This discussion post was spawned through discussions between ecosystem agents. We think that to fully leverage Decoded as an event close to ETH CC, we should reduce barriers for participation as much as possible. We post this for discussion to gather feedback.

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*Should Polkadot Decoded 2024 tickets for on-site participants be free to attract more ETH CC participants and should the costs be covered from the excess funds of Ref 477?*

Voting AYE on this proposal will instruct Decentered Studios to implement this amendment to Ref 477. Voting NAY will leave the conditions as agreed in Ref 477.

## Summary

This on-chain signaling vote seeks to amend Ref 477 to offer free on-site tickets for Polkadot Decoded 2024 in Brussels.

## Motivation

Polkadot Decoded 2024 is strategically placed in the same week and place as ETH CC, which is the biggest Ethereum conference in Europe. ETH CC visitors have a lot of free side event options available. The proposers think that asking for an entrance fee is prohibitive and will prevent a lot of potential prospects to not attending Decoded. Ref 477 mandates dynamic pricing starting at 99 EUR. Currently, tickets are being sold at 150 EUR. This conflicts with the objective of showcasing Polkadot technology to those outside of the ecosystem. We ask to make this event free for participants.

## Funding

Ref 477 asked for ~1.25m USD in DOT to cover event organization and all related expenses. Today, those DOTs were worth >1.8m USD. Ref 477 anticipates 800 on-site tickets to be sold. The minimum expected income is 800 * 100 EUR = 80k EUR (87k USD). 

## Implementation

If this proposal is accepted, Decentered is hereby instructed to

- make tickets free for users
- not charge no-show fees
- cover foregone fees up to 100k USD from excess Treasury DOT of Ref 477
- Decentered may offer more on-site tickets if they anticipate a significant change in no-show rate

## Method

This is an on-chain signaling vote. The Treasury from the Treasury. Acceptance of this proposal only signals that the amendment as described shall be executed by Decentered. To allow ample time for consideration and voting, we have opted for the small spender track. Echoing Giotto's approach in Referendum 535, this proposal does NOT seek additional funds, as the treasury itself is the beneficiary.

- Problem Statement: Should Polkadot Decoded 2024 offer free on-site tickets to attract more ETH CC participants and cover costs from excess funds of Ref 477?
- Significance: To reduce barriers for participation and showcase Polkadot technology to a wider audience.
- Proposed Solution: Offer free on-site tickets, not charge no-show fees, and cover foregone fees up to $100k from excess Treasury DOT of Ref 477.
- Expected Outcomes: Increase attendance, promote Polkadot technology, and align with the objective of showcasing the ecosystem to a broader audience.

#2229 Make Decoded tickets free for participants to attract ETH CC Brussels audience

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