[QUOTE=BBQchef33;1293960]i voted for BOTH, small and Big.

The reasoning is simple.. Small contests turn into bigger contests each year.

The attendance at our Sayville contest increased by 30% each year. Ignore the small contests, and let them die off due to lack of attention and support and all that will be left are the standard established contests with no new blood or growth.[/QUhappOTE]

I totally agree... I enjoy cooking at small contests that become bigger contests...Because the people involved are listening to the needs of the Quers and public and trying improve each year....meaning it gets better each year....something to look forward to...in the case of Blues, Views and BBQ, Westport CT...sad to say it's not going to happen...it was my favorite...and around the time of my BD...may be going to Harvard this year...

Yours in BBQ,

Cliff

I'm new to the nuances of BBQ politics, but I dont compete for the prize money. In fact, I only compete once per year. If I do well, I'm happy. If I dont, I had a good time. What I have seen is that the KCBS seems to add additional constraints to smaller contests which create a great environment for traveling teams who are shopping for points. Whats lost is the hometown feel of the contests where the teams are competing against others in their neighborhood/city. I think the KCBS should stay out of the small town contests except as a rules guideline and to create excitement for regional contests by inviting the winners to larger events.

OK...I'm ready to get hammered on this. Go for it.

KCBS doesn't put on a contest. They have nothing to invite anyone to.

Just curious - What you mean by additional constraints ?

Remember - the contest organizer chooses to be KCBS sanctioned, it's not a requirement. If an organizer wants a local feel & local teams only, they don't need to get KCBS support which aside from the rules/scoring also makes the contest known to a broader pool of teams outside the local area.

Good point, but the main idea is still valid. The excitement of local competition is lost when the bulk of the competitors are not even from the same state/region. The small local contests were built on just that...local competition. I argue that KCBS is discouraging new competitors by helping to justify traveling troupes who overtake the local contest and make no room for the locals. If the KCBS were to concentrate on the medium and large competitions, this would give the small time guy something to aspire to without being immediately crushed in their local competition by they guys that won the Jack Daniels last year.

True, the organizer does not need to have their contest be KCBS sanctioned. However, in today's world, you are not likely to be regarded as a real competition unless you get it. On the other hand, the rules are a great tool on how to run a contest. Additionally, the organizers always want their contest to grow and become a major competition. What I'm saying is that some contests were better in their infancy than they are now, while others have grown so much that they are well-respected regional and national competitions. The KCBS may be inadvertently assisting the organizers in losing sight of their original intent.

Respectfully, I don't think the the main idea is valid. What determines the geographic area that is still acceptable to be classified as "local" ? 5 miles ? 10 miles ? 50 miles ? The local teams have the same opportunity to submit an application in a timely manner as anyone else. The small time guy is gonna lose either way if his/her BBQ is not up to par no matter where the teams are from. Most teams who travel are not pulling in with mobile homes.. They are towing the same small to mid size cargo trailers as everyone else.

You're point rest solely with the contest organizer or all the teams who support it.

By constraints...
The biggie...If you want to be considered a real contest, you must be KCBS sanctioned.

If a contest doesn't reach 50 teams, I don't think it's going to draw many teams that are chasing points.

Second, I think it is up to the organizer how big any contest will become. If they have a good date, location, prize list, make it cooker friendly, and do a good job promoting the event...it's going to grow.

If you want to see a local contest stay small, then I'd suggest talking to the organizer about limiting the # of entries and make sure that your friends in neighbors get their checks in early. I just don't see any role for KCBS in doing that.

BBQ competition has grown so much in the past 25 years that I have been involved in it. I'm not saying I know how it all works because I dont have time (or the money) to hit more than one competition per year, even though I wish I could.

I'm posting a theoretical argument that I hope will create conversation to make the competition future better for both those that are the masters of BBQ, and the guy doing his first competition.

My argument is that there needs to be a niche for the first timer to get a glimmer of success by not competing with 100 other teams who may get an 8 because they had a really terrible day.

Well, it's different in different regions. I'm sure in Kansas there are lots of events. Here in the northeast teams drive several hundred miles to a contest because they have to, not because they are point whores. :-P There are cuirrently NO contests in my home state, so I am always an "out of state" team. If I limited myself to events within a 2 hour drive, I could do 3 events a year max.

Anyway, I think KCBS needs to continue to sanction both large and small contests, and promote the sport. I don't see why these have to be mutually exclusive activities.

The big entry fees at the mega events mostly go to event expenses and back to the teams as payouts. Does KCBS really benefit more (in terms of revenue) at a single contest with 200 judges vs. 4 contests with 50 judges?

Earlier I forgot that KCBS does have the competitor, or competition, sanctioning available.


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Ford... ask me after UP Hog Wild :crazy: As many of you know, I sit as an organizer in a VERY small market, with almost no corporate suport left due to a hard hit local economy.... Add on to it the fact that we are trying to bring Q to a region it hasn't been before... and that we are 150 miles away from our closest other KCBS competition. In conversaton amongst organizers we have found that unless you are doing at least $10,000 in prize money, you are not going to have the magic to draw the teams.... So we have to try to do EVERYTHING the absolute best that we can to attract both teams and judges..... Add on to that the fact that we also have to do EVERYTHING we can to draw in thousands of guests through the addmission gates...... music, car shows, rides and games..... Let me find that avitar again :crazy:.... But we do it for the kid's charities we try to support... and the love of the friendship we have found in the bbq community. It's wonderful to see the sport growing..... and I have learned to accept the reality of the limits we face here in the UP.

Its all about the money. Sadly we may see the contest for the average guy slowly disappear. When we saw kcbs shed theyre not for profit status we saw the end of an era. Now its all about TOY tv shows and big sponsorship. Maybe its time for a new Organization to sprout up and become what kcbs should be. In all fairness there have been some improvements like a working website. But it all goes back to my origional statement. Its all about the money.

Wouldn't that be nice. Especially given the circumstances here in AZ lately.