Memphis In May no longer sanctioning events.

As of 2008, Memphis In May will no longer be sanctioning any events outside of the Memphis In May itself. There is a new sanctioning body called the Memphis BBQ Network that will be filling the void.

Here is a link to the Memphis BBQ Network's Yahoo Group

This letter went out to teams and to contests organizers.
It came from the Memphis in May offices about August 29th.
It explains MIM's official position of their decision
to discontinuing management of the MBA
(previously the Sanctioned Contest Network).
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Dear World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest Constituent;

Memphis in May constantly studies ideas and methods of growing each of the world class events we produce. From the internationally acclaimed Beale Street Music Festival to our International Education Program to Sunset Symphony and our salute to an honored country each year, the programs and events of Memphis in May are under continuous review by the Board of Directors and staff of Memphis in May. Our goal is to continue to refine the programs with an eye towards excellence at each level.

And so it is with the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, one of the premier events of Memphis in May International Festival. From its humble beginnings in 1978, to its current world renowned status, the World Championship continues to be one of the most important brands of Memphis in May. The "international" portion of the Memphis in May brand is a targeted focus of our Board of Directors and one that the staff of Memphis in May has been
challenged to grow. While the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest has drawn teams from around the globe before, we have not made it a priority in planning the event.

Beginning with the 2008 Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, we are going to expand the scope of the event due to the ever-increasing interest in barbecue. We will be inviting teams from all regions of the country and those that are beginning to emerge around the world, challenging champions who may not have competed in Memphis in May to try their hand at the most competitive cook-off in the World.

As we focus our resources into recruiting championship teams, we will no longer be sanctioning contests through our Memphis Barbecue Association. Meanwhile, the contests that have been sanctioned for 2007 will continue to receive the service of Memphis in May, and long term contests that wish to be Memphis in May-style contests in the future will receive the information and materials to ease the transition.

We are excited about this plan and look forward to implementing it and growing it. Memphis in May is where the champions and pros compete and this plan helps us take that to the next level – a World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest that is not only the largest pork barbecue contest on the planet, but also the one that crowns the planet's best pork barbecue chef.