Would you prefer...

[kingbadger]

what happened today or a ballot system?

I do honestly prefer a bloodbath like today and would take it over a Ticketmaster style queuing system every day of the week. Felt like sheer determination and perseverance paid off today. I know there might be some who got cockteased massively with a page crashing (happened to me Thursday), but a 90 min bunfight seems to be the fairest way. Am sure the length of sale probably put off quite a few mid sale. 

Same discussion every year is had, but this year's sale was significantly longer than previous years. 

[fraybentos1]

Ballot system is a terrible idea imo. Is there not 2 million registrations ? So you’d have a tiny chance. At least with this it feels like there’s an element of skill/ perseverance required 

[majormajormajor]

It's only a 'bloodbath' if you don't get tickets.

I think a ballot would fundamentally be fairer, but the present system is superior for maximising your chances - if you know what you're doing.

Edited November 6, 2022 by majormajormajor

[kingcrawler]

I don’t think today worked very well, seemed to be a lot more people with issues than normal. I still think it’s the best option though. A lottery means anyone who is even slightly interested can have the same chance as people who are extremely dedicated, which while fairer would make it even more difficult to get a ticket. The ticketmaster random queue number is even worse, all the effort of logging on at 9 to potentially realise you’ve no chance anyway.

[Lubic]

This was the first time I have failed to get tickets in the initial deposit/coach sale since I started going in 2011. None of us got beyond the holding page, until just before the 'event not found' page came up.

And as frustrating as today was, I agree with you completely. Ticketmaster's random 'queue' would be bad. A ballot would be a nightmare. Chances of getting a ticket would drop even more.

[donthaveacoolname]

I think the bloodbath sorts the wheat from the chaff, if it was a ballot you'd get a lot more people "giving it a go", if you want a ticket you got to work for it.......

[2loor2iller]

Yeah I didn’t get a ticket today and it seemed like See had a lot more errors on their end that fucked people over who actually managed to get through tinge payment page, but a random ballot would be a bullshit alternative and when See works properly it really is the best way to do it - it just, for whatever reason, didn’t work properly this morning. 

[D-Low]

Ballot system would be the worst idea imaginable. So many people flouting the idea on Twitter. Ticket day is bad. It always has been. Not everyone is going to get tickets but think they will. At least you know you have somewhat of a chance with the current system however small that is. You would have no control over a ballot and it would be pure luck - you could theoretically never ever go again.

[chazwwe]

Ballot system hurts people that want to go with big groups and friends. If you make it so the ballot can be multiple people it affects smaller groups.

This comes up every year, this year was especially bad but unfortunately it's not the ballot system.

The only thing that should happen, if you get through to the payment screen, you should be secured a ticket.

[dmedxb]

Always prefer the current, and I hope I'd say that even if I hadn't got tickets. 

I can't get onboard with the ballot idea. There is simply no way it is fairer for someone to be asleep and get a ticket vs. someone getting up and committing to trying. 

[kaytee...]

The current system would be fine if they sorted the website out it's shocking how many people had problems after payment authorisation 

[Andy0808 v5]

I don’t even think it’s perseverance, today was the first time I’ve seen the registration page since 2015.. and even that kicked me out (six times).

 

This is already a ballot system. 

[Cheesey]

I think the current system would be fine if Seetickets sorted their shit out so that everything is rock solid once you get through to the "add registrations" page.

There's no excuse because they're in direct control of how many sessions are allowed past the holding page.

Edited November 6, 2022 by Cheesey

[dingbat2]

I would be a lot more demoralised if I logged on to Ticketmaster to find I was 400,000 in the queue at 9am and then have to wait there as the number goes down for the next hour or two before being told it had sold out, which is what happens with a lots of their popular gigs these days. Like last year, I didnt get a ticket in the main sale this year, last year I managed to bag some in the resale. Still prefer this method, it does encourage a lot of determination and commitment, even though it it is really brutal/cruel for many. Not as down as I would have been in previous years as I know there is the resale in April which a lot of people also managed to get tickets in this year, so hope is very much not lost

A ballot or queue system would also mean you would probably only go one every 3 or 4 years on average, if you assume 500,000 people trying (as an example, nonone really knows how many people want to go, they of tern quote 2 million registrations but you dont know how many of them are actually trying to get tickets) That thought is even more terrifying, it shows you that the people who live for the festival and truly committed stand a much better change than everyone else, (I have managed to get tickets every year since 2005) I know thats probably selfish but I think I try harder than a lot of people to get tickets because I want to go more than a lot of people (not all of course)

[D-Low]

Not to mention a ballot system would attract even MORE people trying just for the sake of it. Only issue with the current system as others have said is SEE need to make their system more robust that once you're in you're in.

[DareToDibble]

The way it is can definitely be improved but it's still a lot better than a ballot.

It is absolutely farcical people can get through to payment only to be kicked out - or worse, sit there watching the "your tickets are held for 3 minutes" counter count down to 0 as their website has frozen when trying to submit payment. This happened to us 3 times today, incredibly frustrating. We did manage to get some in the end (15 minutes after the "sold out" tweet) but even that was a nightmare to process.

[Rose-Colored Boy]

A ballot where you only have an hour to enter - preferably at 2am on a Tuesday - is the obvious answer IMO 😉 

Ultimately whilst the system works for the fest it’s never going to change. 

[Rose-Colored Boy]

50 minutes ago, Andy0808 v5 said:

I don’t even think it’s perseverance, today was the first time I’ve seen the registration page since 2015.. and even that kicked me out (six times).

 

This is already a ballot system. 

Yep. Pure pot luck already. It’s just whether you want people who have less friends to have an equal chance as people on WhatsApp groups and spreadsheets full of hundreds trying. Ideally you’d want everyone to have a fair chance no matter how many friends they have but there’s no business case for that added expense on the fest’s part.
 

The best thing about a ballot would be they could make it so that anyone failing four years in a row was guaranteed to get in on a fifth attempt, but again there’s no business case for them to bring that in, and if you had two million people failing every year then that wouldn’t be feasible anyway. 

[dotdash79]

In 2018 and 2019 once you got a session it was quite solid today was not. I think the secure payment gateway was the issue which needs to be scaled up. 
 

I can cope with the holding page but getting the main page twice and failing was annoying. 
 

it felt like I was being edged by seetickets this morning. 

[charlie.light]

What about, blocking registrations who went to the last festival? So you can only go to one in two

[dotdash79]

Just now, charlie.light said:

What about, blocking registrations who went to the last festival? So you can only go to one in two

You would get another registration. 

[Rose-Colored Boy]

1 minute ago, dotdash79 said:

You would get another registration. 

Not if the postcode was blocked and ID was checked on the gate. But again that would be solving a problem which from the fest’s perspective doesn’t really exist. 

[charlie.light]

1 minute ago, dotdash79 said:

You would get another registration. 

Well then block multiple registrations, I know it’s not a good idea but I feel if it could be implemented it would be fairer

[BBC7BBCHEAVEN]

Much prefer the current system to a ballot.

It just doesn't work. If you're through the queue, you should have tickets held. Getting kicked out after entering registrations or purchase details is embarrassingly bad

[Barney McGrew]

Maybe give the option to pay a refundable deposit on registering to remove to payment part from the actual sale, it wouldn't help odds wise but may make the process less precarious?