Safer Sex Ballot

Tickets for this year’s Safer Sex Ball will be allocated in a lottery-style ballot system, The Tab has learned.

Under Rag’s new plan, students wanting to go to Exeter’s greatest social event will have a four day window starting on Monday to register for a pair of tickets.

Names will then be selected at random and those lucky enough to be allocated tickets will receive a confirmation email. They will have to collect tickets in person from the Guild Information Point.

Any uncollected tickets will be put into a second round ballot for those who missed out first time round.

The Tab understands the new sale scheme is still subject to approval from the ticket provider. However, if it is agreed, ticket registration will open at 12pm on Monday 12 November.

The move comes after the previous ticket sale system left students frustrated when the website hosting the sale crashed. Last year, tickets were allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.

Alex Latham, a third year PPE student, said: “It’s good that this gives everyone a chance to experience a great night out, but it’ll be really awkward if some people you are planning to go with miss out.”

Ticket registration opens on Monday 12 November and closes on Thursday 15 November. Ballot winners will be notified on Friday.

Sophie Hay, third year English, said: “At least the website probably won’t crash and we won’t have to get up at 9am.”

However, Mike Goodacre, a third year economics student, said: “It’s not an efficient allocation method as it doesn’t give the tickets to those who want them most. They’d be better off putting them on eBay and giving the extra to charity.”

The new system aims to avert the confusion of last year’s online sale, which was itself brought in to replace a queuing system where students waited in person to buy tickets.

Michael Franklin, a third year undergraduate, said: “With any large scale event which has such high demand, there is never a perfect way to distribute tickets that neither penalises anyone or can be deemed unfair. Last year’s SSB had a huge debacle over ticket sites crashing and students being in large queues to try and get tickets.

“Rag are in a difficult position and I believe they chose a responsible and fair method, and as long as there is a re-sale forum, I believe it is a marked improvement from last year.”

The Safer Sex Ball launch party takes place tomorrow night at Exeter Castle. Those with tickets to the sold-out black tie event will have guaranteed access to tickets for the main SSB.

Acts for the SSB will be announced on Monday 26 November. The Tab thoroughly encourages you to do everything you can to get a ticket for the main event on Monday 10 December.