There's really no experiment when it comes to giving things away for free. You're right - the moron brigade comes a runnin' every single time. That's precisely why both sides should have realized bad things were going to happen. Even if it had been half-price admission, there still would have been throngs of people - just not as many.
Wait a second...
Q-100....
Q-Bot....
Q-100....
Q-Bot....
Coincidence?
Muah ahahahahahaha
Lord Gonchar said: Nope, but it proves people want to go.
Want something bad enough and eventually you find a way to get it.
The best proof of that might be the number of $35 season passes sold that day.