Will the 2021 festival go ahead?

[Zoo Music Girl]

Just now, henry bear said:

I would say a couple of reasons;

a) it’s in GF’s interest to sell all the tickets. This they’ve already done so no-need to go through the hassle of doing it again.

b) this isn’t a minor issue that affects individuals who have to make a decision about going or not. This affects everyone, and the decision isn’t ours to take (unless we individually decide we no-longer wish to go), so not really comparable.

c) they’ve already rolled-over tickets one year, there’d be a massive outcry if they didn’t do it again.

d) they’ve been sitting on our deposit money all this time, making interest out of it. It’d be a kick in the balls to tell us we now have to apply again next October 

Sorry to be clear I'm not talking about rolling over everyone's tickets if the festival doesn't go ahead. I'm talking about if the festival does go ahead but some individuals can't go and whether *they* should be allowed to roll over instead of a refund.

[Zoo Music Girl]

2 minutes ago, kalifire said:

If they decide to go ahead, I would imagine the terms to agree to when paying the balance would include something along the lines of 'you accept the risk and agree not to sue us if you get COVID at Glastonbury'. They will not be able to provide a festival risk-free of the virus in 2021, and it doesn't feel quite right to say 'tough shit' to anybody not comfortable with that.

If they allow a rollover to anyone who doesn't feel comfortable going (which can include people who can't get there, of course), it frees up that number of places for anyone who does want to go. It would give those people a chance they wouldn't otherwise have had in 2021, and allows others to keep their booking. It would be fascinating to know how many would roll over, but I'm certain it would be a minority.

Yeah it probably wouldn't be many. I'd hope not anyway as while I will likely try for 2021 I'm assuming 2022 is my most realistic next shot!

[henry bear]

1 minute ago, Zoo Music Girl said:

Sorry to be clear I'm not talking about rolling over everyone's tickets if the festival doesn't go ahead. I'm talking about if the festival does go ahead but some individuals can't go and whether *they* should be allowed to roll over instead of a refund.

Ah, sorry - in which case I don’t think they should. I think.

[Zoo Music Girl]

Just now, henry bear said:

Ah, sorry - in which case I don’t think they should. I think.

As I say I'm interested to hear the reasons but the main thing for me is that you have a ticket for the next event that goes ahead so it would make sense to get a refund and buy one for the one after if you can't make it. But they may take pity on people given the circumstances!

[kalifire]

1 minute ago, Zoo Music Girl said:

Yeah it probably wouldn't be many. I'd hope not anyway as while I will likely try for 2021 I'm assuming 2022 is my most realistic next shot!

The more people who'd roll over in 2021, the better your chance to be there because the more places would be freed up. The same number of places would be taken off the number of tickets available for 2022 of course, but overall it would allow a greater number of chances over two years, rather than no chance in 2021.

[Zoo Music Girl]

1 minute ago, kalifire said:

The more people who'd roll over in 2021, the better your chance to be there because the more places would be freed up. The same number of places would be taken off the number of tickets available for 2022 of course, but overall it would allow a greater number of chances over two years, rather than no chance in 2021.

Well technically it makes no difference to my chances whether they get a refund or a rollover for the 2021 event - tickets still go back in the pot. And if they get a rollover it lessens my chances for 2022. But as you say probably small numbers.

I know Glastonbury is a weird one because it's so hard to get tickets. But I think if I'd bought a ticket for Coachella or something and couldn't go due to the pandemic I would only expect a refund.

[Zoo Music Girl]

All that said I really don't want this to seem like sour grapes! Glastonbury are nice so hopefully you'll be looked after in that respect. 

[SwedgeAntilles]

47 minutes ago, Guy Incognito said:

It seems Primavera Sound (which takes place beginning of June) is going to get pushed back to September.

I've got tickets for both this and Glastonbury and I have a feeling that this change alone will mean that Primavera is the one that I end up going to next year.

[Ozanne]

18 minutes ago, Zoo Music Girl said:

As I say I'm interested to hear the reasons but the main thing for me is that you have a ticket for the next event that goes ahead so it would make sense to get a refund and buy one for the one after if you can't make it. But they may take pity on people given the circumstances!

I think the difference is that in the scenarios you are talking about it’s the persons choice that they won’t be attending Glastonbury festival whereas this year it was GFL decision (later on forded by government) that meant the person couldn’t go. 

[vintagelaureate]

I don't have a ticket for next year either... I think, especially for international travellers, it's uncharted waters. For people like @kalifire who won't be allowed to leave their country it would be extremely harsh to not give the option to roll it over. 

There is the same argument for UK ticket holders too, but I think there will be more vaccinated if they start asap (compared to March etc.).

[Deaf Nobby Burton]

What about if it was moved? I know that highly unlikely, but I’ve got a wedding (in theory) in September and I’d be royally pissed off if it clashed. I know I’m likely to be in the minority with that and it’s pretty minor thing all things considered sorted, but obviously we all know when the festival is going to be when we go for tickets. 

[stuartbert two hats]

5 hours ago, Wooderson said:

Not a chance mate soz.

Why not?

[Leyrulion]

35 minutes ago, Deaf Nobby Burton said:

What about if it was moved? I know that highly unlikely, but I’ve got a wedding (in theory) in September and I’d be royally pissed off if it clashed. I know I’m likely to be in the minority with that and it’s pretty minor thing all things considered sorted, but obviously we all know when the festival is going to be when we go for tickets. 

I think people will be offered a full refund if they can't make it and it's on. The tickets were bought for Glastonbury 2020 (whenever that eventually is) not the next Glastonbury you can make. 

It's exceptional circumstances but they've also got to be careful about setting too much precedent for people who can't make it in future years. 

