Ok I lied... (Lottery Poll)

[nuke126]

get to the arena early, get a low number. when they let people in it's the first people that arrived earlier in the day that get to go into the arena and go anywhere they want (in ellipse).

 

[u2wedge]

the u2.com ellipse thing won't work... there are too many u2.com members and not enough spots in the ellipse.

how many u2.com members tried to get tickets to the MSG shows? thousands of people trying for 300 spots? people would still be pissed.

seems like a good reason for a lottery system to me!

People need to realize that the front row at a U2 concert is on the rail outside of the ellipse where first come first serve rules apply. The ellipse is an entirely different animal that the band is allowing lottery access to. There is no guarantee for the ellipse, but if you line up 30 hours in advance you're pretty much guaranteed front row on the rail. It's pretty much a given that EVERYONE who takes the time and effort to score a GA ticket wants to be in the ellipse. The ONLY way to make it fair for ellipse access is to do a lottery. Period.

U2 might scrap the lottery all together and charge MORE for GA tickets to eliminate any controversy altogether... be careful for what you wish for... you just might get it.

 

[u2wedge]

they should, assuming they do a heart/ellipse or whatever again, just sell "ellipse tickets" for 200 dollars or something, and first come first serve for whoever lines up to get on the rail or whatever, then have general admission for the rest of the floor first come first serve at the 50 dollars.

it would take confusion away, and you'd know what you're getting yourself into. the jacked up prices could also discourage the same people from going in the ellipse every single time.

but isn't the argument against selling ellipse tickets at the higher dollar amount the fact that only 'rich', and not necessarily 'die hard' fans will get in? You don't want a bunch of suits in the ellipse, right?

I think the lottery was an overall success. I have really not heard anyone give a really tough argument against the lottery other than that it sucks to them personally. The lottery is great for the larger fan community and that's the perspective to be looking at this from. What's best for the fans as a whole, not individually. I think the band wanted to give the ellipse experience to the widest cross section of fans possible. What a great gesture... more people should appreciate it.

 

[Liesje]

No lottery, no preference for U2.com members or Propaganda members, no giving out wristbands and coming back later....straight up first come, first serve. That's how concert lines were for decades up to this point and no one threw a stink. I can't see how that isn't the most simple and fair option. If you can't wait in line, don't. If you don't want to wait all day, don't.

Honestly, I wouldn't mind the current system except:

1) get rid of the two seperate GA lines. Members get their special chance w/ the presales. Two lines just complicates it for everyone and half the time, the fan club line either ends up getting funneled back into the regular line, or it moves half as fast and people get screwed

2) either stick to the rule of Vertigo + 1 or always let 4 people in with 1 Vertigo

 

[Liesje]

I think the lottery was an overall success. I have really not heard anyone give a really tough argument against the lottery other than that it sucks to them personally.

The odds were better than normal for me: 3 times in, 3 times out. I'm not complaining from a personla point of view. However, my gripe about the lottery is this: it didn't accomplish its purpose. It was supposed to give new faces a chance to be at the front. Except, say there's like 10 people that go to every other show in front, one or two of them will get in, then they spread out and save spots on the rail, assuming their friends farther back will get scanned in or will beg Allison or security until they get in. I saw the same people in the ellipse ALL SIX TIMES I did GA.

 

[U2SavesTheWorld]

ok, i didnt even read all the posts in my thread but here is my suggestions:

Lets assume there are 300 spots in the Ellipse on the Elevation Part Three tour in a few years.

The first 200 people in line get in....done...no questions asked. Just like Elevation Part One.
The remaining 100 tickets are done Elevation Part Two style (lottery system).

So, you make people like me happy (those that think that its only fair that the people that wait for days get the chance to stand where they want) and you make the others happy (the ones that think its fair that they stay at home or have to go to work instead of waiting in line all day).

I just read the few posts above mine so EDIT: I talked to a girl at a show recently who was at her 42nd Vertigo show. It was her 42nd time in the Ellipse. The lottery totally works.

 

[beegee]

straight up first come, first serve. That's how concert lines were for decades up to this point and no one threw a stink.

