The tickets pay for several things including the permits to hold the event on federal land, the setup and cleanup of basic infrastructure, and the maintenance o

The tickets pay for several things including the permits to hold the event on federal land, the setup and cleanup of basic infrastructure, and the maintenance of basic facilities such as porta-potties. They publish a great breakdown of where the money goes here: http://burningman.org/event/preparation/ticket-money/ http://burningman.org/event/preparation/ticket-money/