Opinions on what will happen if Glastonbury 50 gets cancelled

[Ayrshire Chris]

Kendal calling, which I believe is sold out, have just e mailed everyone that if the festival is cancelled tickets will be valid for next year, or a refund arranged if not required. 

[Deaf Nobby Burton]

4 minutes ago, Jack.194 said:

Haven’t been keeping with this thread much, but in the other coronavirus thread everyone seems certain that a postponement is off the cards completely?

What is the thinking behind that, given that many festivals who have made statements so far have discussed rearranging for later in the year?

I think as well as what others have said, I would imagine a lot are rescheduling because they need to, in so much as they’re purely money making exercises. There are two aspects to that, for every other festival other than Glastonbury you pay for your ticket all in one go when you buy it. If another festival reschedules they’ll have to refund those who want a refund, but some won’t so they’ll get to keep their cash to cover existing costs they might have already racked up. They also need the festival to go ahead to turn a profit which is ultimately all they are about, if it doesn’t happen they lose money.

Glastonbury is different, yes they make money but it’s not it’s to principal reason for existing, they can survive without it going ahead and won’t have shareholders/owners to appease.

I also think a lot of these postponements will turn into cancellations anyway 

[lukethekid]

2 minutes ago, Hugh Jass said:

Who is financially worse off exactly?

In this instance people will be financially worse off that have bought tents and equipment solely for this festival who then miss out on tickets for next year because they’re not given the chance to roll their tickets over. In everyday life, that’s a conversation for another thread.

[iamthegr81]

To be honest I’m surprised there hasn’t been more people talking about the 2020 festival taking place later in the year, that seems like the most common sense solution if it can’t happen in June as planned.

 

July, August & September would all be fine in terms of average weather conditions.

 

If the festival can’t go-ahead in 2020 and has to be moved to 2021 I think ticket holders for the 2020 festival should get first refusal.

 

I read a lot of people saying “It’s a different event” and “It’s unfair on people who didn’t get tickets for 2020”.....but.....who says it would be a different event? It might be the case that all/most of the acts (or at least the main ones) are just rescheduled for 2021.

 

People who have a ticket for 2020 in effect have a ticket for the next Glastonbury Festival.....so if that happens to be in 2021 rather than 2020, I think they should have the option of carrying their 2020 ticket over to 2021.

 

It would be a real kick in the teeth for ticket holders if they were not prioritised for 2021 if 2020 is cancelled. Many of them would have already spent money on things like tents (not to mention travel) so it’s only fair they get to use them in 2021 if they can’t in 2020.

 

I like @jparx idea of increasing capacity for 2021 if it is possible.

 

Can anyone think why rescheduling the 2020 festival to July, August or September 2020 would be an issue (providing Coronavirus is under control by then and festival organisers have enough time to organise)?

Edited March 14, 2020 by iamthegr81
Typo

[Hugh Jass]

Ok, hypothetical scenario and I’m just spitballing so don’t shoot too hard...

Tickets carry over to 2021. However the festival blocks all registrations with 21 tickets entering the first sale for 2022 (they can enter the resale). Obviously it would need to be carefully managed to prevent everyone from creating additional registrations - my proposal would be not to tell people this is happening until after registration has closed. The odd few duplicates would slip through but it would give those who are currently ticketless a much better chance for 22.

When written out like that it’s probably just easier to have a fresh bunfight every October.

[Deaf Nobby Burton]

2 minutes ago, Ayrshire Chris said:

Kendal calling, which I believe is sold out, have just e mailed everyone that if the festival is cancelled tickets will be valid for next year, or a refund arranged if not required. 

That’s good to know but unfortunately what any other festival do isn’t much of a guide as to what Glastonbury will do. Most other festivals struggle to sell out as it is so they would rather honour it for next year, whereas for Glastonbury it’s the exact opposite. 

[Hugh Jass]

1 minute ago, lukethekid said:

In this instance people will be financially worse off that have bought tents and equipment solely for this festival who then miss out on tickets for next year because they’re not given the chance to roll their tickets over. In everyday life, that’s a conversation for another thread.

If people have purchased tents solely with the intent of using them for this festival then fuck them. They’re part of a different problem altogether.

[WestCountryGirl]

I don't buy into the "you bought a ticket to Glasto bury 2020, not Glastonbury 2021" argument because we all know that isn't how Glastonbury works. Everyone trying for tickets every year just want a ticket to Glastonbury, it doesn't matter what year it is or what the line-up is and we all know that because it sells out when there is nothing known about the festival at all.

I want to be more mature about this, but if there is not some kind of provision for ensuring 2020 ticket holders get to go to the next festival, I'm going to be pissed off. I've missed out on tickets before, many times, and it is horrible. It will be nothing compared to having a ticket, the event being cancelled, and going back to having no guarantee I'll never get a ticket again. 

I've no clue what they'll do, but I know what I want them to. And i'll fume and then simmer down and have to accept it whenever the decision is made, but right now I'm just super upset that the bright light I've been focussing on for the past five months, is looking to be snuffed out.

[lukethekid]

Just now, Hugh Jass said:

If people have purchased tents solely with the intent of using them for this festival then fuck them. They’re part of a different problem altogether.

What if their plan is to donate them to a homeless charity once they’ve been to the festival?

[Hugh Jass]

1 minute ago, lukethekid said:

What if their plan is to donate them to a homeless charity once they’ve been to the festival?

Then they can still donate the tents can’t they?

[lukethekid]

3 minutes ago, Hugh Jass said:

Ok, hypothetical scenario and I’m just spitballing so don’t shoot too hard...

