Pro Teams at Amatuer contests

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CarolinaQue

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If you are a professional team, please have the decency to stay away from the amateur contests so the little guys can have the chance to get their confidence up and have hope for themselves when they decide to enter the pro level circuit!!! It just isn't right to beat up on the little guy's, no matter how bad you want a trophy!!!


Tim
 
Are their rules and regulations as to pros competing at amateur events?

If so, who enforces them, and in your case why wasn't it enforced?
 
Curious, what percentage of "Pro" teams do you think actually make money at this (after you take in all the costs involved)? And of those that make a profit, how many make enough of a profit to actually do this truly professionally, where this IS their profession, so it pays for the power bill, plus food on the table, and those darned truck and house payments...?

VERY few. My point is that there are very few if any "Pro" teams. It's not like the NFL...

There are teams that compete largely in sanctioned cookoffs because the money tends to be better and they enjoy the level of competition, and those that dont. It's a hobby. Some are just very good at it.
 
Lake Dogs said:
Curious, what percentage of "Pro" teams do you think actually make money at this (after you take in all the costs involved)? And of those that make a profit, how many make enough of a profit to actually do this truly professionally, where this IS their profession, so it pays for the power bill, plus food on the table, and those darned truck and house payments...?

VERY few. My point is that there are very few if any "Pro" teams. It's not like the NFL...

There are teams that compete largely in sanctioned cookoffs because the money tends to be better and they enjoy the level of competition, and those that dont. It's a hobby. Some are just very good at it.
Click to expand...


I know that not many teams make money at competing, I understand what you are saying. But it's not about the money, it's about the principle of it. When a contest application says "amateur contest" and you roll in there under your catering companies name, and not your competition team name, it makes one look like they're doing something they know full well they shouldn't be doing.

It just seems pretty unfair to the teams that are just starting out and trying to get established when some one that's been competing on the pro side of things for the last 8 or so years comes along to steal the thunder. Some one else could have used the Traeger pellet cooker a lot more than the team that already has the professional level equipment.
 
Sorry, if the rules arent defined then i would do it.

We now have 'pro' contests that dont pay anything, except a state champioship, so more 'little guys' can get a taste of what a comp is all about. So i ask is that fair that State Championships are cheapened so the little local team can compete? It cant be both ways... speaking as a pro team.
 
CarolinaQue said:
I know that not many teams make money at competing, I understand what you are saying. But it's not about the money, it's about the principle of it. When a contest application says "amateur contest" and you roll in there under your catering companies name, and not your competition team name, it makes one look like they're doing something they know full well they shouldn't be doing.

It just seems pretty unfair to the teams that are just starting out and trying to get established when some one that's been competing on the pro side of things for the last 8 or so years comes along to steal the thunder. Some one else could have used the Traeger pellet cooker a lot more than the team that already has the professional level equipment.
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I never cared for calling it the "pro" side of things. I do understand as a novice going against some very accomplished competitors it can be tough. But truly, there's only sanctioned and un-sanctioned. Contests are contests... I will tell you; dont be fooled by the expensive banners and smokers (or tractor trailers as in MBN); on any given day you can win with your equipment however humble it may be.

I, for one, enjoy the competition level. To me I really haven't done anything until I've beaten someone worth a darn (like last outing I beat 2 previous Memphis In May GC's).

I feel for him (your friend), but it's just the game...
 
That would definitely be up to the organizers to restrict the field to truly 'amatuers'.

And as far as I know, there are no really defined 'classes' of competitors. There are teams with tons of experience, and teams who are there for their first competition. They are all 'classified' as simply being there, as far as sanctioned events go.

Anything beyond that would be up to the organizers.

Have you (or your friend) spoken with the contest organizers? Most organizers I know are open to discussion so they can make their next event better.
 
QansasjayhawQ said:
That would definitely be up to the organizers to restrict the field to truly 'amatuers'.

And as far as I know, there are no really defined 'classes' of competitors. There are teams with tons of experience, and teams who are there for their first competition. They are all 'classified' as simply being there, as far as sanctioned events go.

