What makes a Great Contest?

In no particular order ~

Easy access to water and electricity.
Clean lavatory facilities/port-a-johns.
Knowledgable contest/sanctioning reps.
A nearby Wally World (you always forget something).
Qualified judges...I know...just thought I'd say it
An awards ceremony that doesn't drone on and on and on....

MaxQ hit the nail on the head...

First and foremost - A well done website with sdetailed information about the contest, online registering and payment, and a list of registered teams.
A site map with ability to choose your site at registration.
Reliable 30A electric
Available Ice
Water
Good Judges AND a cool well lighted place for them to judge.
Efficient check in
Efficient awards ceremony
Unique GC and RGC trophies are cool.
Ribbons for the rest.
Cash prizes given out at the time of awards
Clean "facilities"
Having trash pickup is nice too...

I don't really care about t-shirts, bags, pins, or other contest swag... if its included great, but save your $$ and give that cash as awards or to a charity etc.

Same goes for meals etc... I'm all for a free meal, but honestly most of us can cook a bit, or make a sandwich and call it good. Save that $ for prizes or charity... especially in a first year contest... If a restaurant etc wants to donate meals... well by all means go for it.

People's choice... this is a tough one... I know that this can be a big money maker for the contest, and I want to support the contests/charities, but most cooks view it as a pain and don't participate. If you can figure out a way to do that and not have it be a big burden on the teams... I think Enid does a pretty good job, they load you up with ribs on Friday at arrival and PC is Friday night so no "extra dutys" on Sat AM. Stillwater also does a "low impact" event by basically taking all your leftovers as "donations" which they then sell by the pound to the public on Saturday.

That's all for now... I'm sure I'll think of more later...

While I'm pretty new at this comp stuff, here is my 2 cents Smokin'....

LOTS of shade for the cookers and COOL,clean restrooms.

$$$$ heavy on 1-5 places and save the $10-20 on spots 6-10 and reward those cooks with NICE ribbons...again not cheap ribbons.

Someone coming around every 2 hours asking if you need ice, etc! Don't forget the ice run about 9:00 am on turn in morning.

Tell me rewards will be at 3:30 and deliver them at 2:30 in a COOL spot.

MOST important...a pair of KCBS Reps that run a good contest and are not afraid to take the time to level the tables...I know a FEW!

I really don't care about preassigned spots...1st come 1st setup, that way you can get a space by who you want as neighbors...just don't make me wait to setup...oh yeah, give me a good size spot, not one of these dang 20x20 areas.

Last, but up on the list, something quick for breakfast...coffee and donuts or briskets and gravy,(oops), biscuits and gravy...LOL! ...very nice! Not a deal breaker, but very NICE!

A small goody bag of paper towels, wipes, etc...just something to let me know you appreciated my time/effort....something I will use.

Ample Space

If you are going to advertise electricity provide it and make sure its a good power source. (This Year we've had 3 comps with bad power voltage)

I would like to pick my site in advance if possible.

Accessibility to Grease, Trash, Ash.

Good Pre Comp Website with clearly Posted Prize Money whether it be $1 or $50,000.
Also Plenty of Posted Information in advance.

Ice availibity. I'm Ok with paying for ice becuase I see this seriously abused by teams.

Centralized Turn In Location not at the end of the team line.

I like Tshirts etc for Souviners but don't expect them for free and don't mind to pre order.

I do appreceiate a quick breakfast on saturday but Friday is not expected. although the neworking at the friday night meals are nice to meet teams.

I don't know a adequate peoples choice system. I know it is neccessary however I don't have the space now to cook a big meat and I don't have time to cook on Friday at this point. I do want to begin to participate in blind peoples choice where I don't have to serve and it gets picked up around 10:30-11:00 Saturday.

thanks all for the comments.

As a fellow competitor I know what happens in People's Choice, but thing about it a little different.

When the public comes out to these events, they want to TASTE championship BBQ. Walking around is fine, seeing all the toys, but when I was on the BoD at NBBQA, the #1 thing the public wants is to taste food.

So I've got some thoughts about ways to do it, the challenge is the timing of it. Public is showing up at the same time for turn-ins.

One was to push the teams is put big $$$$ up for that category, just trying to do something unique.

We've won a couple of PC contests, both of these where where they came to the size, at and voted at a different location.

Appreciate any more comments