Would a ballot be a fairer system?

[musky]

6 minutes ago, thesaint78 said:

I guess everyone who says no are sorted for tickets.

Please explain why you don't think it would work

It would work, it's just not of any benefit to those most determined to go.

At the moment the system is slightly more advantageous for those who are prepared to keep on trying relentlessly for the 25-50 minutes the main sale has taken recently. With a ballot, those people who who just decide at the last minute has exactly the same chances as those who prepare for months. It's also really open to being gamed by multiple registrations.

I did get a ticket this year, but not last. And I still thought the system was as fair as could be even then.

[musky]

3 minutes ago, Charm said:

I live in London, have a good computer and super fast broadband but I still failed today, the current way is the fairest, leave it as it is. 

Charm x

Nooo! Not again!

Trying in the secret resale?

[Deaf Nobby Burton]

18 minutes ago, thesaint78 said:

After failing for tickets for 3 years running I am beginning to think a fairer system would be to apply for tickets either as a group or on your own and then just to be a random draw.

 

The current system seems to benefit people with faster broadband and people in rural areas have a disadvantage.

 

This honestly isn't me being bitter cause I didn't get tickets but id be interested to see what people think ?

It's doesn't. At all.

Plus you'd be just as unlikely to succeed in a ballot, because there are far more people who want to go than there are tickets.

Edited April 23, 2017 by Deaf Nobby Burton

[thesaint78]

1 minute ago, verrymerry said:

Because you're assuming the current system isn't fair and I can't see how anyone has an advantage over anyone else.  My friends boyfriend got their tickets last year on his phone in a field!

A ballot system would also just end up being like a raffle, people enter and aren't that bothered, but maybe they'll get tickets.  The people trying this morning, as you were, try because they flipping well want to go!

I am really sorry you missed out, and wish you the best of luck if you intend to try for the secret resale, unfortunately a ballot isn't the answer.

Fair enough , I wrongly assumed broadband speed played a part . You've all convinced me it would be a bad idea for a ballot.

 

Maybe they shouldnt sell them out so quickly so only the really dedicated end up going. I remember in 2004 taking about 4 hours to get through where as the less dedicated would have probably given up after an hour. 

[themuel]

It has nothing to do with broadband. 

It has nothing to do with location. 

Its pure luck, everyone has the same chance. 

It couldn't be fairer. 

[Charm]

1 minute ago, musky said:

Nooo! Not again!

Trying in the secret resale?

Luckily I've got mine, was trying for my nephew and another efester. 

Charm x

[mikegday]

16 minutes ago, thesaint78 said:

After failing for tickets for 3 years running I am beginning to think a fairer system would be to apply for tickets either as a group or on your own and then just to be a random draw.

 

The current system seems to benefit people with faster broadband and people in rural areas have a disadvantage.

 

This honestly isn't me being bitter cause I didn't get tickets but id be interested to see what people think ?

I've been successful from rural Australia. Explain that one? 

It has got nothing to do with your internet speed what so ever. It's about trying to enter the website just as they're accepting people in. The more times you try and enter, the more likely you'll be accepted in.

So it's essentially a ballot already, just a ballot that rewards trying repeatedly as fast as you can.

Ive been successful 5 years in a row *not to jinx it*, on a whole varied amount of connections and locations world wide. 

It comes down to two things. 1. You've either been very unlucky, in which case all you can is keep trying until you're successful. 2. Your not clicking as fast and across as many devices as other people, hence lowering your chances of being successful.

[musky]

1 minute ago, Charm said:

Luckily I've got mine, was trying for my nephew and another efester. 

Charm x

Good news.

Although not for the people you were trying for, obviously.

[verrymerry]

1 minute ago, thesaint78 said:

Fair enough , I wrongly assumed broadband speed played a part . You've all convinced me it would be a bad idea for a ballot.

 

Maybe they shouldnt sell them out so quickly so only the really dedicated end up going. I remember in 2004 taking about 4 hours to get through where as the less dedicated would have probably given up after an hour. 

Funny enough I was thinking about that this morning!  I'm in two minds as to which I prefer!  At least now when it's over you've only spent an hour trying, but when it took hours it did seem like the truly dedicated prevailed, I don't know many people back then who didn't get them who really wanted to go.  But it did waste you're entire fucking day!

My other half said in 2004/2005 it went on sale in the evening and he was up til 3am, fell asleep and then about 10am it was still on sale and he finally got them!  

[billum]

2 minutes ago, mikegday said:

So it's essentially a ballot already, just a ballot that rewards trying repeatedly as fast as you can.

This is it - as in any ballot, the more entries (ie. clicks) you have, the better the chance of winning

[char90]

19 minutes ago, thesaint78 said:

I guess everyone who says no are sorted for tickets.

Please explain why you don't think it would work

Because it's nonsense. Speed has nothing to do with it. I've been successful on my own computer with ok broadband but similarly I've never even gotten onto the landing page with fast broadband whereas my sisters boyfriend got me tickets on a coach in the middle of nowhere relying on 4g. It's luck of the draw and yes it can be frustrating but it's the fairest way as it stands. I was only successful this year due to another person getting through otherwise I'd have had no chance. And I live in a city centre with fast broadband and didn't get a sniff. 

