Author Topic: Hall H Lottery?  (Read 15374 times)

Offline Transmute Jun

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Re: Hall H Lottery?
« Reply #15 on: January 28, 2014, 01:47:40 PM »
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Actually, if they want to do something ENFORCE the "No Camping" rule.

I agree completely. Chase everyone away, allow no congregating on Convention Center/city property until a certain time in the morning (6 am?) and get the Hilton to enforce people staying off of their property as well. Pay for security guards to do this.

Offline YouThinkMeMad

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Re: Hall H Lottery?
« Reply #16 on: January 28, 2014, 01:55:52 PM »
They already have security, it's just that no one does anything. CCI needs to be clear with the rules, to everyone. When I camped out last year there were a number of security people out and about watching the line.

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Re: Hall H Lottery?
« Reply #17 on: Today at 04:11:01 AM »

Offline DaveG

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Re: Hall H Lottery?
« Reply #17 on: January 28, 2014, 02:28:23 PM »
A no camping policy would be very difficult to enforce.  I know last year on Thursday they kept telling people that they were not going to start a line for Friday until Thursday panels were done.  So people spent hours just "hovering" and "circling" the area prepared to swoop in on any line that started to form.  Finally, a group of people decided that if SDCC wouldn't form a line, they would.  If eventually became the official line because no one in security wanted to argue with a large number of people.  If they dispersed the line, it just would have formed elsewhere.  I hate to say this, but some attendees can get quite argumentative if you try to threaten their right to start a line.

I think more enforcement is needed around holding spots in line.  I can think of several ways to do this, but they all require a little effort on CCI's part.  I've seen people post suggestions that at least 50% of a group should be in line at all times.  I totally support that and think it's enforceable and would actually reduce some of the campers who can no longer save a spot for their 10 friends who first stroll up around 6am.

Offline oneroomdisco

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Re: Hall H Lottery?
« Reply #18 on: January 28, 2014, 03:15:41 PM »
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They already have security, it's just that no one does anything. CCI needs to be clear with the rules, to everyone. When I camped out last year there were a number of security people out and about watching the line.
Was this under the tents/near the tents?

I was out near the water (got in line around 11pm Friday night) and I rarely saw anyone monitoring the line. There were a few bike cops who went by (they didn't look like convention center security), but we were largely on our own. Most people seemed to follow the rules, but it is rather frustrating when CCI does things to try and make extreme camping less appealing (like banning tents) and there's no one there to actually enforce those rules. (There was a very large and very obvious tent right by the water).

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I think more enforcement is needed around holding spots in line.  I can think of several ways to do this, but they all require a little effort on CCI's part.  I've seen people post suggestions that at least 50% of a group should be in line at all times.  I totally support that and think it's enforceable and would actually reduce some of the campers who can no longer save a spot for their 10 friends who first stroll up around 6am.
Oh definitely. For all the line policing we as attendees manage to do, it's still really tough when some groups just grow and grow and grow as it gets closer to showtime.

Offline omraged9

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Re: Hall H Lottery?
« Reply #19 on: January 28, 2014, 03:17:58 PM »
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A no camping policy would be very difficult to enforce.  I know last year on Thursday they kept telling people that they were not going to start a line for Friday until Thursday panels were done.  So people spent hours just "hovering" and "circling" the area prepared to swoop in on any line that started to form.  Finally, a group of people decided that if SDCC wouldn't form a line, they would.  If eventually became the official line because no one in security wanted to argue with a large number of people.  If they dispersed the line, it just would have formed elsewhere.  I hate to say this, but some attendees can get quite argumentative if you try to threaten their right to start a line.

I think more enforcement is needed around holding spots in line.  I can think of several ways to do this, but they all require a little effort on CCI's part.  I've seen people post suggestions that at least 50% of a group should be in line at all times.  I totally support that and think it's enforceable and would actually reduce some of the campers who can no longer save a spot for their 10 friends who first stroll up around 6am.

Sounds like a great idea to me. They should also make it more strict about not saving spots for too many people. Like one person can save the spot for just one other person, instead of for 10 other people. I also wish they would do this for seat saving as well. It's frustrating when one person takes, like, one whole row of seats for their friends.

Offline YouThinkMeMad

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Re: Hall H Lottery?
« Reply #20 on: January 28, 2014, 04:28:29 PM »
I was under the tents. I can't speak for the line off convention center property but we talked to security a few times during the night about line cutters, so they are around.

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Re: Hall H Lottery?
« Reply #21 on: January 28, 2014, 10:43:29 PM »
I was under the tents too and there was security starting in the afternoon on Saturday.  We werent allowed on the grass until a certain time so they kept tell us to get on the sidewalk instead (which seemed weird because we were blocking the sidewalk).  They also blocked off the area between the line and Hall H during the night and sort of did crowd management as it got closer to sunrise and more and more people started to show up.

