Questions about starting an annual cook off

[Gropos01]

Hello all I am part of a non profit organization called gallop, we are a safe ride program for uta students. We provide free, non judgmental rides home to uta students who had a long night drinking and should not be driving.
Gallop is still up and coming so one idea we have is to host a annual BBQ cookoff. I was looking for some ideas on how to permote this among the BBQ community. Obviously all profits would go to helping fund the Gallop organization. We were thinking of brisket and shoulder, judged by a panel of uta students. The entry fee would be aprox 100-125 cash. The winner takes 500 cash second takes 300 and third takes 200 cash. I'm not sure if we are allowed to or not but we would like to charge around 10 bucks per plate and have an open gate style feast. We believe this being held at the university that or largely promoted at the university that this will be a large showing. I've never hosted such an event.
Am I way off? Or am I in the ballpark so far any help or I of would be appreciated.
Please check us on Facebook
Www.facebook.com/utagallop

[sparetimetoys]

So your looking at 10 cooks to cover the prize from entry fees and you use the gate to help your cause.

[Gropos01]

Well that's the plan, we would love to have it bigger then 10 cooks. I really don't know what the usual prize is for winners obviously the bigger the possible turn out of cooks the bigger the prize pot would become all I have stated in the above post was pretty much hypothetical since I've never hosted a BBQ cook off basically what would it take to get a large cook off what draws in the cooks?

[Big Ed]

You should look into making it a sanctioned cookoff , IBCA or LSBS! That will bring in a lot of cookers!!

[NPayne1]

Cheap entry fees and big payouts draw a crowd. Get some live bands and entertainment for the family. Cool swag is always appreciated too.

[js-tx]

I agree that a sanctioned cookoff with a decent payout will attract more cooks. You should also look into getting some sponsors to help with the cause too. Miller, Bud-light etc.. should be perfect for them but then again the University may not like that too much even though students can/do drink it up.

[sparetimetoys]

Just thinking out loud here but man if you could have it over around the ballpark or Jerry world when one of the teams were in town ... Sell to folks going into the game or event you could pull in some serious cash.

[Boots]

PM the one and only Redneck. I this he is wired into the LSBS organization.

[3 star redneck]

PM the one and only Redneck. I this he is wired into the LSBS organization.

......Just for thought most veteran comp cooks will NOT cook an UN sanctioned event.....theres to many variables and horror stories associated with them in the past....Secondly....You are gonna have to host it at a place that allows over nite parking of cookers Rv's..(IE..travel trailers, and motor homes)......and a place where alcohol CAN be consumed openly.........as for entry fees...$100-125 is ok, but the payback better be 90-100% payback to the cookers in prize money......The concept of a prometer(you) making money for your organization comes from around 10-15 % of the entry fees and the rest from activities you put on around the cook off....Silent auctions.....selling bbq sammies, plates, a 50-50...a band concert...where you can charge a fee to everyone that attend.....etc.......if you need anymore help dont hesitate to contact me....at redneckcooker69@yahoo.com