 

[amerrydeath]

Chip's idea looks excellent except it looks like a pokeball.

I remember in the days before the tour when we were imagining what the stage might look like---somebody said a revolving circular platform in the middle of the arena. I thought that would have been pretty cool. Minus the revolving part (or not, seeing it malfunction and them fly off it would be amazing).

 

[u2wedge]

No lottery, no preference for U2.com members or Propaganda members, no giving out wristbands and coming back later....straight up first come, first serve. That's how concert lines were for decades up to this point and no one threw a stink. I can't see how that isn't the most simple and fair option. If you can't wait in line, don't. If you don't want to wait all day, don't.

Honestly, I wouldn't mind the current system except:

1) get rid of the two seperate GA lines. Members get their special chance w/ the presales. Two lines just complicates it for everyone and half the time, the fan club line either ends up getting funneled back into the regular line, or it moves half as fast and people get screwed

2) either stick to the rule of Vertigo + 1 or always let 4 people in with 1 Vertigo

no lottery = no ellipse then.. that's the only way to have a true first come first served system... again, the ellipse is a separate part of the floor beyond GA that has been determined to have lottery access.

if you don't want a lottery, and you want true GA as has been the norm for decades... then let's go back to a standard stage setup. That wouldn't be as much fun in my opinion, but hey, that's what 'traditional' GA requires.

 

[Liesje]

no lottery = no ellipse then.. that's the only way to have a true first come first served system... again, the ellipse is a separate part of the floor beyond GA that has been determined to have lottery access.

uh.....Elevation never had a lottery.....the Ellipse isn't seperate, you get in w/ the SAME ticket as anywhere else on the floor....I don't follow...

 

[onebloodonelife]

People have already mentioned this, but I like the idea of letting the first 200 people in automatically (they could choose to be on the outer rail if they wanted) and having a lottery for the remaining spots. It would be relatively easy to implement, the first 200 get wristbands and the others don't. Otherwise, I say no lottery at all. If someone really wants to be towards the front of the line, they'll take off of work, travel, sleep outside, do whatever they need to so they can be at the front of the line.

 

[Lemonfix]

uh.....Elevation never had a lottery.....the Ellipse isn't seperate, you get in w/ the SAME ticket as anywhere else on the floor....I don't follow...

The argument that the ellipse is a "separate entity" from the floor would hold a lot more water had the Elevation heart been a lottery, too.

Obviously U2 can decide to do what they want and I will respect that and will continue to see the shows regardless. I'm just saying, this new lottery system didn't do much to solve problems. You could even argue it made camping out WORSE--instead of making sure you got in line in time to be in the first 400 and gain ellipse access, you had to make sure you were in the first 75 so to get a good rail spot. And about the die-hards always being in the ellipse---I'm sorry, how many people did 20+ GA shows? not enough to fill an ellipse, I can tell ya that.

 

[u2wedge]

uh.....Elevation never had a lottery.....the Ellipse isn't seperate, you get in w/ the SAME ticket as anywhere else on the floor....I don't follow...

This tour the ellipse WAS separate... easy to follow.

 

[u2wedge]

The argument that the ellipse is a "separate entity" from the floor would hold a lot more water had the Elevation heart been a lottery, too.

Obviously U2 can decide to do what they want and I will respect that and will continue to see the shows regardless. I'm just saying, this new lottery system didn't do much to solve problems. You could even argue it made camping out WORSE--instead of making sure you got in line in time to be in the first 400 and gain ellipse access, you had to make sure you were in the first 75 so to get a good rail spot. And about the die-hards always being in the ellipse---I'm sorry, how many people did 20+ GA shows? not enough to fill an ellipse, I can tell ya that.

I got in line at Pittsburgh around 5:30 PM, they had a single GA line that was a complete mess and I was easily about 1000 people back in line. I easily got a spot 2 rows back on the outside rail which was a great spot.

GA this tour was the floor... lottery was for the ellipse... what don't you guys comprehend? Stand in line all you want and you'll get front row rail... if you're lucky you'll get ellipse...

simple.

