Why don't BBQ competitions pay REAL money???

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snyper77

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I'm new to Q, but one thing I've noticed is that competitions (on average) don't pay squat!

A few examples.....I was watching Pitmasters and they were saying "this is a big competition and draws people from all over, blah blah" and some of the main characters drove 1200 miles to compete.

The woman on the show (from Wood Chicks BBQ) won 5th place overall. You know what she got paid? NOTHING. $0.

Another example: I've heard that the Jack Daniels competition in TN is a major event. I just read a story on their website where the 2010 winner was paid $5000.

Now lets be honest here, $5000 is a nice payday, sure, but look at the PBR Bullriding guys.....some of those comps pay $200,000. Then you've got Bassmaster tournaments that pay $100,000+.

Again, I know nothing about BBQ - nothing. But I know "dollar amounts" and I'm pretty sure the payouts have a lot to do with sponsors and their checkbooks. If so, isn't it time that KRAFT, REYNOLDS WRAP, McCORMICK, KINGSFORD, APPLE JUICE MAKERS, ETC. start supporting these competitions a little better? I look forward to hearing your thoughts. Thanks!
 
It would be nice, for certain.

I dont think we're even close to this for many MANY years to come, not until there's a TV audience for it.

In the mean time, seek out the DegaQue's & others with larger payouts. I try to find the competitions with more than $10,000 payouts; hopefully $15,000 and higher.
 
the big teams probably get paid via endorsments.

that Wood Chicks BBQ is sponsered by Green Egg, at least in part.

Ole South Jack has books out, his on smoker line, and offers classes. At the price of his class, he makes more on it than comps I bet.

But the comps is what allows him to do that.
 
Lake Dogs said:
It would be nice, for certain.

I dont think we're even close to this for many MANY years to come, not until there's a TV audience for it.

In the mean time, seek out the DegaQue's & others with larger payouts. I try to find the competitions with more than $10,000 payouts; hopefully $15,000 and higher.
Click to expand...

I just did some hard looking online for DegaQue 2011 and there's not one word, nowhere about it. Discontinued???
 
DidN't Ron Cates already try to do that this year. He put $125K in prize money up and paid out 50 places in each category. For all that promotion and effort, 95 teams showed up. That type of turn out for that type of money is not creating an environment where promoters are going to take the risk. Don't get me wrong, the venue could have been more centrally located and more teams probably would have came but at the end of the day, the opportunities are there but not for long if participation doesn't ramp up!
 
I think that there are a couple of things are work keeping the paydays down.

Most of the products used are small companies.

Teams are fairly standoffish about the products they use.

Most teams view those who attend contests with contempt.

There are no spectators. No one to buy the products the teams used.

Teams running around telling anyone who will listen that comp bbq isnt something they would eat at home. While I know what the point is there, for the layman, they have to think why would I want to do that at home if they wouldnt.

BBQ needs the teams to be sponsored by the sauce and rub companies and for those teams to proudly fly that flag. They also need to allow people attending a contest to connect a winning team with a product that they can use at home.

But have no fear people are working hard to make these connections, but it just takes time.
 
I would think a lot of the PBR prize money is generated by paying audiences. As much fun as comps are for teams & judges, I can't see an arena full of spectators! :)
 
WhiskeyBentBBQ said:
DidN't Ron Cates already try to do that this year. He put $125K in prize money up and paid out 50 places in each category. For all that promotion and effort, 95 teams showed up. That type of turn out for that type of money is not creating an environment where promoters are going to take the risk. Don't get me wrong, the venue could have been more centrally located and more teams probably would have came but at the end of the day, the opportunities are there but not for long if participation doesn't ramp up!
Click to expand...

I agree, not a great turn out by any means, but and I know you guys competed in it, but for me to get out there, my equiptment, everything it would have been way more expensive than any payout I might have recieved. By not traveling to Vegas I was able to add 5-6 more local competitions to my schedule.
 
BBQ spectator


b4b1c3ec.jpg
 
txschutte said:
MY wife would probably agree that cowboys/cowgirls in tight jeans are much more appealing than seeing me in a sweaty, greasy t shirt with a beer in hand.
Click to expand...
Aren't your jeans getting tighter?

I used to go to Rodeo and PBR events and I bet they make their money from Wrangler and Chevy, those big events on t.v. are heavily sponsored. And do not forget, for each of those events, there are many many small events that you never hear about that pay almost nothing.

Would you rather get $250 and a belt buckle for cooking a steer, or riding a bull with his package strapped and pinched to his belly?
 
Money comes from sponsors. Sponsors want their brand shown in front of as many people as possible. There just aren't enough eyeballs on a bbq contest to justify the $$ needed to create big paydays. Under current formats it just doesn't make for a good spectator sport.

Also, the sport isn't very well organized. For example...that $125k contest above...the promoter chose a weekend that had 2 major comps in the state next door that drew about 70 teams away from his event. With a little better planning he could have gotten the numbers up quite easily. Not all 70 would travel, but a lot would have without the conflict.
 
i've never competed nor have i been to any comps outside of MIM, but it appears that the bbq world is factioned off into lots of little pieces rather than one large sanctioning body. maybe if there weren't so many factions, it would be easier to "grow the sport", resulting in larger paydays and better perks for competing?
 
in order to draw sponsors there needs to be something that draws an audience and audiences like sports. if bbq would hope to attain these types of paydays it needs to be adjusted to appeal to this mindset. i have been comparing bbq to bass fishing for quit some time because they figured out how to turn it into a sport there are bass fishing millionaires and you can't even watch them in person. imho in order to do this , turn in times must be staggered so fans can root their team on throughout the competition. it might take ten hours to complete but if turn in times were staggered you could have at least four buzzer beater tick downs in one show that could be editid into one hour, and i think people would watch that. this would have to be a "sportsman series'' or something like that. i would be interested in filming a demonstration competition in this format just for reference. alot of credit must go to John Markus for progressing competition barbeque in this direction and bringing it to the masses. :clap:
 
I can honestly say that 98% of the time, I never know the payouts of a contest. If you are doing it for the money... find another way to make money!

PBR or Bass Fishing level money will change Comp BBQ forever. The cook will be come like the driver in Nascar. The driver ain't the team, they are just a tool. As a cook, you'll have to audition to be on a team owned by some fat cat who is backing the whole operation.

I'm exaggerating a bit, but the point is that unless you have deep pockets, you won't be able to be competitive in a big money BBQ sport. Just like in racing, big money wins more than loses.
 
huminie said:
Money comes from sponsors. Sponsors want their brand shown in front of as many people as possible. There just aren't enough eyeballs on a bbq contest to justify the $$ needed to create big paydays. Under current formats it just doesn't make for a good spectator sport.

Also, the sport isn't very well organized. For example...that $125k contest above...the promoter chose a weekend that had 2 major comps in the state next door that drew about 70 teams away from his event. With a little better planning he could have gotten the numbers up quite easily. Not all 70 would travel, but a lot would have without the conflict.
Click to expand...


There are plenty of eyeballs at most contests, there just aint nothing to look at.

Also I dont think that the Vegas contest competing with west coasts contests is a great example of poor organizing. Well at least not because of the other contests. If that contest is basically anywhere else in the country it draws double the teams without batting an eye no matter the weekend.
 
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