Anything beyond that would be up to the organizers.

Have you (or your friend) spoken with the contest organizers? Most organizers I know are open to discussion so they can make their next event better.
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Yes, he does plan on talking to the organizer about it.
 
I have done non-sanctioned events as fillers, warm-ups, or just to try new things. The ones I have done have always had a mix of "Pros and Amateurs" that mingled together and shared information about how sanctioned contests are run. Amateurs need to take advantage of having someone around with knowledge, most cooks are more than willing to help out the fellow cook.
 
I understand what you guys are saying, I just wouldn't do it. The contest had no sanctioning entity behind it and wasn't affiliated with any BBQ association. Just seems like the pro athlete coming to high school practice to boost his ego to me.
 
Shotgun said:
I have done non-sanctioned events as fillers, warm-ups, or just to try new things. The ones I have done have always had a mix of "Pros and Amateurs" that mingled together and shared information about how sanctioned contests are run. Amateurs need to take advantage of having someone around with knowledge, most cooks are more than willing to help out the fellow cook.
Click to expand...


That would be great, but he was the only high level competitor there and he didn't compete under his team name, but rather, under his catering company name. No one there knew who they really were until the pictures started floating around and those of us that know who this person is told the other teams who they went up against. Seems shady to me. If there was nothing to worry about, why not just use his competition tem name?
 
I've been to contests that spelled out what a pro team is......a team that has competed in a 4 meat contest or other similar contest not considered a amateur contest. I'm not a pro by any means but I would not enter a amateur contest even if the rules didn't specify. Just my opinion.
 
^^^ If it's defined like this above, then I understand. That's up to the organizer. Interesting though. I know PLENTY of fantastic nationally ranked chili cooks/competitors who just **** at barbecue contests. In the definition above I guess they'd be considered Pro....
 
The event your friend competed in, does it have a website where the rules are written?
 
CarolinaQue said:
he didn't compete under his team name, but rather, under his catering company name. No one there knew who they really were until the pictures started floating around and those of us that know who this person is told the other teams who they went up against. Seems shady to me. If there was nothing to worry about, why not just use his competition tem name?
Click to expand...

Yeah that does seem shady. I mean why would he want to promote his business in a contest that didn't count for NEBS or KCBS Team of the year points. Super shady. That dirty bastard.
 
I was thinking about this the other day. There's a KCBS contest near my house this weekend that I can't cook because I'm between smokers. I thought about bringing my one WSM and doing the amateur rib cook, but I figured it wouldn't be worth all the crap I'd get from the KCBS teams that I'm used to cooking against. I only wanted to do it to have some fun, and I'm not a pro by any stretch, but it still didn't feel right. Now, if there was not a KCBS event going on, and it was billed as an amateur or whatever rib cook, I would do it.
 
I'll take the bait...

I compete as both Transformer as well as New England BBQ and Catering... check out results for New Hampshire or Cape Cod last year. When the contests are close to where my business is located, I tend to use that name especially if they aren't sanctioned. It's marketing. I never did anything to hide the fact that I have competed before, and actually used my Transformer BBQ email address to send in the application. Transformer BBQ t-shirt, logos on my storage bins, stickers on my trailer... I wasn't hiding the fact of who I was.

There was nothing defining a "pro" team, which I think is made up term. In my mind there are about 4 teams in the country that are considered pro's. I can name at least three other teams at the event that I have competed against at other contests. One of those teams got two first places at the Eliot Maine contest last year... so it isn't as though I was the only person who has been entered in a KCBS event before. One team was talking about how they are going to the American Royal this year...
 
oh... and it hasn't been 8 years... my first ever contest will be 5 years ago in July (my second contest will be 4 years ago in June)... and ask my friends; I've never won one before.
 
No ones baiting you Brendan, just didn't understand the reasoning is all. I was of the impression that it was an amateur contest and don't consider you, or the other teams that have high level experience amateurs is all.
 
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