What does it mean for a cookoff to be sanctioned by the Steak Cookoff Association?

• When a cookoff is a SCA sanctioned cookoff, it means that a cookoff has agreed to conform to the rules set out by the SCA. These rules include guidelines on cooking, judging and award’s procedures.  Sanctioning of a cookoff by the promoter ensures the cook teams that things will be run fairly and with integrity, allowing each team the same equal competitive opportunities.   When SCA sanctions your cookoff, the judging tent is taken care of so you are free to manage the rest of the event.

What categories can be judged by SCA?

• SCA has judging systems in place to judge Steak, Appetizers, Burgers, Wings, Margaritas, Bloody Mary's, Desserts and Kid's Cookoffs.

Is there a certain payout that needs to be guaranteed by the cookoff?

• No, sanctioning does not mean that a certain amount has to be given as prizes.  SCA will advise you on typical payouts and entry fees for steak cookoffs.  Ultimately it is the promoters call however; the SCA does require that once the prize amounts are published, all money will be paid out as posted.  Steak cookers support many charitable causes and are great people.  Remember these cookers are the lifeblood of your cookoff and without the cookers there is no cookoff. 

Do I have to attend a sanctioned contest before I can get my contest sanctioned?

• We strongly suggest that you attend a SCA sanctioned cookoff prior to promoting your own.  Although similar to a BBQ cookoff, steak cookoffs have their own flow to an event. 

As a promoter, how does sanctioning an event benefit us?

• Steak cookers are very competitive and want to know that the cookoffs they attend are run with INTEGRITY.  It is an investment by the teams to come out and spend their hard earned money, so being a sanctioned cookoff gives them that re-assurance.  As a promoter the SCA provides guide lines that make a cookoff run smooth.  The SCA helps promote the event, provides information on picking the best dates and advises the promoter along the way.  The winner of all sanctioned SCA events will receive an automatic  entry into the SCA US Championship, a true US Champion!

What does SCA Provide a Sanctioned Cookoff?

• Your event will be listed in the official newsletter of the SCA “The Rub”, on our website www.steakcookoffs.com, social media outlets and other online listings.
• An SCA Representative will be provided for the cookoff. 
• Computers and proprietary program for tallying scores will be provided
• Proprietary uniform rules for the competition

SCA Offers two types of sanctioned events:

1.  Sanctioned Friday night “Steak Jackpot” events

2.  Sanctioned Full Steak Cookoffs

Sanctioned Friday night “Steak Jackpot” event

For the organizer that wants a sanctioned Friday night steak component at their Cookoff, we offer the Friday night “Steak Jackpot” sanctioning level.  These events are held in conjunction with a BBQ cookoff.  We do not sanction the BBQ cookoff, just the “Jackpot Steak”, and steak score will not be part of BBQ events scoring.  % payouts are allowed for Friday Night Jackot events.  A minimum guaranteed pay out with incremental increases is suggested.   The SCA will perform the following for your event:

• Provide a SCA Sanctioned event
• Use of SCA logo on all promotional material
• Promotion of event
• Supervise and coordinate the numbering & dispensing of turn in boxes
• Conduct the Steak Cookers meeting
• SCA Head Representative will supervise the judging process to ensure rules & regulations are followed, tabulation of scores and ensure judging tent is run with INTEGRITY
• The SCA Representative will present results at awards upon request
• SCA results will posted after awards, allowing each team to know how they finished in the cookoff for both appetizers and Steaks.
• SCA Judging sheets can be emailed to teams upon request
• Winner of event automatically qualifies for the SCA  World Championship!

Full Steak Cookoff Event

For the organizer that wants to sanction their Full Steak Cookoff, we offer the Full Steak Cookoff sanctioning level.  These events are a full steak cookoff and include an appetizer contest also.  These events are generally all day events and are most times in conjunction with a festival or fundraiser.  The SCA will perform the following for your event:

• Provide a SCA Sanctioned event
• Use of SCA logo on all promotional material
• Promote the event
• Conduct the Steak Cookers meeting
• Supervise and coordinate the numbering & dispensing of turn in boxes
• Supervise steak selection
• Supervise the judging process to ensure rules & regulations are followed
• Tabulation of scores and ensure judging tent is run with INTEGRITY
• Head judge will present results at awards if requested
• SCA results will posted after awards, allowing each team to know how they finished in the cookoff for both appetizers and Steaks.
• SCA Judging sheets can be emailed to teams upon request
• Winner of event automatically qualifies for the SCA World Championship!

SCA Sanctioning Fees:

The base fee is:

• Friday night “Steak Jackpot” Events = $300 + SCA Representative Fee and Expenses + team fee ($5 per team)
• Full Steak Cookoff Events = $300 + SCA Representative Fee and Expenses + team fee ($5 per team)

Extra Ancillary Options:

• Extra categories in addition to the SCA basic categories are $25 per category
• Examples of extra categories are Desserts, Margaritas, Bloody Mary’s, Beans or a kids division

The SCA Representatives Expenses:

• Personal auto mileage at the IRS standard mileage rate or for out of state cookoffs airfare plus ground transportation.  We try to use Rep's that are as close to the cookoff as possible.
• Lodging if neccesary
• The SCA Rep receives a $200 judging fee for their time.

Balance of SCA fees and SCA Representative reimbursements are due at the end of the contest day.  Any reimbursements due to the SCA Representative should be paid directly to them. 

*In the event of cancellation either by the contest organizer, all previously paid expenses shall be non-refundable.  The contest organizer will also reimburse the SCA Representative(s) any prepaid expenses incurred by them which cannot be recouped.

SCA right to merchandise and promote sponsors:

SCA reserves the right to display, promote and sell, SCA products and services and that of its national sponsors at SCA sanctioned contests.  Organizer agrees to provide a space in a highly accessible area, either in the cook area or near the judging area, where SCA may place its official merchandising tent and promote, display and sell SCA products and that of its national sponsor.  The Organizer agrees to provide free of charge a space up to 20x20 for this purpose.