It's almost non-existent - at least that's what I'm seeing. Is there even a functioning sanctioning body? The Barbeque Championship Series website seems to be dormant and the Arizona BBQ Association FB page only has 557 followers and 534 likes. The last post was in 2019. What's going on in Arizona and who's running the show?
Arizona's Comp scene
- Thread starter Sundance
- Start date
Maybe those sanctioning bodies aren't currently in business, but I checked the KCBS website to search for events from today through the rest of the year and came up with this:
https://www.mesabbqclassic.com/
Check the KCBS site to find more in the future.
https://www.mesabbqclassic.com/
Check the KCBS site to find more in the future.
Yeah, I live in Mesa and this is being heavily promoted locally, but my concern is there is no functioning organization at the state level to promote BBQ competitions in Arizona. It's very sad.
IMHO....
As a retired competitor and organizer, it seems the hobby had its heyday a few years back. A lot of organizers burned out and no one stepped in to fill the gaps. A lot of venues disappeared also. At least here in the northeast.
As a retired competitor and organizer, it seems the hobby had its heyday a few years back. A lot of organizers burned out and no one stepped in to fill the gaps. A lot of venues disappeared also. At least here in the northeast.
Pretty much like Phil said, there seems to be a downturn in the amount of comps and even teams out there. I wish that I had an answer, but it probably a culmination of reasons, not the least of which is public interest. I know that Covid changed things for a while and comps were postponed or cancelled completely, and some never recovered.
jimstocks53
Take a breath!
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- Feb 5, 2013
- Location
- Tyler, TX
I think the wealth of cable shows, online videos, and websites (not this one, of course), and the social isolation imposed by the pandemic has at least temporarily ruined what was a growing BBQ community of comps. That said, the somewhat artificiality of comps with standards of cooking at odds with what most home Q'ers prefer or are able to achieve has also undermined comps as a sport for many who might have attended. No audience - no show.
DUBBAGA
is One Chatty Farker
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- Jul 31, 2011
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- Beaumont...
toys4dlr
is one Smokin' Farker
The fall off in AZ bbq comp scene is multi dimensional. First is the difficulties with dealing with maricopa county health dept, they just don’t get it. That is why historically the events have been in other parts of the state. I am curious to see how the new mesa event turns out. The biggest promoter in Phoenix had a falling out with KCBS and that is where you get BCS. But several of the active teams that want to compete still are looking for the things that get you to the royal and the jack and that comes from KCBS. Costs have increased and prize funds have decreased and then if you include the fun stuff that has happened inside KCBS, well you get where you are today. Many of the events have gone to steak comps and historically we have driven to cali or Nevada or other near by states. There you are