I don't think the no camping rule would work.  People would just start lurking awkwardly all night long and when they got run off they'd just, like, circle the block and come back.  People (*cough* me? *cough*) are persistent. 

Offline birmabang

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Re: Hall H Lottery?
« Reply #22 on: January 29, 2014, 04:22:22 AM »
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I do not attempt Ballroom 20 or Hall H because there is too much I have already on the plate and I prefer not to camp all night. I applaud those who do though and with that said if there is a possible lottery I think it would be hard to implement because of families & couples. I would be agreeable to small portion of the room is allocated for a lottery or sorts or VIP. I would say no more than 15-20% though.

I was thinking this would be just the "ticket" to satisfy most folks.  Say leave 500 seats up for a lottery drawing held every two hours or something, and then that would allow the more casual fan the opportunity to attend some of the Hall H events.

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Re: Hall H Lottery?
« Reply #23 on: January 29, 2014, 04:23:32 AM »

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I was thinking this would be just the "ticket" to satisfy most folks.  Say leave 500 seats up for a lottery drawing held every two hours or something, and then that would allow the more casual fan the opportunity to attend some of the Hall H events.
Nice idea.
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Offline YouThinkMeMad

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Re: Hall H Lottery?
« Reply #24 on: January 29, 2014, 05:52:17 AM »
Ya know, maybe if they didn't put up the tents, it might keep *some* people from not camping. I doubt they'd ever do it but just another random idea. LOL

Offline birmabang

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Re: Hall H Lottery?
« Reply #25 on: January 29, 2014, 06:05:54 AM »
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Ya know, maybe if they didn't put up the tents, it might keep *some* people from not camping. I doubt they'd ever do it but just another random idea. LOL

This is San Diego we're talking about, so Tents or no, being outside overnight is not exactly like the Scott Antarctic Expedition!

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Re: Hall H Lottery?
« Reply #26 on: January 29, 2014, 06:17:51 AM »
It was actually pretty chilly last year but at night, a tent really doesn't do much unless it rains.  It's just as soon as people see those tents, they start lurking and trying to line up.

Honestly, if CCI wanted to keep people from camping, they could. They'd have to be huge jerks about it though. Maybe if you're warned more than once you lose your badge. Maybe you aren't eligible for pre-reg. Maybe you're just banned from Hall H for the day. It COULD be done, but they'd have to look like bad guys.

Offline SyndE

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Re: Hall H Lottery?
« Reply #27 on: January 29, 2014, 06:44:26 AM »
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If they want to do something, then SELL tickets. Maybe have a VIP option or something but a lottery? No.

Ugh. I wouldn't want to see SDCC turn into Wizard World or NYCC or Creation Entertainment with VIP packages. Especially since CCI is a registered non-profit.

However... how about a paid lottery (with low buy-in, like $3 per chance) where the proceeds to go organizations like the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, or an org that helps out Golden Age comic book creators with medical bills, or even something like Make-A-Wish? I'd feel better about dropping $20 for a chance to see the Marvel Hall H Panel if I knew that if I didn't get in, the money I spent to try would go to something worthwhile.

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Re: Hall H Lottery?
« Reply #28 on: January 29, 2014, 07:25:35 AM »
Even I, a hardcore Hall H line camper, would be fine with 500 or so tickets being up for grabs in a raffle system.  Rent (the broadway show, you know, seasons of love etc etc) has a similar system were they give away seats.  The first 2-3 rows of every performance are reserved for young people who show up the day of the show.  They are super cheap, too.  Like $30 verses the $150something (it's been 5 years I've forgotten the exact details) I paid for the first row behind them.  It's a way for them to promote the arts among young people in NYC who might not be able to afford $100+ a ticket.  You get front row way cheap but you can't reserve in advance and if too many people show up you don't get a seat.  In this case I'd be paying for my seat with time camped out instead of cash, but I'd have a for sure seat versus the people who are entering a raffle/showing up the day of the show and hoping for a seat.  I really didn't mind that the people in front of me showed up without a plan and paid less because they risked not getting a seat and I had had one guaranteed like a month in advance.  It was worth it for me at the time.

ps rent is fabulous go see it if you're in nyc   ;D

Offline YouThinkMeMad

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Re: Hall H Lottery?
« Reply #29 on: January 29, 2014, 07:35:41 AM »
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Ugh. I wouldn't want to see SDCC turn into Wizard World or NYCC or Creation Entertainment with VIP packages. Especially since CCI is a registered non-profit.

However... how about a paid lottery (with low buy-in, like $3 per chance) where the proceeds to go organizations like the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, or an org that helps out Golden Age comic book creators with medical bills, or even something like Make-A-Wish? I'd feel better about dropping $20 for a chance to see the Marvel Hall H Panel if I knew that if I didn't get in, the money I spent to try would go to something worthwhile.


The money they charged for VIP could be donated as well.

And I'm saying all of this just to play Devil's Advocate.