Thanks for checking in. I really do appreciate your comments and I really enjoy you’re blog, http://www.whitetrashBBQ.com.

I completely understand the money thing.
I really do. I was just trying to make a point, and its just my opinion people are using high gas prices as an excuse.

For instance, my girlfriend and I headed down to the beach this weekend and it was a ghost town.

I’m thinking part of this is due to the higher gas prices.

But when I think about it, before gas was up over $4.00 a gallon it used to cost me say $35.00 to fill up. Now it cost me about $55.00. So there is a $20.00 difference of course its round trip so I’ll say its an additional $40.00.

I don’t think $40.00 is enough to keep me from heading to the beach for a weekend get away or to keep me from driving to a BBQ competition.

I just think people may be better served learning a new skill or trying to figure out a way to make a few extra dollars to offset their expenses.

I’m trying to inspire!

I’d recommend picking up “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill, Rich Dad Poor Dad and the Cash Flow Quadrant. Also, go to Itunes and get yourself a copy of Earl Nightingale’s ” Lead the Field.”

Just see if you can get inspired!

I applaud your can do attitude and while many of us have made a business out of our love of BBQ, to many of us in competitive bbq, not that I’m in Kevin’s league, this is still primarily a hobby or at best a side business.

On average, a contest in the tri-state NYC area will cost a team about $1,000. Now if the family attends with me, add another $500. That includes gas, meat, entry, tolls, etc, but keeping it very very simple.

That’s $1,500 for the weekend. This is not exactly a cheap hobby or start up.

Unlike Kevin, I’ve never won an event. This is money straight out of my pocket. I don’t have an end product to sell except for my blog. Most people who have made money from their competition experiences are people like Kevin, who’ve won enough events to be able to market their BBQ or BBQ related product as award winning. Or already have a restaurant to promote.

The majority of folks who compete that I know, do it simply for their love of competition and BBQ. Most don’t do it for the chance to recoup their expenses.

As for the Northeast having contests with waiting lists isn’t exactly accurate. There are some contests that fill up, most don’t. Connecticut has been unable to come up with an event this year. Contests are struggling all over.

First of all I want to thank you for taking the time for posting your comments. It really means a lot to me.

I don’t want anyone to take what I said the wrong way.

I know it’s tough out there, heck the gas prices are hard on me too!

I feel your pain!

But the point I was trying to make is far too many play victim and don’t try to take matters into their own hands.

They give up right away and rather than try to find a way to make it, they just give up.

So, to get back to your point, How can we improve the prize money to encourage more teams to participate?

I know up here in the Northeast we have waiting lists for comps…what are we doing up here in the Northeast that other areas are not?

On July 6, I wrote a similar post about ways to make bbq contests more affordable on my own BBQ Blog.

I applaud anyone that starts a business, whether it is bbq related or not. But, I think the bbq contest organizers and sanctioning bodies also bear some of the responsibility for increasing corporate sponsorship and making it possible to at least earn back your expenses. A category win or even a RGC is not a guarantee anymore. It used to be. Costs have risen, but prize money has not.

It’s all tied to spectators, or the lack of them. For corporate sponsorship, you have to have spectators. Many, many contests are poorly attended. I think those events are going to struggle in the future.