Cheaters at the MoTab Christmas Concert.

Earlier this year before I deleted my entire blog I had a post titled cheaters of the church. Well it is a week away from entering for tickets for the Mormon tabernacle Christmas concert so I've decided to revisit this topic with more evidence of how members are getting an easy ticket or cheating at the system to secure their seats. I also want to let you know that even though I am starting this blog a week earlier than when the registration starts I'm not going to post it until the registration period ends. I don't want to decrease my chances of winning because I reminded someone to enter.

For the most part I think the lottery/drawing system the church ticket office has set up is fair. After alot of researching I have also found flaws and questionable integrity of the entire system that makes it unfair let me give you a couple of examples. First of all, all of the members of the Mormon tabernacle choir the orchestra actors maybe the sound and light crew all get tickets for whomever they would like to invite without entering the lottery.  Now this seems fair and I also believe it is fair but it hits a gray area for me. Say you have a member of the MoTab  that's been there for 10 years and gets tickets every year. He or she can't move over and let someone else receive tickets. Or a performer who is on their 3rd year of performing. Can they not move over and let someone else have a seat at the performance?  I think that should be my new ticket office slogan "move over let someone else have a seat"

Here are some evidence I've found on blogs of MoTab and performers receiving tickets without entering the drawing.

So these are actual screenshots of bloggers who have had the opportunity to go to the concert. I wanted to get evidence and ideas on how to increase my chances. Notice the supplier is in the MoTab and how often does she get tickets? Every YEAR! It doesn't really specify how many tickets they are able to acquire 

Again my frustration is not with performers or motab getting tickets it's the fact that they reserve them for them every year.  Can they not move over one year out of 3 and let more people who have tried for years to get tickets receive the opportunity to go.

Another thing that is unfair and is easily fixable is the ability to put multiple entries in for a small group of people who want tickets. For example you can get your aunt's, cousins, third uncle, half brother, 3rd daughters friend to all put in entries for you without any of them going. This happens every drawing. 

So did you catch that? Basically having a big family who have no intention of going is all you need to win.

This person didn't even know she was entered.  She probably hadn't even thought about it.

To help make the process more fair. The ticket office could put a statement on their website encouraging applicants to not enter  to increase another person's chances of winning. Only enter if you plan on attending.  Another idea is to have the persons name who is applying for the tickets on all of the tickets and require that they be in the party and have ID.

Those who work for the church and certain church leaders should not be guaranteed tickets

I have (I should say had) a friend who's dad worked for the church or had a leadership position. He was able to get tickets EVERY YEAR. and my friend was able to go twice because of his dad. He's never put in for the drawing but was still able to get tickets. 

I'm not sure what relationship my friends dad had with the church. I do remember my friend asking me if I wanted him to ask his dad if he could get us tickets. He shouldn't be getting tickets. If there are people out there who have put there names in continuously and have yet to go. All Leaders and workers should put their names in the drawing like everyone else

2 years ago KSL news bragged or talked about their news station receiving tickets. Again without entering a drawing like everyone else, they were able to take someone else's chances who has been waiting 5 years of putting in for the drawing or 29 years if your counting my age to go. I'm not the only one who's complaining either.

You and me both Josh. This will be my 6th year of entering and it's hard to keep losing when you know there are people who go every year. There are those who "cheat" to increase their chances.  Those who work for the church or hold leadership position keep their tickets every year instead of letting someone else have a shot. Keep going Josh you and I will make it there someday.
Unfortunately to Josh and I there are people who are lucky to win tickets almost every year

some people are just lucky. I am a believer in luck. It wasn't until I met a few "lucky" people.  There are those who just have the "lucky bug" but that's a toppic for another post. I congratulate this person for winning but they should move aside and let someone else win. An easy way to help prevent continuous winners is to ask them to wait a year before entering again.  

another example of a continuous winner. This one however cheated to get this result. This post is connected to the above post about having a big family across the country is all you need to win

This didn't make sense to me at first. Notice how she says she goes every year with her family. She also mentioned in a post that it's tradition for her family to go to the concert every year. At first I questioned how is this person getting tickets every year. I looked back four years and it was true. They really did have a tradition to go to the Christmas concert every year. Then I realized something.  Notice how she mentioned the next morning they headed to the concert?  There is one morning where there is a short version of the concert and a music and the spoken word and that's on Sunday.  I'm guessing that Sunday is not a desirable ticket.  You have to wake up early it's cold find a baby sitter.  I think they have found a way to go and that is through stand by on Sunday Morning.  So if you want a better chance of going put in for Sunday or go to stand by on Sunday.  

Does anyone find an Irony in this post.  Her family tradition is to go to the concert and break the Sabbath day? I'm not perfect I just thought that was oxymoronic to have a tradition to feel the Christmas spirit at the concert and go to fill your stomach with food you broke the Sabbath to obtain. 

One last thought.  I watched a few short segments of the concert on YouTube.  It may be just my imagination but does anyone else notice that a majority of the front middle rows of the conference center is of the older generation?  Do they reserve those seats for certain people every year?  Do they include those seats in the drawing or are they automatically reserved. Again something else that seems unfair with the whole ticket distribution

This year I decided I was going to cheat. My goal was 50 entries but I only got 10 people to help me. I've decided not to. I would be oxymoronic if I complained then did exactly what I was complaining about. I have my own entry my 6th one. I really hope I don't get that dumb email offering me a discount to the DVD. I want to see the real thing. For those who have lost know what I mean with the e-mail.

Good luck especially to those who are still waiting.