 

[Liesje]

first come, first serve. simple

 

[mads]

the lottery sucks, plain and simple. if you want to get into the ellipse, you wait it out. we all have lives, we all have jobs/school/whatever, but if you want it badly enough, you get there early and you fucking wait it out.

i haven't been in the ellipse, but i have been front row on the outside rail, and i can tell you from personal experience that it's absolutely infuriating watching people who got to the arena 13 hours after me walk into the ellipse and suddenly be closer to the stage than me. how is that fair? i could've pissed the day away doing something else, but i didn't. i sat out in the cold and waited like a crazy person, hoping to get that perfect spot. people who got there before me deserved better spots, people who got there after me deserved worse spots.

first come, first served, no lotteries, no bitching.

 

[U2SavesTheWorld]

the lottery sucks, plain and simple. if you want to get into the ellipse, you wait it out. we all have lives, we all have jobs/school/whatever, but if you want it badly enough, you get there early and you fucking wait it out.

I want to marry this post.

 

[daygloeyes2]

No lottery.

And I was scanned in.

 

[Utoo]

People need to realize that the front row at a U2 concert is on the rail outside of the ellipse where first come first serve rules apply. The ellipse is an entirely different animal that the band is allowing lottery access to.

u2wedge, you took the words from my mouth.

 

[mcranston]

People need to realize that the front row at a U2 concert is on the rail outside of the ellipse where first come first serve rules apply. The ellipse is an entirely different animal that the band is allowing lottery access to.

This simply does not pan out. How is the Ellipse a separate entity? It is not. The concert and GA floor is one singular unit. The Ellipse, which is obviously a large premium area, should not be reserved for lottery winners or VIP. I think saying that the Ellipse is a separate sectopn is the equivalent of saying that the first 20 rows should be reserved with seated floor.

If the floor is general admission, fans should have the opportunity to be front row or last row depending on their effort. There is NO other way to committ to a fair system without doing first-come-first-served. It is an "effort" system -- those who put in enough effort get the rewards. Again, the "fairest" system can ONLY be measured through the effort of each individual fan.

the lottery sucks, plain and simple. if you want to get into the ellipse, you wait it out. we all have lives, we all have jobs/school/whatever, but if you want it badly enough, you get there early and you fucking wait it out.

Reiterating my point.

I got to four Vertigo shows. Ellipse for three, floor for one. And I'm still opposed to the lottery.

Mike

p.s. I don't understand why people say "everyone bitches about GA anyways". Maybe I'm wrong, but during Elevation, I never heard anyone complain that there shouldn't be first-come-first-serve.

 

[Utoo]

Maybe I'm wrong, but during Elevation, I never heard anyone complain that there shouldn't be first-come-first-serve.

The band did. That's the issue. They got tired of seeing the same people night after night, as well as seeing people leave shows early to camp out for the next night's show. That's the whole reason for the lottery---not to make it more "fair" for fans, but to change up the scenery for the band.

Admittedly, the lottery didn't work perfectly, as some people got in tons of times, while others never did.

Whatever happens next tour, I'd say we should expect either 1). the same system, or 2). something more amenable to fans while still keeping the goal of variety/randomness in 'scenery' for the band.

 

[Roland of Gilead]

The lottery was stress-free for me. I never made it to the building till 7:20pm . I had a family and other commitments to make before I could make it to the show. I went to the building happily intent on being around the soundboard area. The fact that I was going to be 1 of 2000 people on the floor inside a building holding 20,000 people total was bliss to me. Being scanned "Vertigo" was icing on the cake so to speak.

This was an opportunity that I would not of had and I am glad that U2 recognizes that I don't have to stand at a building all day to show my dedication to the band in order to be in the ellipse.

 

[u2wedge]

This simply does not pan out. How is the Ellipse a separate entity? It is not. The concert and GA floor is one singular unit. The Ellipse, which is obviously a large premium area, should not be reserved for lottery winners or VIP. I think saying that the Ellipse is a separate sectopn is the equivalent of saying that the first 20 rows should be reserved with seated floor.

