Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Smokin’ With Smithfield National Barbecue Cup?
- A National Barbecue Championship Program seeking to find and crown the unified National Barbecue Champion across major barbecue sanctioning bodies (KCBS, IBCA, FBA, BCA, PNBA, SLBS)*.
- It consists of both a year-long Points Chase to identify the top 24 eligible for the Playoffs. It also includes a 3-round Playoffs competition that will take place at the end of 2019.
- The Smokin’ With Smithfield National Barbecue Championship is open to all competition barbecue cooks in America 18 years of age or older (16 years old and older for team members) that compete in any competitions sanctioned by any of the following sanctioning bodies: Kansas City Barbeque Society, the International Barbeque Cookers Association, Florida BBQ Association, St. Louis BBQ Society, Barbecue Competitors Alliance, and Pacific Northwest Barbecue Association.*
- Team scores will be tracked by BBQData.com across a one-year period of September 1, 2018 through August 31, 2019.
- Playoffs: The top 24 teams, based on their points ranking at the end of the Points Chase will be invited to cook off in the quarter finals in New Orleans, LA. Round 1 will consist of 24 teams competing in single elimination competition; eliminating 12 teams. Round 2 will consist of 12 teams competing in single elimination competition; eliminating 6 teams. The third and final round will consist of the remaining 6 competing for the final position of the winner; the Smokin’ With Smithfield National Barbecue Champion. The top 24 teams competing in the Playoffs will be required to agree to additional rules.
How do I sign-up to participate?
- Go to www.smokinwithsmithfield.com and complete the registration form. The registration form should be completed by the head cook (primary pit master) who will be the point of contact throughout the competition year.
- If you are signing up to be a 2019 Smithfield Committed Cook, you can opt-in to the Smokin’ With Smithfield National Barbecue Championship at that time. You do not need to complete a separate registration for the Championship.
Is there a cost?
It’s free to register your team in the yearlong Points Chase. Should you earn a chance to compete in the top 24 at the Playoffs, you would be responsible for your travel and accommodations to and from the competition.
Why should I sign up? You are showing me my ranking without sign up.
Yes, everyone can view their position in the Leaderboard starting January 2019, but only those who are registered and the chance to compete in the Playoffs. You must be registered by July 1, 2019 to be eligible to participate in the Playoffs.
How do I know how I’m doing?
Beginning in January 2019, you can come back to www.smokinwithsmithfield.com to see the leaderboard that ranks all teams across the country.
I don’t cook very often, does the competition still apply to me?
Of course! This points structure takes into consideration your team’s top 12 competition scores. So even those teams who cook less than 12 competitions per year can participate, they’ll just have less scores to average from.
When and where are the Playoffs?
The Playoffs will take place in New Orleans, LA November 14 – November 17, 2019. The top 24 eligible teams from across the country who registered for the Points Chase are invited to participate. How will the Playoffs work?
- This single elimination contest will take place over two days for a chance to win +$50,000 Prize Purse!
- Round 1: 24 teams will be narrowed down to 12.
- Round 2: 12 teams will be narrowed down to 6
- Round 3: 6 teams will be narrowed down to 1 National Champion.
Can team members compete on multiple teams?
No. Team members may compete on only one registered team at a time. If a team member changes teams or drops out of a registered team, the head cook is required to update the team registration information. A limit of five (5) team member changes may be made during the competition season. Team member updates can be made by emailing bbq@smithfield.com.
Can the head cook be changed or replaced?
No. The head cook designated at the time of registration will be the primary point of contact throughout the competition period and cannot be changed or replaced.
How does the leaderboard work?
We have created our points system to level the playing field across ALL participating sanctioned barbecue events. All data scores are received automatically through an independent third party (BBQData.com).
How do we earn points?
For a competition to count for Smokin’ With Smithfield National Barbecue Championship points, it must satisfy the following:
- Pro-level barbecue contest sanctioned by KCBS, IBCA, FBA, BCA, PNBA, SLBS*
- A competition with 15 or more teams
- Take place between the dates of September 1, 2018 – August 31, 2019
Teams who rank within the Top 10 Overall** will earn the following points by place:
1st = 2000 points
2nd = 1500 points
3rd = 1000 points
4th = 750 points
5th = 525 Points
6th = 375 points
7th = 275 points
8th = 200 points
9th = 150 points
10th = 100 points
THEN, those same teams who rank in the top 10 will also earn additional points based on the contest size (i.e. strength of field). Each team will earn additional points to add to their overall score, based on the chart below:
# Of Teams | Bonus Points for Top 10 Overall Finish | # Of Teams | Bonus Points for Top 10 Overall Finish |
15 | 60 | 71 | 217 |
16 | 64 | 72 | 219 |
17 | 68 | 73 | 221 |
18 | 72 | 74 | 223 |
19 | 76 | 75 | 225 |
20 | 80 | 76 | 226 |
21 | 84 | 77 | 227 |
22 | 88 | 78 | 228 |
23 | 92 | 79 | 229 |
24 | 96 | 80 | 230 |
25 | 100 | 81 | 231 |
26 | 103 | 82 | 232 |
27 | 106 | 83 | 233 |
28 | 109 | 84 | 234 |
29 | 112 | 85 | 235 |
30 | 115 | 86 | 236 |
31 | 118 | 87 | 237 |
32 | 121 | 88 | 238 |
33 | 124 | 89 | 239 |
34 | 127 | 90 | 240 |
35 | 130 | 91 | 241 |
36 | 133 | 92 | 242 |
37 | 136 | 93 | 243 |
38 | 139 | 94 | 244 |
39 | 142 | 95 | 245 |
40 | 145 | 96 | 246 |
41 | 148 | 97 | 247 |
42 | 151 | 98 | 248 |
43 | 154 | 99 | 249 |
44 | 157 | 100 | 250 |
45 | 160 | 101 | 251 |
46 | 163 | 102 | 252 |
47 | 166 | 103 | 253 |
48 | 169 | 104 | 254 |
49 | 172 | 105 | 255 |
50 | 175 | 106 | 256 |
51 | 177 | 107 | 257 |
52 | 179 | 108 | 258 |
53 | 181 | 109 | 259 |
54 | 183 | 110 | 260 |
55 | 185 | 111 | 261 |
56 | 187 | 112 | 262 |
57 | 189 | 113 | 263 |
58 | 191 | 114 | 264 |
59 | 193 | 115 | 265 |
60 | 195 | 116 | 266 |
61 | 197 | 117 | 267 |
62 | 199 | 118 | 268 |
63 | 201 | 119 | 269 |
64 | 203 | 120 | 270 |
65 | 205 | 121 | 271 |
66 | 207 | 122 | 272 |
67 | 209 | 123 | 273 |
68 | 211 | 124 | 274 |
69 | 213 | 125 or more | 275 |
How many contests will count?
Only the top twelve (12) scores received by a registered team during the Competition Scoring Period will count towards that team’s overall score in the Competition.
*It’s important to note that the points system above takes into consideration the varying points structures that exist currently for each of the following sanctioning bodies: KCBS, IBCA, FBA, BCA, PNBA, SLBS.
**Please note that points are not awarded for specific category but rather points for Overall place only.
More Questions? Email us at bbq@smithfield.com.
Registration Terms & Conditions available at www.smokinwithsmithfield.com.