Vote for the lottery - ONLY if you had/have GA's

[mcranston]

Not to rehash this old debate ... but I truly think the first-come-first-serve is the most fair method. Granted, there are people who cannot get to the line before 5:00 with legitimate reasons, but the best way to operate GA lines is the policy which is most fair to those who manage to wait all day for that coveted ellipse spot.

I am getting to the ACC this Friday from Montreal, and I might not get there until mid-afternoon. And even though a lottery would benefit me personally the most in this case, it still is not fair to those who wait so much longer.

While I understand how some people could prefer the lottery system, I truly don't understand how people can say that it is the most 'fair' method.

 

[Lila64]

The lottery fucking sucks.

I'm 3 for 4 in getting inside the ellipse, but it still fucking sucks.

For two months prior to the shows, I anxiously worried every damn day about that moment when the security plebe scans your ticket as you wait like a total sap to see whether the laptop screen turned red or blue.

No doubt, getting the red screen thrice in a row felt like winning the goddamn million-dollar lottery, instead of some bogus seating lottery.

But once I stopped jumping up and down and yelling YEAH! and pumping my fists in the air and laughing at all the other fans who got the blue screens, I realized what a crock of shit it is to make us hardcore U2 nuts suffer the hours and hours of standing in line outside chewing our nails wondering whether or not our tickets will get us inside the holy zone.

When I hear of some people's frustration and anger about not getting in, I actually feel bad for them, along with all the other sad-looking faces who stared at us enviously from the outside rail as we came and went as we pleased.

Unfortunately, as most of us know, this all came about because of the pushy Line Nazis during the Elevation Tour who followed the band all over the U.S., cut in line, bossed other fans around and always ended up inside The Heart in the front rows of numerous shows and made sour faces at the guys whenever they played "Pride" or "New Year's Day".

If I were up there trying to put on a great show and all I saw every night were the same disapproving mugs staring at me and yawning, I'd get sick of them, too.

It's because of the greedy, boorish behavior of those few dozen "fans" during the last tour that we all now have to suffer this bullshit lottery system here in the States this time around.

Well done, guys.

I have mixed feelings and I understand that many sacrifice things to go down and wait all day for a coveted spot. I've had GAs, but have never been able to take off from work to spend the whole day in a line. I just hope for the best. On the Elevation tour, I was 10-15 people deep outside the rail. Definitely hard to see for us short people, but still a great time being there, especially when they would spend so much time at the tip of the heart. This time, however, I had 1 GA and was hoping to get scanned in, but didn't. I tried begging, but that didn't work, even with my 'Boy' t-shirt on. The losers, I mean these 2 guys who walked in behind me got scanned - I tried to explain to them to pretend I was with them (they were clueless), and well... that didn't work. Saw them just mosey on into the ellipse with their beers like 2 lost puppies. I have 1 GA for a fall show, and don't know what I'm gonna do. I'm thinking about 'going for it', and getting to the venue early, but for me that's still like 12:00-1:00pm, which I don't know if it's worth even bothering at that point (since I can't get there at the crack of dawn).

 

[beegee]

the lottery is bullshit.

at least people know about the lottery now and aren't finding out about it before they wait in line for nineteen hours and can make a decision whether or not they want to buy GA tickets. imagine what it was like for those of us who slept in a parking lot for san diego 1 to hear that shit at eleven a.m..."by the way, you all just slept here for nothing." i think that's what pissed me off the most. they should have announced it long before opening night.

the lottery is such bullshit, in fact, that i sold the GA's i had for my next show. the stress and the scramble is just not enjoyable. if i knew for certain that i could get into the ellipse if i wanted it bad enough, i wouldn't have sold them. but i'm not taking that chance again. my GA experience was horrible, thanks to the lottery.

i have seats for all of my remaining shows. i may not be an arm's length away from the band, but i will be kicking back with my feet up, drinking a beer, and at least i will be enjoying myself.

 

[The OOTS]

I the lottery!

 

[beegee]

I the lottery!

well, going by the location in your profile, that just doesn't surprise me.

 

[The OOTS]

I don't have time to waste in a line all day.

 

[beegee]

ah yes, but you might be singing a different tune if you had

 

[WildHoneyAlways]

I don't know if I'd classify my time spent in line as "wasted" either.

 

[beegee]

WHA has a good point.

there is a wonderful atmosphere in a GA line full of die hard fans.

