem by making prices high enough to even the two).

    Problem one – more supply than demand: First obvious solution, increase supply. Make it bigger, make 2 different dates – maybe back to back with tickets good only for one week (first or second) and maybe a possibility to pay a bit extra for both weeks (but only if there are enough tickets).

    Set ticket criteria and priority: the above solution would be better, but if that can’t be done: You want to get the most committed and motivated, but how? give priority to long time burners (BTW, I’m a first timer without a ticket), increase price (yes, does select based on financial means, which is not great, but does also select on motivation which is correct, and would advise against if there is a better solution, but if there isn’t…) – use the extra revenue to fund some financial aid for those who can’t afford it. And also see solution for problem two which will also favor the more motivated.

    Problem two – scalpers: This seems like it should be far easier to solve. Make the tickets named and non transferable or resalable (I’m sure there are many legal ways of doing this so that it can be enforced to a reasonable degree – and it needs just enough enforcement to discourage the buyer and the seller). Tickets can always be sold back to BM (I would suggest a minor handling deduction to discourage over buying – not huge, but just enough). I know it’s easier not to have the tickets named, but given the current problems, I think that’s a small price to pay, and if you can’t commit a name to a ticket then wait till you can and hope there will be tickets left by then.

    None of these problems would show up if supply was as big as demand as it was in the past till last year, but that is the case, and so old solutions will simply not work (ie. “the good old days”).

    Hopefully some solution can be found for this year – I would suggest requiring names to be given for tickets immediately (by a certain date) or they will be canceled and refunded – this will put pressure on any scalpers and they will either opt for a refund or have pressure to sell quick, getting a much lower price.

    In any case, I hope very much to be able to participate this year.

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  • Jonny says:

    small addition for ticket naming:

    to avoid problems with people who have less tickets than those wanting to go, and not being sure who will end up using them, you could give a list of possible names (say up to 10 names the ticket could be valid for) – it would still distinguish between real tickets and scalped ones.

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  • henry says:

    open your eyes people. BMorg are scalpers. they sold you the same ticket at 3 different prices! that is called scalping where im from.

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  • Rexy says:

    Raise the population limit,Someone is not paying enough!!! ( Remeber it’s Nevada) or get a real piece of property to meet our needs somewhere else!!!!
    Who’s doing the planning for this? Whaaaat this is a suprise!!!

    K

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  • Raven says:

    The real issue is one of Critical Mass.

    BRC is growing every year. I can totally believe there is a greater number of willing and dedicated citizens than there are tickets. Why is simple and obvious… It is unique… It succeeds in it’s mission statement! Not for everyone… but enough people realize, this idea called BRC, is manifested in real time and are drawn to it again and again… year after year. I attended 7 straight years myself.

    If indeed the population of BRC has to be capped then we as a community need to seriously look into developing events in other locations. This is not to say we shouldn’t share our event with the rest of the world , indeed quite the opposite. It would relieve “some” of the pressure we are experiencing now. I know I would love to travel to say Canada, Europe, or Australia for example and see our community and our ideals expressed as well. Truly making it a Universal Idea and Reality!

    The old ticket system had it’s flaws. One year I traveled over 100 miles to buy tickets after the outlets in my own town and surrounding ones dried up. Last year I stayed home because of the sold-out status of the event and I didn’t want to use the scalper options available to me. I was looking forward to returning this year and bringing few new people along as in past years. I realized if I wanted to attend I would have to be better prepared and proactive about it. Yet I didn’t even know the lottery was taking place till days before when fellow Burners informed me it was the about to happen. I hadn’t put together the funds together yet. I have no ticket. So many don’t (as expressed above) that it begs the question: Would it be worth going if we did get one?! I never thought I’d say that!

    I can’t understand the reasoning or short-sightedness behind the horrible Lottery System decision. I believe the imperfect old system at least worked, as far as fairness, with-in reason.

    After the early block Tickets are exhausted… Limit two tickets to each buyer with the majority of the remaining tickets available though walk up outlets. Let the local and regional participants, who support most of the community based infrastructure, have the best shot of attending. As we set up new sites and location for future events this should always be our approach. There will always be those who want to make profit off our community. It can’t be avoided… it can be minimized…

    “…if we practice radical self reliance, experience before theory, moral relationships before politics, survival before services, roles before jobs, embodied ritual before symbolism, work before vested interest, participant support before sponsorship.”

    Burn Baby Burn!

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  • blueboy714 says:

    This is really disappointing – I’ve been to all but 2 burns in the past 15 years (when I was in the hospital) and I did not get tickets this year with the random draw. That said, I was really disappointed with the vibe of last year’s burn – there seemed to be way too many people who there to do nothing. Maybe it’s time for an old-timer to pack it in. Fortunately some of friends got extra tickets but I don’t know if it’s even worth going to anymore.

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  • This blog is very informative , I am really pleased to post my comment on this blog

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  • bobalish says:

    The scalpers are going eat up the STEP program… They are drooling right now. In a week, they will buy thousands of tickets, and then triple their money. Sell the extra 10,000 NOW! Liberate the tickets!

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  • Dr Harry says:

    I was one of the few who DID get tickets in one try

    I was 90% decided to not go and give my tix to friends (founders of one of the oldest camps) because of the lottery mess

    Watching this video may have pushed me over the edge.

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  • VIctoria says:

    Hey there,

    Due to a change in my summer plans I now WANT TO COME, and apart from giving away my first born wanted to know how I go about it.

    i didnt register because I wasnt intending to come and I dont think I can now…if someone could please advise me.

    i was hoping that as I gave a ticket away to a stranded burner outside the site 2 years ago that my good friend Karma will help roll this one out for me.

    Anyway suggestions/advise/step by step guides would be greatly appreciated.

    PEAS & LOVE xxxc

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  • sierrasurf says:

    Been a volunteer for last few years and always figured ‘my day’ would come…meaning I get a ticket…not so much. I guess its time for BM to admit this has gone the way of the consumer…

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  • tonya says:

    please if anyone has tickets they want to sell please contact me. only need two. thank you

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  • turgid storm says:

    wouldn’t it be dirty and fantastic if it was uncovered that the scalpers are actually BORG?, or some people who aren’t at the top making the big bucks like Larry who want the big bucks and scarfed the tix for themselves.. wouldn’t be the first time something like this happened in the history of the world.

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  • halcyon says:

    Hey John, you look sooo thin! I feel I have to offer you a sandwich, or better yet a big dinner. :(

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  • Gonzo says:

    Wow ! I thought last year was crazy…. when two days before bought my ticket they sold out.
    I did not go.

    After all the years of me talking about BM to my kids they want to go. I toid them when you are 16 & 18 … and now this is the year.

    Luckly , i have been able to purchase 2 tickets for them. the trick is that I need one more for me!
    I’m the driver, the veteran, the Dad…………… HELP!!!!!!!!

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  • Lori says:

    Thanks Hal, saw your face and it reinstalled my faith I will be on the Playa again this year…and both me and my daughter will see…

    Love and Hugs,

    Lori Z
    ‘Poetry’

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  • Zhenya Jane says:

    I appreciate your concern and passion, but your ‘faith’ kinda means nothing when going against reality. Lemme guess…you have a ticket?

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