If too many people are rolling over tickets that could make it harder for the festival to bring in new attendees in the future and they do ultimately need to keep attracting new audiences to keep going, some people age and don't want to go anymore!

[Zoo Music Girl]

18 minutes ago, Leyrulion said:

I think people will be offered a full refund if they can't make it and it's on. The tickets were bought for Glastonbury 2020 (whenever that eventually is) not the next Glastonbury you can make. 

It's exceptional circumstances but they've also got to be careful about setting too much precedent for people who can't make it in future years. 

If too many people are rolling over tickets that could make it harder for the festival to bring in new attendees in the future and they do ultimately need to keep attracting new audiences to keep going, some people age and don't want to go anymore!

Yeah this is kind of where I'm coming from really. 

It's not saying that people that can't make it can't go next time either, they can still try to buy a ticket with the rest of us.

[Zoo Music Girl]

However I didn't think they'd roll over this year and they did so what do I know?! 

[discgoesmic]

Just now, Zoo Music Girl said:

Yeah this is kind of where I'm coming from really. 

It's not saying that people that can't make it can't go next time either, they can still try to buy a ticket with the rest of us.

My view would be, if the Festival is on next year you won't be able to carry over tickets to 2022 - would just be the normal option for the refund. I think they might try and treat the festival as business as usual if they can as it's further complications for SeeTickets/everyone else involved otherwise. But I could absolutely be wrong.

[rmartin1803]

2 hours ago, Guy Incognito said:

It seems Primavera Sound (which takes place beginning of June) is going to get pushed back to September.

Where did you see that ? we have tickets 😅

[Deaf Nobby Burton]

I’ve thought to myself all along that if it goes ahead and there is any sort of testing, then I’ll self isolate completely for the week beforehand. I just remembered that (if it goes ahead) I’ve actually got Sonar for a stag do the weekend before, so I really will be playing Russian roulette. 

[kalifire]

Johnson bedding down his 5th April prospective date for easing restrictions. That feels like right at the crunch point for the festival. Hopefully there'll be enough transparency in data for people to get a good idea whether that's an achievable date some weeks before then.

[Wooderson]

3 hours ago, stuartbert two hats said:

Why not?

A one day only fest in the Pyramid field? Cmon.

[Suprefan]

5 hours ago, vintagelaureate said:

I think they can wait to make that call - they did this year (18th March 2020). 

I think there will be an impact on the international contingent though.

Yeah, that’s the whole game right there. Travel costs are going to go back up the closer it gets to the fest. I don’t think they wanna add more stress to all of us sitting and waiting to spend more money on travel. So either it goes ahead and international ticket holders get the option to roll over if they choose or you roll the dice on attempting to attend in June if you can get vaccinated.

[stuartbert two hats]

7 minutes ago, Wooderson said:

A one day only fest in the Pyramid field? Cmon.

They have a one evening fest in the JPT field. Emily has already strongly hinted they will be performances from the farm that weekend for broadcast. It doesn't seem a stretch that a limited audience would be there too.

It might not be the Pyramid field, as it might look weird, but it doesn't seem a stretch at all that there might be some sort of live music with some sort of audience.

[Suprefan]

3 hours ago, Leyrulion said:

I think people will be offered a full refund if they can't make it and it's on. The tickets were bought for Glastonbury 2020 (whenever that eventually is) not the next Glastonbury you can make. 

It's exceptional circumstances but they've also got to be careful about setting too much precedent for people who can't make it in future years. 

If too many people are rolling over tickets that could make it harder for the festival to bring in new attendees in the future and they do ultimately need to keep attracting new audiences to keep going, some people age and don't want to go anymore!

Them not being able to get new attendees in the future? Hahahaha, even if they implemented a rule which didn’t allow you to buy a ticket in consecutive years according to your registration info they still wouldn’t be able to appease demand just on that alone. Maybe if they let people go every 3 years it would suffice, but come on. After 2011 selling out as fast it did, there was no turning back for the fest being packed to the brim regardless of demographic changes.

[Leyrulion]

14 minutes ago, Suprefan said:

Them not being able to get new attendees in the future? Hahahaha, even if they implemented a rule which didn’t allow you to buy a ticket in consecutive years according to your registration info they still wouldn’t be able to appease demand just on that alone. Maybe if they let people go every 3 years it would suffice, but come on. After 2011 selling out as fast it did, there was no turning back for the fest being packed to the brim regardless of demographic changes.

It's not inevitable that the festival will continue being popular. It's at a high at the moment clearly with significant demand. It would be foolish to assume that will always continue.

Especially if you're at a point where say by the 2023 people who missed out in 2020 won't have been able to bid for tickets for five years. If you missed 2019 as well it will have been 7 years. You will have missed an entire early 20s demographic who will then be in their 30s that could have been converted into life long fans. Could still be, obviously, but less so.

I think it's unlikely but not inevitable that it will continue having 30 minute sell outs and the fest will want to keep an eye out to make sure everyone is getting a fair shot at applying for tickets. Which is why if 21 is on I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't a roll over.

[Deaf Nobby Burton]

3 minutes ago, Leyrulion said:

It's not inevitable that the festival will continue being popular. It's at a high at the moment clearly with significant demand. It would be foolish to assume that will always continue.

Especially if you're at a point where say by the 2023 people who missed out in 2020 won't have been able to bid for tickets for five years. If you missed 2019 as well it will have been 7 years. You will have missed an entire early 20s demographic who will then be in their 30s that could have been converted into life long fans. Could still be, obviously, but less so.

I think it's unlikely but not inevitable that it will continue having 30 minute sell outs and the fest will want to keep an eye out to make sure everyone is getting a fair shot at applying for tickets. Which is why if 21 is on I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't a roll over.

I agree, the festival will very likely remain popular and oversubscribed for the foreseeable, however they have never and will never take that for granted.