Will BBQ become a sport?

[Wizards of 'Que]

I don’t believe it will. To be a real sport, you need spectators. I don’t think MMA or anyone else will be able to convince the public to pay big bucks to watch us stare at our cookers and drink beer. There just doesn’t seem to be much entertainment value to a contest. This is a great hobby, but I’m don’t see it becoming a sport.

I’m curious about your thoughts.

[tony76248]

Actually, the thought of spectators is fun until they start getting in your way at turn-in. I have actually asked that folks avoid me and my cooking area until the final turn-in takes place. ......then we drink......

I think of it as a hobby and not a sport since we do not require a physical presence. Not that it doesn't help at times to be physical.

[Ford]

It's already a sport. We compete to win, there are trophies and cash for winners. Losers drown their sorrows.

BUT it's not a spectator sport. Other than the Olympics every 4 years, how many people other than close friends and family watch greco roman wrestling, synch swimming, but they are sports. So you don't need spectators to be a sport.

And that's good because I'd hate to see us being televised with a camera watching our every move and some "expert" announcer questioning if we used too much rub on that rib. Can't you just see it like the poker tournaments. And that's a real good paying sport and maybe they should be comparing BBQ to Poker not to NASCAR. I can see it now with Joe Buck announcing and Paul Kirk doing color and Dr BBQ on the sidelines doing itnerviews just like Troy Aikman and The Goose.

[DawgPhan]

I havent thought of it before, but poker is an excellant comparison. While there is some "specatorness" to poker most of what you see on tv is because of editing. Poker tourneys take forever and are generally very boring.

[scottyd]

Originally Posted by Ford

It's already a sport. We compete to win, there are trophies and cash for winners. Losers drown their sorrows.

BUT it's not a spectator sport. Other than the Olympics every 4 years, how many people other than close friends and family watch greco roman wrestling, synch swimming, but they are sports. So you don't need spectators to be a sport.

And that's good because I'd hate to see us being televised with a camera watching our every move and some "expert" announcer questioning if we used too much rub on that rib. Can't you just see it like the poker tournaments. And that's a real good paying sport and maybe they should be comparing BBQ to Poker not to NASCAR. I can see it now with Joe Buck announcing and Paul Kirk doing color and Dr BBQ on the sidelines doing itnerviews just like Troy Aikman and The Goose.

Wouldn't that be gambling you know the poker thing, BBQ isn't gambling. So how can you comepare the two.


Just having some fun!

[SP]

Its a competition. nuff said.

[Wizards of 'Que]

Ford, your desciption sounds like a typical weekly poker game at someone's house. You compete for each other's money. At a successful contest, the entry fees cover prize money. Pretty much the same. Do you consider dominoes a sport? Saw the world championship on ESPN the other day, but can't see dominoes as a sport. The National Spelling Bee is on TV with Prizes and trophies, is it a sport?

Unless people become willing to pay to watch we will be playing for our own money. You are right that poker is a better comparision, but not WS of Poker, but the buddies in the game room type.

[The Pickled Pig]

According to http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary I think it qualifies as a sport...maybe not an athletic sport but a sport none-the-less.

Main Entry: sport
Function: noun
Date: 15th century

1 a: a source of diversion : recreation b: sexual play c (1): physical activity engaged in for pleasure (2): a particular activity (as an athletic game) so engaged in

[watg?]

sport [spawrt, spohrt]
–noun 1.an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc. 2.a particular form of this, esp. in the out of doors. 3.diversion; recreation; pleasant pastime.



I think we have these three covered.

[CharlieBeasley]

One contest allow spectators for the judges so they watch us chew why not drink?

[Ford]

Originally Posted by Wizards of 'Que

Unless people become willing to pay to watch we will be playing for our own money. You are right that poker is a better comparision, but not WS of Poker, but the buddies in the game room type.

Actually I'm thinking TV. How about bass fishing. Now what's more boring than watching a fat of bald guy with a bass boat cast and retrieve for hours without a bite. But edit a full 4 days of fishing into a one hour action packed show and all of a suddne they have 100K payouts and more. Plus sponsors for teams who want their logo on TV. In poker on TV today and there's tons of it on the dish on the Sports channels not just the WS and on Bravo and Travel. And how many of the contestants wear ads on their clothes? And anybody can pay a fee to enter these tourneys. Now it's more than we pay but heck their prizes are in the millions.

How about a series for TV - 13 contests, prize money of $200K per so 2.6 mil investment less entry fees, sponsors, etc to get 13 - 1 hour epsidoes in the can. No fees to the actors (cooks and judges). Now if you can sell it to a TV network and get sponsors then it's the World Series of BBQ. Anybody can enter. Heck I'd pay $500 entry fee for a shot. Mike, Johnny and the rest put their pants on one leg at a time and on any given day they can be whipped. Just ask Podge or Scottie.

[SP]

Originally Posted by watg?

sport [spawrt, spohrt]
–noun 1.an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc. 2.a particular form of this, esp. in the out of doors. 3.diversion; recreation; pleasant pastime.



I think we have these three covered.

According to that definition, setting on the porch drinking ice tea is a sport, because some may think of it as a pleasant pastime.

[Wizards of 'Que]

I guess I was really thinking about Nascar or other professional sports. I guess as a recreation, we might be an amateur sport. Like the guys who race stock cars down at the local speedway on saturday night.

[Wizards of 'Que]

Ford, you notice there was no second season.

[SP]

This is fun lets start a thread on whether or not pellet cookers are cheating.