393 replies to this topic

[Ric Gilbert]

Jason Clark, on 07 June 2011 - 09:51 AM, said:

Ric you know we love ya! We're not bashing you in any way. Just the opposite actually. The fact that you stick your neck out there to set these comps up for us is why we support the events you put together. Morgan Hill, Rancho, SJ Home show, you name it. Thanks for being the guy that gets kicked in the stones so we can have some fun.

Maybe I should consider changing my name to "Keith Stone"?

[Ric Gilbert]

Jason Clark, on 07 June 2011 - 11:31 AM, said:

Looks like Ric has to go to the dentist now. We hurt his fillings.

Now, that's funny!!!

[Vincent Carrocci]

Dave is correct. The event was the Arizona Barbeque Festival held in Scottsdale, AZ. The promoters are listed on the KCBS website so you can easily find their contact information there.

Ya'll should understand that I find PC to be a very fun and rewarding experience as we get enthusiastic and immediate feedback from people regarding how much they are enjoying themselves and the food they are eating. This is a very different experience than teams normally receive at contests as the feedback comes in terms of scores, comment cards and sometimes trophies. My first experience with true team PC (which is really more accurately described as team vending) was at Rio Rancho, NM where the teams can cook and serve anything they like. The split is /20 and teams are required to collect only "BBQ Bucks". The creativity that some teams showed was very exciting and we felt kind of silly having only competition leftovers. But, with the /20 split, there was profit for us that day and that was great because we were still very new at this whole barbeque competition thing. That, unfortunately, was one of the only events we have ever been to that had a good split and so we simply don't bother doing PC anymore because it doesn't have a positive return on the investment.

I have long held that the 50/50 split that so many events offer to teams is so unbalanced that it is, in most situations, a complete waste of a team's time to offer any food other than their event leftovers and those will be gone so quickly that there is no way it could support the crowds which would be bad for contests. Do I agree with the concept that PC is a requirement to have a successful contest? No, I don't. But I do agree that an event will have a much greater chance of success if PC is involved, as long as the split is at least 70/30 or better in favor of the teams/vendors. Events can be successful without PC but they won't be public spectacles, won't offer a lot of amenities like free electricity and will be focused very much on the team competition. Again, a tougher event to pull off year after year but still very realistic and very possible.

PC payout is merely a function of making sure that there is enough manpower to count the tickets/scrip/tokens so as to guarantee that the funds are paid out to the teams on the same day. Could that be a big job? You bet. So is organizing a contest and so is preparing a wide variety of barbeque related foods for service to the attending public. I think it is an absolute must that funds be paid out on the same day and I'll be one tough guy to convince of any good reason as to why it isn't possible. And I still hold with my original opinion that 30+ days to pay out is ridiculous.

[Adam Hollman]

Just to circle back. Today we received our check for the exact amount we had been expecting. Thank you!

[Ben Lobenstein]

Adam Hollman, on 08 June 2011 - 02:07 PM, said:

Just to circle back. Today we received our check for the exact amount we had been expecting. Thank you!

Yay!

[Ben Lobenstein]

Vincent Carrocci, on 07 June 2011 - 01:44 PM, said:

PC payout is merely a function of making sure that there is enough manpower to count the tickets/scrip/tokens so as to guarantee that the funds are paid out to the teams on the same day. Could that be a big job? You bet.

I'll just add that when dealing with quasi-governmental agencies, some aren't even allowed to count their own cash, they have to have a bonded 3rd party do their "counts" be it cash, tickets, etc. Trying to get these "counters" onsite and to work a weekend hasn't been possible (yet) do to the way their contracts with these agencies are structured. While it seems straightforward "just count the tickets", reality is somewhat different.

[Adam Hollman]

Oh ya, and it came with a w-9 for me to fill out since we "made" more than $600. So much for breaking even...

[Jason Clark]

Fill it out. Many years back when I was a teenager I got paid a couple hundred bucks for something, I don't even remember what it was, I didn't know I was supposed to report it and a few years later I got a notice from the IRS that I owed $800. They add up all the fines, late fees etc and let it ride for a few years then they tag you with it. Pay some now or pay a lot more later.

[Adam Hollman]

I'll fill it out, no worries there.

[Ben Lobenstein]

dwayne joyner, on 07 June 2011 - 09:46 AM, said:

Why can a team not take 100% pc home?

In some cases a portion of sales goes to a charitable organization which provides volunteer manpower to put on the festival/event. In other cases the city, venue, etc. take a portion of all sales (of everything) as part of their "use fee". In many cases PC % off sets the loss of profit from food vendors who pay a much higher fee to "vend" food to the public (which can also carry a much higher EHD fee + sales taxes, etc.) and not compete in the BBQ contest, many events require food vendors pay both a booth fee and a percentage. Really depends on the event. There are events with MUCH higher entry fees that will allow you to sell for cash (no %), as long as you are willing to pay upfront.

[JOSEPH ZIGULIS]

BIG THANKS TO BEN AND RIC,,, MORGAN HILL WAS A GREAT VENUE,,, CANYON RIDERS BBQ APPLAUED THEM !!! GOT OUR CHECK TODAY ALMOST BROKE EVEN THOUGH WE KNEW WE WOULD BE SHORT ,,, JUST DIDNT HAVE ENOUGH PRODUCT !!! AND YOUR BLOGS WERE SAYIN MORGAN HILL WILL PAY FOR LICKS OFF THE CUTTING BOARD !!! AND SURE IS THE SUN COMES UP IN THE MORNIN THEY WERE THERE FOR LICKS !!!! HAHAHAHAHA ,, I WONT DO ANOTHER CONTEST UNLESS IT HAS PC INVOLVED ,,, NOW THATS OUR TEAM ,,,WE GOT 7 KILLER MEMBERS !!! WAS A BLAST AND I KNOW NEXT YEAR WE WONT RUN OUT AT 2PM ! AND ON NOT GETTING PAID FOR A MONTH,,, WE NEW THAT IN ADVANCED THEY TOLD US !! NOT SAYIN I WAS THINKIN WE GETTIN SCREWED HERE SINCE DIDNT HERE ANYTHING AND WAS 30 DAYS,,,, OHHH THEY DIDNT HAVE MY CITY AND ZIP CODE ??? BUT GOT THE MONEY !! PROPS TO THEM !!! THANKS AGAIN TO RIC AND BEN !!!!! GREAT JOB !!! I KNOW IT AINT NO EASY TASK !!!

[Ben Lobenstein]

Mark you calendars for May 12, 2012 - the 3rd annual date has now been set.

As the 1st weekend in May would be Cinco de Mayo, it was decided that the party should carry over to Mom's day Sat once again.

[Darry Smith]

PNWBA?

[Ben Lobenstein]

Darry Smith, on 30 August 2011 - 04:32 PM, said:

PNWBA?

All the info I know has been provided.