when I said common sense I guess what I meant is that there isn't an explicit policy. People have the understanding that when they buy a GA they should have a shot at getting the ellipse...and the issue with this tour is that it *isn't* first come-first served on this tour due to the lottery system. It is now random selection to get into the ellipse. If they are going to quit scanning at a certain hour, then be consistent in that and communicate to fans what time that might be...or even communicate something like "no guarantees you will get in if you arrive after 6:30." Instead, nothing is said about it. And really, the addition of Clear Channel has made things different and more bureaucratic on this tour. They could do so much more to take charge of how GA lines will be run, what the line-up procedure is, etc. Instead we have to re-invent the wheel at every venue.
to answer the ellipse question--on the first leg I went to 16 shows, I think and got into the ellipse twice. Neither time did my ticket scan. I've been to 12 shows on this leg and have gotten into the ellipse at least 6 of those times. Got wristbands from someone at the soundboard twice, my own ticket got selected twice, and the other times I got in with friends who won.
It seems to me that on the first leg the first 50 people in line rarely got in the ellipse. Since they have decided to fill the ellipse earlier I've seen many more fans get in out of that first 50 in line (which is where I always am).