Tickets carry over to 2021. However the festival blocks all registrations with 21 tickets entering the first sale for 2022 (they can enter the resale). Obviously it would need to be carefully managed to prevent everyone from creating additional registrations - my proposal would be not to tell people this is happening until after registration has closed. The odd few duplicates would slip through but it would give those who are currently ticketless a much better chance for 22.

When written out like that it’s probably just easier to have a fresh bunfight every October.

Sounds fair 👌🏻

[lukethekid]

Just now, Hugh Jass said:

Then they can still donate the tents can’t they?

But they’re still financially worse off

[lukethekid]

By the sounds of it, festivals are beginning to inform people of their Covid-19 plans, can’t see it being long until Glastonbury make an announcement. Can’t just leave people in limbo not knowing what’s gonna happen.

[DeadAmos]

OK what about having a festival in the next fallow year (2023 I think) if this year is cancelled with all this years ticket holders give first dibs for that and just normal tickey sales in 21 and 22, this years ticket holders gain and peeps without tickets don't miss out

[Hugh Jass]

3 minutes ago, lukethekid said:

But they’re still financially worse off

And? If they were going to donate the stuff then they’d worse off either way. That’s how charity works.

In effect you’re expecting the festival to come and say “we’re going to deny hundreds of thousands of people the opportunity to buy tickets because a few folk may have already bought a tent”.

[Deaf Nobby Burton]

1 minute ago, WestCountryGirl said:

I don't buy into the "you bought a ticket to Glasto bury 2020, not Glastonbury 2021" argument because we all know that isn't how Glastonbury works. Everyone trying for tickets every year just want a ticket to Glastonbury, it doesn't matter what year it is or what the line-up is and we all know that because it sells out when there is nothing known about the festival at all.

I want to be more mature about this, but if there is not some kind of provision for ensuring 2020 ticket holders get to go to the next festival, I'm going to be pissed off. I've missed out on tickets before, many times, and it is horrible. It will be nothing compared to having a ticket, the event being cancelled, and going back to having no guarantee I'll never get a ticket again. 

I've no clue what they'll do, but I know what I want them to. And i'll fume and then simmer down and have to accept it whenever the decision is made, but right now I'm just super upset that the bright light I've been focussing on for the past five months, is looking to be snuffed out.

To be honest I think that’s just from people who focus too much on the technicalities, and must look at Glastonbury like any other business that’s purely out for profits and to appease shareholders

We all know Glastonbury is ethical and not run directly for profits. It doesn’t matter what year you technically bought a ticket for and if you’re technically a ticket holder or not having only paid a deposit. They will look at the situation and decide what they feel is the fairest way to approach it. If they cancel they aren’t obligated to do anything but they won’t hide behind terms and conditions.

[nikkic]

10 minutes ago, lukethekid said:

But they’re still financially worse off

No, they’d be in exactly the same position. 

Down the cost of a tent. 

[lukethekid]

4 minutes ago, Hugh Jass said:

And? If they were going to donate the stuff then they’d worse off either way. That’s how charity works.

In effect you’re expecting the festival to come and say “we’re going to deny hundreds of thousands of people the opportunity to buy tickets because a few folk may have already bought a tent”.

Not if they’ve been able to use what they have paid money for.

No, I’m expecting the festival to come and say “we’re giving people the option to roll their tickets over to next years festival because that’s the fairest thing to do.” 

[lukethekid]

1 minute ago, nikkic said:

No, they’d be in exactly the same position. 

Down the cost of a tent. 

But they’d have used the tent and got what they to have believed their money’s worth out of it.

[Brave Sir Robin]

3 hours ago, circus92 said:

100% agree with this.  I have already spent close to £2k on campervan and a ferry.  I have prepaid both and will have no chance of getting any refunds from either.  Not really sure what I will do with a campervan for a week at the end of June if it is cancelled - huge waste of money.

Yep. Obviously you took a risk when you booked those, and you’ll be left (significantly) out of pocket if it’s cancelled, but this is a good example of why those with tickets and have planned their time accordingly should have priority over those without, who won’t be inconvenienced at all.

I simply cannot fathom the idea that it’d be “unfair” for tickets to be rolled over.

[Hugh Jass]

2 minutes ago, lukethekid said:

But they’d have used the tent and got what they to have believed their money’s worth out of it.

They could always, you know, go camping?

I am impressed with the strawmanning on display here Luke.

[Barney McGrew]

If the festival is cancelled I don't think tickets will carry over but I suspect the organisers will be sympathetic towards this year's ticket holders so I think there will be some kind of pre-sale opportunity maybe like the local sale this year.

[Hugh Jass]

Another thought... will the festival wait and see what the balance window looks like? It’ll be interesting to see the take up rates this year compared to previous. I’d imagine there will be more tickets returned than usual. 

Personally I couldn’t see why you wouldn’t pay, worst that’ll happen is you’ll get a refund, but I could see a fair few declining thinking it’ll not happen anyway or because of health concerns. Maybe those who stump up the full amount are considered for next year?

[Garrett_Salas]

14 minutes ago, Hugh Jass said:

And? If they were going to donate the stuff then they’d worse off either way. That’s how charity works.

In effect you’re expecting the festival to come and say “we’re going to deny hundreds of thousands of people the opportunity to buy tickets because a few folk may have already bought a tent”.

Bit weird to think people would have no financial costs sunk. Some of us have already sorted out travel back to the UK, paid for a hotel next to king's cross, we've had to make sacrifices each month to save money for April. Your stance on a tent is pretty dumb too - yeh they can donate it after, but you've spent money because you wanted to use it. 

[Waynolol]

I don’t see any chain of events happening where people that successfully got tickets for the 50th Glastonbury won’t be able to go to the 50th Glastonbury if they wish.