How do we recruit new cooks to the KCBS

[Ford]

Originally Posted by Lake Dogs

Ford, respectfully, I'm not certain about "recognized nationally as the
premier bbq organization". Around here, most new cookoff organizers
have never heard of KCBS, but they have heard of Memphis in May / MBN.
Not saying MBN is better. I personally like KCBS better, but that's my
personal take. F Y I. Perhaps we're just mutants in Georgia. Certainly
we know Myron IS (a mutant).

In many south eastern states your are correct that MBN is more recognized although it's still called MIM by many so there's a problem. But recognition of KCBS is greater that it used to be in all Satest and if a survey was done od non BBQ people I bet KCBS would win most states and many by a wide margin.

And Myron is one heck of a good cook that's a fact.

[Capn Kev]

I'm not a member yet, but will be in January after I complete my judging class. I just started cooking contests in 2009, and the primary factor for me joining is the fact that there are almost 10 KCBS contests within a 3-4 hour driving radius of my home.

[Skip]

Originally Posted by Ford

Skip - as most people cooking contests are not members and as contests are put on by independent organizers and not the KCBS charging an additional fee for non members isn't practical. It was tried and most organizers said no. Some threatend to drop KCBS sanctioning. Lots of teams said what's this? Is this contests put on by KCBS? Well no. Then if it's for a local charity I'll pay but not for KCBS.

We need to find another answer. Otherwise the answer is there is no benefit to them so they won't join.

Originally Posted by Ford

KCBS branding is recognized nationally as the premier bbq organization in this country. It's made great strides in this area in the past few years. A large portion of membership is outside the KC area. Don't have stats but remember them being posted this year sometime.

You speak of people dropping KCBS then state how respected it is and its that respect that I think would allow the premium cost to fly. If KCBS had not caved to organizers protests they may have won out. I have done non sanctioned events and realize how much better off I am at a KCBS event. The first question I ask about a new event is if its a KCBS event. I think that if they stood strong and required it that it would stick. Even if the extra fee was just rolled into the prize money. If you don't hit them in the pocket they really won't budge.

[WineMaster]

Originally Posted by Ford

KCBS branding is recognized nationally as the premier bbq organization in this country. It's made great strides in this area in the past few years. A large portion of membership is outside the KC area. Don't have stats but remember them being posted this year sometime.

So you are sayin people should pay to join cause its the biggest and the best. HMMM Hows that working for them.

[Ford]

Membership is at all time highs and from what I hear there were 40+ new members as a result of the first pitmasters show. Now they may not be competition cooks but in fact competition cooks are a minority.

[Lake Dogs]

Other organizations that I either am currently a member or have been a member of
require membership to compete in the event. If you're not a member when you sign
up, there's an extra charge for membership (or a discount if you're already a member).
KCBS is inexpensive, relatively. Mind you, I'm not a member, and I have no need to
be a member as it's currently designed. However, if it were required, it wouldn't
be a big deal, to me anyway... The sports event sanctioning bodies that I work
with require membership (USA Swimming, USA Triathlon). For some reason, the
cooking sanctioning bodies (CASI, KCBS, MBN, etc) dont.

[Skip]

Originally Posted by WineMaster

So you are sayin people should pay to join cause its the biggest and the best. HMMM Hows that working for them.

You should re read the thread. I think that is the opposite of what Ford is trying to say.

[Plowboy]

Memphis in May also has the benefit of being the name of one of the country's largest contests. So that helps with name recognition.

[WineMaster]

I still say that if you define a society by a region. You are capping the potential.

[Ford]

Originally Posted by Lake Dogs

Other organizations that I either am currently a member or have been a member of
require membership to compete in the event. If you're not a member when you sign
up, there's an extra charge for membership (or a discount if you're already a member).
KCBS is inexpensive, relatively. Mind you, I'm not a member, and I have no need to
be a member as it's currently designed. However, if it were required, it wouldn't
be a big deal, to me anyway... The sports event sanctioning bodies that I work
with require membership (USA Swimming, USA Triathlon). For some reason, the
cooking sanctioning bodies (CASI, KCBS, MBN, etc) dont.

The difference is USA Swimming puts on the event. KCBS provided resources to ensure it is run according to KCBS rules but it does not run the event and it does not share in the profit or loss. Same for the other cooking ogranizations.

[moocow]

I pay my money just for the Bull Sheet, everybody here likes to read it. It is pretty crappy that you can't even get a free bumper sticker. But the RD membership is almost priceless if you don't have a business.

[Skip]

Originally Posted by WineMaster

I still say that if you define a society by a region. You are capping the potential.

Well I can understand what you are saying but you have to realize that almost every other BBQ association or society uses the KCBS information as there rules for competition. Either by accepting sanctioning from them or borrowing heavily from their format. As much as the everyday person isn't going to know what KCBS is they won't know what FBA, MBN, PNWBA etc are. But anyone who has been around BBQ knows of or has heard of KCBS. Of course there are exceptions to everything but this holds true throughout the country. I recently did some research on other sanctioning bodies only to find that four have there own rules and one of them is KCBS. All the others either use KCBS or have few if any rules about competition. The three others have rules that very closely mimick KCBS rules.
The KC in KCBS doesn't refer to KCK or Missouri. It refers to a specific style of BBQ which the cooks do their best to emulate. It would be the same as a TBS (Texas BBQ Society) or a NCBS (North Carolina BBQ Society). Each would refer to a specific style of BBQ rather then just the region.

[CajunSmoker]

When they tried the added fee for non KCBS members last year I though they went about it the wrong way. They should have charged the amount of the first year KCBS membership for the head cook at the first contest they cooked and signed them up. After that it would be a non factor for that team as long as they kept the same head cook.

Another way of doing it could have been, instead of charging more for a non KCBS member to enter a contest, they could have given a discounted entry fee for KCBS members which could have given an incentive to join.

[leanza]

I believe incentives will drive membership. The more, the more.

[Skip]

Maybe they need to offer as "lifetime" membership. Or a 5 year membership. This might help with the people who do maybe two contests a year. I think that the fee for non KCBS member teams should be more then the membership. This would definitely push people to join. Also as I mentioned maybe the family membership should apply to a team membership.