If the floor is general admission, fans should have the opportunity to be front row or last row depending on their effort. There is NO other way to committ to a fair system without doing first-come-first-served. It is an "effort" system -- those who put in enough effort get the rewards. Again, the "fairest" system can ONLY be measured through the effort of each individual fan.

Please explain to me how fans did not have an opportunity to be front row this tour... be specific and don't generalize with an opinion.

Again... front row was defined for this year's U2 arena shows as the rail outside the ellipse. Those of us who were in the GA lines had first come first served access to that location on the floor. U2 decided to give lottery access this tour to the ellipse area. Why people think this is bad I do not know. If you're on the rail or in the middle of the ellipse you're pretty much the same distance from the band.

 

[mcranston]

Please explain to me how fans did not have an opportunity to be front row this tour... be specific and don't generalize with an opinion.

I don't believe I said fans didn't have an opportunity to be front row Ellipse. I'll do my best to be as unbiased as I can (but to be honest this is still my personal opinion):

Fans did have an opportunity to be front row of course, that wasn't my point. But most, do not. (k I have to be a bit biased now) And I personally feel that fans who wait the longest should have the option of being in the Ellipse or at the tip.

There is no way to "measure" who is a bigger fan. But if you have to, simply the best way to do it is for those who are willing to wait the longest. I believe this is most fair to all GA holders and give EVERY GA holder a viable shot at getting in the Heart/Ellipse.

So, I guess I was biased, sorry. But as succinctly as I can ... I really feel first-come-first-serve is the only adequate way of deciding who should and should not be in the Ellipse.

Now, please don't misinterpret me as saying if I don't get in the Ellipse I stand on the floor pouting. A U2 show is a U2 show and will always be amazing. But for the couple shows I go to, I am willing to do whatever is necessary to get into the Ellipse. And the system simply frustrated me that I had no control over that.

That's about as specific as my exam-ridden brain can concoct at the moment. (And I know I didn't succeed in giving an objective account).

Mike

p.s. I do give the lottery credit for one thing: I've never been more excited in my life when I saw "Vertigo! Vertigo! Vertigo! Vertigo!" on my ticket ... especially considering I had set myself up for seeing "proceed to floor".

 

[Utoo]

There is no way to "measure" who is a bigger fan. But if you have to, simply the best way to do it is for those who are willing to wait the longest. I believe this is most fair to all GA holders and give EVERY GA holder a viable shot at getting in the Heart/Ellipse.

mcranston, ideally, I agree that this would be the best. However, the problem is that some people simply cannot wait in line all day due to other responsibilities. WAIT. No flames! I know---this point has been brought up before, and the response is always "We all have responsibilities; mine are just as important as yours, but I chose to go and wait in line." The thing is, that's really not true. Folks may argue that their college class was just as important as someone's job, but they skipped their class--you could skip your job. That's pretty silly (and don't take this the wrong way, college folk---I just graduated from college 4 years ago and am not that far removed from you). Some jobs simply can't be skipped. I'm finishing med school & will be working in a hospital starting this summer. Would me skipping out on my patients really be the same as what someone else might skip? Some, yes, but others, probably not. Or, what about the people here on Interference who are 14 or 15? Some of their parents might let them skip school & go, but I doubt that all--or even most--would let them do that. Some of these kids are "bigger" fans than half everyone else on here, but not all of them can wait in line all day.

Like you said, there is no way to judge who is a bigger U2 fan (and, therefore, who should get the ellipse). The ability & decision to wait in line really isn't a great option at all to judge that.

To be honest, giving a chance to folks who can't wait in line isn't even the reason why I'm pro-lottery. Being the blindly following sucker that I am , I'm actually for it for the band's reason---to give different people a chance to be up close (to the fans' and the band's benefit)--even if it doesn't work perfectly.

I camped out all day at the show I had GA for. Still, I just wanted to point out that there really is an argument for the folks who can't camp out.

 

[Liesje]

I camped out all day at the show I had GA for. Still, I just wanted to point out that there really is an argument for the folks who can't camp out.