[musky]

2 minutes ago, thesaint78 said:

Fair enough , I wrongly assumed broadband speed played a part . You've all convinced me it would be a bad idea for a ballot.

 

Maybe they shouldnt sell them out so quickly so only the really dedicated end up going. I remember in 2004 taking about 4 hours to get through where as the less dedicated would have probably given up after an hour. 

I think it was the resale (it seems they like trying new ideas in the resales) about 3 years ago that they dramatically cut the time for the length of the sale and asked for feedback. That feedback was obviously that people liked a shorter sale as that's what we got after. The time has crept up a bit since, but nothing like when the sales were running at over an hour.

I'd prefer 4 hour sales, but only because it would benefit me as I know I'd be up for it!

[arcade fireman]

It's luck first and foremost, but also people particularly determined have a bit of an advantage - e.g. organising groups like several of us did this year, refreshing hard etc etc. Not to mention with the coach resales people have four bites at the cherry if they're desperate to go. 

It's unfortunate that really determined people also miss out, but I do think there's a bit of an element that's skewed towards people who want it more being a bit more likely to get tickets. 

[fowls]

5 minutes ago, billum said:

Last October I got through to buy tickets an embarrassing number of times, on some very dodgy shared hotel wifi in Cyprus, so I really don't think the wifi is the weak link. Maybe once someone has got through they should be blocked getting through again for 10 mins or something?

 

The problem with that is there'd inevitably be some bug where someone would be blocked out after crashing at the payment screen, with a 10min wait ruling them out of any chance getting tickets.

 

 

Personally, I wouldn't be completely against a ballot, but I'd be worried about the "have-a-goers" who register and forget about it the next week.  Don't underestimate the number of people who forget the day tickets go on sale.  

 

I do think it's a shame that the ticket rush puts people off even trying though - I know it put me off for years until I thought I'd give it a shot and see what happens.  I know I'm in the minority with that opinion...

[defrio29]

26 minutes ago, thesaint78 said:

The current system seems to benefit people with faster broadband and people in rural areas have a disadvantage.

No. My friends got tickets from Indonesia using a 1mbps internet connection.

Im against ballots, I think that would give people who are really determine to go less of an edge in trying to get the tickets - I think the current system is the best way

[arcade fireman]

7 minutes ago, thesaint78 said:

Maybe they shouldnt sell them out so quickly so only the really dedicated end up going. I remember in 2004 taking about 4 hours to get through where as the less dedicated would have probably given up after an hour. 

2004 it took even longer than that as far as I can remember! I'm sure it took at least 12 hours maybe even longer...

I do agree with this idea generally though. Though maybe they'd want both sales on the weekend - the coach sale the weekend before the general sale so people can spend more time on it. 

[Charm]

8 minutes ago, musky said:

Good news.

Although not for the people you were trying for, obviously.

Thanks, do feel pretty gutted for my nephew though, would of been his first time. 

Charm x

[Deaf Nobby Burton]

The thing you've got to remember with broadband speed is that you aren't trying to download a 4K movie, you're trying to refresh a page of txt, it's just a question of luck if you hit a free spot at exactly the right moment. Fast Broadband may give you the minutest of advantages, but it would be so small it wouldn't  even be measurable.

[Rubber Soldier]

We got our tickets from an oil rig in the North Sea in October. One guy got through 3 times. It's luck. 

[Respectfatfrog]

Think it's open to discussion but maybe not an hour after tickets sold out just not a good time to discuss it with any rationality 

[Junglist1981]

10 minutes ago, thesaint78 said:

Maybe they shouldnt sell them out so quickly so only the really dedicated end up going. I remember in 2004 taking about 4 hours to get through where as the less dedicated would have probably given up after an hour. 

I can get behind this

Although I don't miss having to set aside the entire day for ticket buying. But then we never failed to get tickets eventually.

[StoneCircle]

20 minutes ago, OBface said:

Over the years I have bought tickets for myself and others through the coach, main , resale and secret sales, committing considerable time and effort. Because I REALLY want to go. 

I can see people throwing their hat into the ring in a ballot system 'just to have a go'. 

The current way gives more chance to those who are willing to put the most effort. Sadly some will still miss out (as they always will where demand continues to outstrip supply) but as is has to be the fairest.

This is the reason a ballot wouldn't work. Yes it's damn hard to get a ticket, and you have to work hard to succeed!! Sadly there are always people who don't get tickets but they can honestly say they gave it their best shot. 

[Deaf Nobby Burton]

Also with a ballot, let's say tickets are over subscribed 3:1, that's just a guess but let's assume it's that, you'd have to be prepared to be successful only once every three years. It might be fairer and more people might get to go but you'd almost definitely end up going less than you don't.

[MetaKate]

I think they should revamp the system and there should be a questionnaire and a skills demonstration. The only question being "rate how badly you want to go out of 10" and if you answer 10 or less you're disqualified. The skills demonstraton would involve drinking a litre of beer/cider and running 5k with 5kilo weights on each welly. 

It's obviously the only solution. 

[billum]

10 minutes ago, Deaf Nobby Burton said:

Fast Broadband may give you the minutest of advantages, but it would be so small it wouldn't  even be measurable.

I honestly don't think it's even that - with a slower broadband your page request might be delayed by the few milliseconds that it takes to actually hit the next free request slot, which you'd have missed on a faster broadband that got the request there before it came free