 

[Axver]

I don't know if I'd classify my time spent in line as "wasted" either.

My time in Boston was much better seen visiting historical sights than if I had wasted it standing in line for hours.

History + front row at U2 concert =

 

[The OOTS]

especially in really cold temperatures and rain/snow...which is entirely possible this leg.

I'll take my chances with the lottery.

 

[martha]

i have seats for all of my remaining shows. i may not be an arm's length away from the band, but i will be kicking back with my feet up, drinking a beer, and at least i will be enjoying myself.

And able to pee before the show starts without losing your place on the floor!

 

[Marmoset]

I'm in favour of the lottery. For me personally, I'm in a situation where I can get there really early to line up, but my companion may not be able to, so without the lottery I'd probably have very little chance of getting in the ellipse. At least this way there is hope.

I understand the view of people who think that if you're willing and able to camp out the night before, you should get the prime spot. But I also understand the idea that lining up early just isn't possible for some people. Plus if I was the band, I might get tired of seeing the same faces every night (I've read this happened on Elevation, but I don't really know.)

Unfortunately no solution will make everyone happy - but I think the lottery is the better alternative.

 

[u2wedge]

I'm travelling hundreds of miles and will not be able to spend hours in line. The lottery is my friend. And besides, it's the Toronto International Film Festival this week, I really want to spend some time outside seeing the sights.

 

[Liesje]

I understand the view of people who think that if you're willing and able to camp out the night before, you should get the prime spot. But I also understand the idea that lining up early just isn't possible for some people. Plus if I was the band, I might get tired of seeing the same faces every night (I've read this happened on Elevation, but I don't really know.)

I completely agree. The problem I have with the lottery policy though is that I always thought the point was to, from the venue's POV, discourage people from linig up so early b/c of the randomness, and, from the band's POV, to get some new faces in the front and it's really not helping in either case. People are lining up even earlier b/c now we're lining up for one of 50 spots on the outside rail instead of 1 of 200 spots inside the heart/ellipse. Also, the same people that go to tons of concerts are taking the same spots on the outside rails over and over instead of the same spots up front.

I really don't care that much, but I still voted it down b/c I can't think of a really good reason to have this policy instead of a simple, fair, first come first serve policy where everyone basically knows what they're up against when they get in line. If people can't get there early b/c of work or whatever, fine, but there are always GREAT first row seats up near the stage with great views if you want to be close and can't wait.

 

[Lila64]

If people can't get there early b/c of work or whatever, fine, but there are always GREAT first row seats up near the stage with great views if you want to be close and can't wait.

If you are talking about GREAT loge seats, that ain't gonna happen in my city. I barely got 1 seated ticket on the opposite side of the arena in the pre-sale with the $40 passcode. For me to buy 2 GREAT Loge seats in Los Angeles, I'd have to go thru a scalper/ticket agency/ebay, and pay about $2000. That ain't gonna happen...

 

[Liesje]

If you are talking about GREAT loge seats, that ain't gonna happen in my city. I barely got 1 seated ticket on the opposite side of the arena in the pre-sale with the $40 passcode. For me to buy 2 GREAT Loge seats in Los Angeles, I'd have to go thru a scalper/ticket agency/ebay, and pay about $2000. That ain't gonna happen...

I meant in a theoretical sense, since it's supposed to be possible to get those tickets. The same thing you described happened for GA tickets as well. I'm going to 6 shows and never once was able to get a GA through Ticketmaster and only once was able to pull up ANY seats, so had to beg from fans or go through a broker.

 

[GretzkyU2Yanks]

For me Id say no lottery because Im willing to wait on line all day to get into the ellipse or even be on the rail outside. I dont nessecarily agree thats its most fair for everybody to do the lottery so people who cant get there early have a shot. I didnt buy GA for the 1st leg of Elevation for that reason. I wasnt willing to commit to being able to be there all day, thats my problem. But then for the 3rd leg I got GA and waited on line at MSG all day and was treated to inside the heart.
The one point for the lottery I do agree with is what somebody said early on in this thread with the GA people from Elevation, and the band looking at the same mugs every show. So Im torn and cant vote either way. Getting there early is still the best bet this way if you are outside you are still 3 or 4 back at most.
Im surprised the poll is as close as it is on here though, I thought this board was more anti lottery since its mostly diehards.