New York Comic Con will be upon us in less than three weeks. The panel list is already up and there are still Thursday tickets available if you’ve decided to make a last minute purchase.
NYCC has once again brought back the lottery system for some of the activities inside of the convention. If you’re interested in certain exclusive toys, cast autographs, and Main Stage panels then you want to take a chance to snag an entry into the events during the convention from the comfort of your own home.
What is the NYCC Pre-Show Lottery?
Once upon a time, there were a lot of autographs on the schedule that were not available for purchase before the show. That meant con-goers wanting to get something personalized had to show up extremely early the day of the autographs, get into a line, and hope they make it past the cut-off point.
The same held true for the Main Stage panels which required lining up early to receive a wristband, allowing individuals to return before the panel was set to start.
NYCC continues to tweak their attempts to divide, conquer, and dispell the lines. Instead of solely relying on attendees to show up at the crack of dawn, they are offering the option to get spots long before stepping foot in the Javits Center.
Like last year, for the Main Stage panels, 50% of the seats will be awarded to individuals entering the pre-show lottery. Unfortunately, all autographs (except the ones you can purchase ahead of time HERE) will only be available through the pre-show lottery.
The good news is that some exhibitors have opted to have a virtual standby line, which will require attendees to go to the booth, tap their badge, and then wait to receive a text message in the event there is excess availability.
What do I need to do to qualify?
Other than have a badge, attendees wanting to participate in the pre-show lottery must activate their badge because that is where the “tickets” will be stored.
Long gone are the days of wristbands or actual paper tickets! If you have not yet received your badge you can still enter the lottery now, but in order to redeem your tickets at the show, you will need to activate the badge before trying to get into panels, autographs, or in line for exclusives.
All attendees entering the pre-show lottery have to be Fan Verified. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it.
New this year, Press and Industry badges are only eligible to enter into the lottery for Main Stage panel seats. This means that those two badge types are not able to enter into lotteries for private autograph signings or for exhibitor exclusives.
#NYCC lotteries are now open! They will be open from Thursday, Sept. 13 – Monday, Sept. 24 at 5PM 🎫 Remember: no need to rush! Take your time when filling out your lotteries. Once you have submitted, you will not be able to edit. Start here: https://t.co/cD8xJ0u2ZE pic.twitter.com/HFhzUwTtD7
— New York Comic Con (@NY_Comic_Con) September 13, 2018
How does it work?
Ah yes, now comes the slightly tricky part. Remember, the pre-show lottery is for (1) a seat in a panel taking place on the Main Stage, (2) a ticket to a limited autographing session with the casts from some of your favorite movies and TV shows, and (3) a chance to purchase exhibitor exclusives from Funko, Fisher Price, and more. Everything else you can think of will occur on site.
The lottery will open from Thursday, September 13 and remain open until Monday, September 24 at 5:00 PM/ET so that everyone has the opportunity to enter for a chance to win.
Starting September 14th you can visit THIS PAGE to enter the lottery.
You will enter your fan verified e-mail and the events will be separated into two categories, Panels & Private Autographs and Exhibitor Exclusives. Those badge types that have been previously mentioned as being excluded will only see panels listed.
You can then select events under each group until you have hit the maximum. Fans can enter for a chance to win up to (5) Panels & Private Autographing Sessions and (2) Exhibitor Exclusives, per day.
You can win up to four spots for the panel on the Main Stage, one spot for the limited autographing session (down from the two you could win last year), and one spot for the exhibitor exclusive.
For the panel spots, you can reserve tickets for your Fan Verified friends. Once you’ve selected the events you want to enter, you’ll then be asked to enter your friends’ Fan Verified email address for them to attend the panel with you (if you win). So make sure to have them on hand for anyone you’d like in attendance with you!
After you have selected your group size for all of your selections you will submit your entry into the lottery and then… you wait!
When will I know if I’ve won?
All winners will be notified by Friday, September 28 at 5:00 PM ET. You will be e-mailed a unique link that will give you all the information you need to confirm your participation and make sure your friends get their tickets loaded onto their badges.
You will not be notified if you lost.
What happens at the con?
If you are a winner, congrats! You have overcome one of the last obstacles standing between you and NYCC. All of your event tickets will be loaded onto your badge and all you have to do is tap it when you arrive at each event. You will be able to see what you’ve won in your Fan Verification Hub.
For all limited signings and exhibitor exclusives, you will want to arrive no more than 15 minutes before the start time. For the Main Stage panels, you will need to arrive 35 minutes prior to the panel start time in the 1C Queue Hall in order to get in. Miss these times and you could forfeit your entry into your hard-won events.
In Summary…
If you want to get autographs, be guaranteed entry to Main Stage panels, or nab some exhibitor exclusives then you will need to enter the NYCC Pre-Show Lottery. It started Thursday, September 13 and will remain open until Monday, September 24.
You can enter to win a certain number of tickets each day but there is a limit, so choose wisely. We will be sure to keep you posted if anything changes. Keep an eye on the blog for more NYCC updates as we approach the convention weekend!
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