Please help us decide what we should do?

We’ve heard your feedback loud and clear and can assure that our focus for 2012 is locked in tight. It’s a big time of year at the Pickathon HQ, one that sets the tone for the next 10 or so months. Site planning, performer selection and booking…major decisions around every corner.

The post-2011 feedback has given us a great deal to consider and the first item we want to discuss is a big one for us.

What path we should proceed to become financially sustainable as an organization over the long term?

In reading your comments, talking to numerous people, and working through endless brainstorming sessions there seems to be two clear options on how we can move forward:

Long Term Sustainability Option #1
Limit the growth of Pickathon and offset the growth with increased ticket prices. The idea would be to give up ~25% of our original final projected crowd size for an increase in ticket price by ~25%.

How would this affect 2012?

Ticket prices: $160(early bird) – $190(final online ticket price)

Growth: 0-10% vs. 2011 attendance.

Commentary: Limited growth alongside specific venue and camping improvements will allow for more overall comfort on a per-person basis. It also means we are highly likely to sellout for the first time in 2012 before the gates open.

Long Term Sustainability Option #2
Grow the total audience size of Pickathon between 2011 and 2013 by around 33-40% more than 2011.

How would this affect 2012?

Ticket prices: 130(early bird)-145(final online ticket price)

Growth: 20-25% vs. 2011

Commentary: Tickets would be more accessible, and the overall density would increase. To offset the increased attendance we would continue to more dramatically expand venues and camping options.

It is important to note for a point of reference that even if we were to implement Long Term Sustainability Option #2, Pickathon would still be under 4x the density of many other major comparable music festivals.

Either way we go, we will not change our core values.

We still believe that Pickathon can make it to the point of long term sustainability by being dedicated to providing the best music in the most inspiring settings one can imagine, listening to everyone with good ideas, making yearly improvements to all aspects of the site, and being open to new possibilities that may arise.

Let us know your thoughts and please note that we will continue to post more major questions for everyone to weigh in over the upcoming weeks.

We’ll see you next August 3-5th!