http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-burning-man-tix-.story

This is bullshit.

“The ticket lottery came after a major reorganizing of Burning Man’s business structure, in which the six original organizers transferred ownership of the event, which spends millions of dollars annually on infrastructure, office space and a staff of 42, to a nonprofit board of 17 members, Black Rock City.

“We don’t see the lottery as a failure,” said Marian Goodell, director of business and communications for Black Rock City and a founding board member of Burning Man. “An open sale wouldn’t have been able to take into account the long-standing family and teamwork either. A lottery seemed more equitable. We are aware of the issues and challenges, and all elements of our solutions will come from the community.” 

Ticketing is a necessity; though Burning Man takes place in an open desert, traffic concerns, environmental reviews and infrastructure costs limit capacity. However, veteran burners knew of last year’s sellout and could have prepared to be among the first to buy tickets using the first come, first served method. Some say that the lottery solved a problem that didn’t really exist.

“I don’t know of anyone who last year intended to go and couldn’t because they didn’t get a ticket,” Doherty said. “What the organizers did was a big solution to a small problem.””

Ownership has not been transferred, and may never be transferred. It depends. But it does seem to me that it’s a “small solution to a BIG PROBLEM.”

see LA times for details