Sure there's an arguement, but it's a pretty stupid one, IMO. Yeah, a U2 show IS NOT as important as the life of a patient. That's why there's seats so people who don't want to skip work or can't skip work can show up at 9pm and still see the show. Actually, there's more reserved seats right up along the stage than there are rail spots on the floor, IMO. I dunno, I just find the "well, my job is more important" argument pretty lame. I mean, think of what you could do with that arguement - I've always wanted to go on a cruise but I can't b/c of work so why doesn't the cruise ship just sail itself up the Atlantic and down through the Great Lakes and pick me up b/c people depend on me at my job? Yeah, right Logically, why don't these super-important people just buy seats? There's more cheap seats available than floor spots anyway, so the arguement specifically for the floor doesn't hold up.

I know a lot of people are happy enough w/ the lottery, but I still can't find one decent arguement against first come first serve. And I'm someone who beat the ellipse odds b/c I got in 3 out of 6.

 

[angel_28]

I vote yes...and no its not because i got in this time.

I always liked the lottery...because i'm not the kinda person to sleep outside all night long just so i can be first, or in the Elipse...i got to this concert at 12:30...i would have never had a chance at all being in the Elipse coming at that time...but unfortuneatly thats the earliest i could get there...and i knew with the lottery and being a U2.com member i had just a fair shot has anyone else.

Has with it being first come first serve forget it...i would have been severly out numbered....and its good for people who work who get out late...or for the people who can only afford one show...like moi this year ....may has well get the best right?

I say the lottery should stay gives the rest of us a fighting chance of seeing our favorite band up close...if only once...but its so worth it....and its a memory that lasts forever

 

[Lemonfix]

Sure there's an arguement, but it's a pretty stupid one, IMO. Yeah, a U2 show IS NOT as important as the life of a patient. That's why there's seats so people who don't want to skip work or can't skip work can show up at 9pm and still see the show. Actually, there's more reserved seats right up along the stage than there are rail spots on the floor, IMO. I dunno, I just find the "well, my job is more important" argument pretty lame. I mean, think of what you could do with that arguement - I've always wanted to go on a cruise but I can't b/c of work so why doesn't the cruise ship just sail itself up the Atlantic and down through the Great Lakes and pick me up b/c people depend on me at my job? Yeah, right Logically, why don't these super-important people just buy seats? There's more cheap seats available than floor spots anyway, so the arguement specifically for the floor doesn't hold up.

Yup. No one is MAKING you get GA's to a U2 show. If you can't wait all day get seats. And sure, it ISN'T fair that you couldn't get off work to wait in line. Just like it isn't fair that the U2 fan who lives in South Dakota has to travel long distances if he wants to see a show. Or that the 15 year old fan needs to make special arrangements--just to get to a show in his own city--that most of us adults don't have to. Or that 9 month pregnant fans or fans with disabilities can't enjoy GA.

And honestly I doubt the band instituted the lottery to make things "more fair", they did it to keep people from camping out and to get new people in the ellipse. I really don't think they succeeded in doing either.

 

[Utoo]

If you can't wait all day get seats.

Fine---but that's heading down a bad path. If you can't wait all day, you don't deserve GA--get seats. How about the people who can wait all day, want GA, but end up getting seats because GAs sold out. Should these people be given GA? Should GAs only be sold to people who can wait out in line all day?

Sounds kind of ridiculous (or maybe not to you), but it really is the next step in the "if you can't wait all day, get seats" argument. If GAs were only sold to people who could and would camp out all day, two crappy things would happen:

1). With more people willing and able to camp out, you'll now have to camp out even longer to get up front. (Weekend on the street, anyone?)

2). A hell of a lot more fans would be pissed off than there were with a lottery.

Like u2wedge said, the new front row is the rail. The Ellipse is now something entirely different, something the band controls.

There actually are good arguments against first-come-first-served. They've been presented in this thread and in dozens like it over the last year. You'll agree or disagree based on what you're willing to do, what applies to you, and what you've experienced. The reason why everyone clings to the idea of first-come-first-served, and why so many people think it's infallible, is because it's the way things have been done at rock concerts for the last 50 years (though that doesn't mean it's perfect or good). Had we had a lottery for the last 50 years, we'd all think that was the way it should be, too.

 

[oliveu2cm]

First Come.

Thank you.