Glastonbury 2005 tickets...

Emily Eavis has just been on Radio 1, taking about how next year ticket sales are going to done differently. She's saying that no firm decision has been taken as yet, but that they're leaning towards a low-tech lottery type thing, where people send in their application, and presumably, the lucky ones are drawn out of the post sack.

But what a completely stupid idea!! Unless they plan to employ a huge team of people over months to key the details of each of half a million or so applications onto a database, to ensure that no one is applying more than once (and let's face it ... thats's not going to happen!!!), then the best way to get a ticket is to send in hundreds of applications each, thus increasing your chances! But of course, everyone else will do it too.

eFestivals predicted to the Festival the problems that would happen this year, when we were told of how ticketing would work. We were surprised to be told "there won't be any problems" ... huh!

BUT ... there is no perfect way to distribute a smaller number of tickets to a greater number of people. One thing that can be said for this years system is that those most dedicated at getting at ticket actually had the best chance of obtaining one, as the less determined gave up. The majority of those who lucked-out didn't try non-stop over the 23 hours and 40 minutes that tickets were available. And those who were still keen after that had opportunities to buy when further batches became available, when refunded duplicate purchases were put on sale.

If Emily's suggested system goes ahead, then everyone really does have an equal chance of attending, even if their interest is actually very low. Will this be good for the Festival that thrives on its fantastic atmosphere?

Remember 2002? With the new fence in place, thousands upon thousands of (honest - apart from fencejumping) people who normally came didn't believe they needed a ticket, and consequensely didn't get in. How was the atmosphere that year??

Why do tickets now sell out so fast? Did the event suddenly get five times more popular between 2002 and 2003? Or is that those who missed out in 2002 are determined to make sure they don't miss out again? How was the atmosphere in 2003 compared to 2002?

Michael : DO NOT DO IT!!! It'll change the atmosphere of the Festival completely. Find some other way, that gives those who have a determination to be at the Festival a chance to use that determination to get their ticket.

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