BuffettNews.com

As The Dead and Phish do for all/most of their shows, a lottery seams to be the way to go, knowing that PH's pay way more than they should have to, with little of the money going to JB and his charities. A presale lottery for tickets would be an excellent idea.

It would need to be looked into as to the logistics, but from a concert-goer standpoint it makes more sense. For an idea of what Phish's standpoint on the lottery system is check out this website: http://mtseccom3.mtsecurecommerce.com/s ... summer.asp

I think it is a great idea, as do my Phish-head co-workers that have tickets to several Phish shows to my 0 tix for JB!!

I think a lottery would be a good idea. Anything would be better than the games Ticketbastard pulls!!!

This says it is a 2 day concert. Does PHish play both days? Are there other bands? The reason i ask is because the tickets with charges are $154. How is that a bargain? Seems to me that is the same price you would pay from a scalper or agent for a JB show. I guess if Phish plays both days it would be worth it

You are right, it is expensive. This is for 2 days of shows and 4 days of camping. That isn't exactly what I was getting at. And for a Phish Phan the weekend concerts are a must.
The idea of the lottery is listed a little lower.
And I hope that if JB was offering a 2 day concert w/ 4 days camping for $160 that you would consider that a deal!!!

And Phish ALWAYS has special guests.

What keeps lottery winners from becoming instant
scalpers once they have the tickets in hand? How is
this different from the ticket line lotteries at regular
outlets, besides the limits on the number of tickets
you can get if you 'win'??

It eliminates the majority of large ticket agents and scalpers. There are a certain number of tickets that can be bought with 1 credit card number, eliminating duplicate card purchases. Also, it eliminates the Ticketmaster "convenience" charges, and the time you spend standing in line and away from work/friends/family by using a mail-in format.
All in all, it gets the tickets to the true Phans and puts the scalpers out on their butts.

what is this " IF YOU WIN????" sounds kind of scary. Is this a possible future plan? Could someone hold my hand on this one, i'm scared and clueless.

"If you win" means if you are pulled in the lottery. If you do not "win" then you still are able to purchase tickets through Ticketmaster. The lottery is pre-sale only.

this is a moot discussion. a lottery won't fix the problem because:

1) the places JB plays, the venues, not the artist, have contractual arrangements to use TM. the artist is not free to sell thru other channels.

2) a decrease in available seats because of the increasing number of holdbacks. artist holdbacks, venue season ticket sales, corporate sponsor tickets etc.... approximately 1/3 of all tickets are now subject to holdback and these tend to be the best seats.

3) scalpers and brokers don't buy their tickets in line like you and i. they buy them from illegal arragements with the sales office, season ticket holders or they themselves are season ticket holders, and purchase them from sponsors. a number of years ago the NY Attorney General's office published a report detailing how scalpers get their tickets. go read it...

As bad as it sounds, I like the idea that I am guaranteed a ticket every year with the scalpers, even though it stings to pay their high prices. I don't like the uncertainty of the lottery.

Moreover, I'm not sure it WOULD eliminate the scalpers, as Desdamona pointed out. Scalpers would just put in hundreds of credit card numbers, increasing their odds of getting the tickets.

Come to think of it, Ticketmaster IS effectively a lottery - whoever happens to get through, by sheer luck, gets the tickets. And the scalpers have more people calling, as to increase their odds of getting tickets. It would be the same with an true lottery.

I could be missing something; if so, please enlighten me!

AlbatrossFlyer wrote: 3) scalpers and brokers don't buy their tickets in line like you and i. they buy them from illegal arragements with the sales office, season ticket holders or they themselves are season ticket holders, and purchase them from sponsors. a number of years ago the NY Attorney General's office published a report detailing how scalpers get their tickets. go read it...

Sorry - I should've read this before I posted. I guess the answer is to lobby the authorities to crack down on the scalpers, if indeed the arrangements are illegal.

if you're interested in reading up on the subject

http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/is ... 11/200/165

the NYAG'S report

http://www.oag.state.ny.us/press/report ... mmary.html

Once again---I say get rid of the lottery, and make it a first come first serve. That way, I know i have been screwed outta good seats because some lucky person will show up at the laset moment for a lotto ticket, and they will get picked first.