Paying for entry fees

M

McEvoy AZ

Knows what a fatty is.
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I have a new team starting out and with all the expense of upgrading equipment and food. It is hard to come up with entry fees. Any word of advice from some of the more veteran team on creative ways they afford these fees before they started winning. I want to compete as much as possible and realistically I need a few more comps to hone my skills, in which once I quit making rookie mistakes I know I can compete on a high level.
 
How many people on the team? Split the entry fee and all other expenses directly related to the contest (meat and the such) by how many people on the team. This greatly reduces the overall expense for any one person. Just realize that whn it comes to cash prizes if you get a call, that get's split by however many paid into the contest.
 
split the entry fee with the team. any thing you win pays more entry fees. Entry fees are probably going to be your biggest cost, unless you need to travel 8+ hours to compete.
 
We cater events to cover our costs. Fundraising is fun too!
 
We decided to split everything this first year... And use these results to try to get a few sponsors for the next year... Hit up a car dealer for sponsorship & in return we cook for their special sales etc...
 
Think Little League Baseball and get small businesses to sponsor you. No need to chase the big company's if you are staying local within reason.

A Bail Bonds company or pawn shop would be a cool sponsor to have at a BBQ event and may even get some business out of it. lol


img_bail.jpg


bad%20news%20bears.jpg
 
Since my wife and I started into the BBQ thing we've had a blast doing it. I count it as the cost of playing. I'm always happy when we can break even or come close to breaking even. Of course I'm excluding the cost of the camper/truck/generator I bought to keep my teammate cool and or warm for contests.

Who are we kidding I'm losing my shirt....but having a great time doing it.
 
Running at this solo for now, but I really don't play much golf either. All solid advice though. I my try to do some catering.
 
The best advice you probably don't want to hear:

If you have to win to be able to afford to compete, don't.


For the vast majority of BBQ Teams, competing is a hobby, and an expensive one. Catering is a business where you must spend even more before you can make money. I would suggest that if you aren't financially able to pay your way and can't find folks to help you cover the costs that you should either stick to unsanctioned, low-entry events or look into joining an existing team that already has their finances in order.

I know it's a tough pill to swallow, but there it is.
 
If you're competing in AZ, as we did when we first started out, a lot of the events have People's Choice which means you can sell 2oz samples for which you make $1 of each one sold. That helped us offset the costs before we actually learned how to cook! LOL!
 
My wife's boss is our meat sponsor. He gets all the leftover meat after a comp. That frees up a ton of $$ for entries.

Maybe pre sell leftover meat?
 
CivilWarBBQ said:
The best advice you probably don't want to hear:

If you have to win to be able to afford to compete, don't.


For the vast majority of BBQ Teams, competing is a hobby, and an expensive one. Catering is a business where you must spend even more before you can make money. I would suggest that if you aren't financially able to pay your way and can't find folks to help you cover the costs that you should either stick to unsanctioned, low-entry events or look into joining an existing team that already has their finances in order.

I know it's a tough pill to swallow, but there it is.
Click to expand...

^^^^^This is what I wanted to say^^^^. This is an expensive HOBBY! Very few hobbies make the hobbiest money. If you've been around this forum for any time, then you've surely seen the numbers thrown out on weekend cost of $500 to $1000 or more. I'm not going to tell you to not pursue your heart's desire. That is up to you. I heard some say they can have a heck of a nice private party for $1000.

Good luck in whatever you decide to do.

Robert
 
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