MABA will recognize Backyard Team of the Year (TOY) eligibility for overall and 2 categories (chicken and ribs) throughout the competition season. The competition season is defined as a calendar year from January 1st through December 31st. Backyard teams must meet the definition of a MABA Backyard Team:
A current MABA member in good standing
Meets the definition of a Backyard Team as defined by the latest KCBS rules
Approved body/contest information
Sanctioning bodies approved for MABA Backyard TOY points accumulation:
KCBS
MABA Approved Backyard TOY Contest: (for a contest to be awarded MABA Backyard TOY points, the contest must meet all of the following criteria)
Must be a contest in the approved sanctioning bodies
Must be a 2 meat minimum (chicken and ribs) contest with an overall award (3 meat is also acceptable but will award points only for overall, chicken and ribs)
The contest must be conducted in one of the MABA region states: MD, DC, DE, VA, WV, PA, NY, NJ and NC
The contest must be an “Open” contest that allows all teams to join. Invitational or other contests that require a team to meet criteria outside of normal will not count.
Accumulating points for teams
Scores from the team’s top 5 or LESS best MABA backyard approved sanctioned competitions as defined above.
Only ONE backyard team per MABA Membership is eligible to accumulate Backyard Team of the Year points. That team MUST be designated BEFORE the beginning of the season. Points will not be scored or tracked for second, third or more teams on or with a membership of any type.
Points for Overall Event Rankings
1st place = 125 points
2nd place = 100 points
3rd place = 80 points
4th place = 70 points
5th place = 60 points
6th place = 50 points
7th place = 45 points
8th place = 40 points
9th place = 35 points
10th place = 30 points
11th place = 25 points
12th place = 20 points
13th place = 15 points
14th place = 10 points
15th place and below = 5 points
Points bonus multiplier
Take the total number of teams at the event, divide it by 2 then express it as a percentage + 1
i.e. a 50 team event; 50 / 2 = 25 / 100 = .25 + 1 = 1.25 or a 25% point bonus. Points will be carried out to 4 decimal places. (.0000)
MABA Backyard TOY points will be awarded in the following categories:
Backyard Overall Points Chase
Backyard Chicken Points Chase
Backyard Ribs Points Chase
Recognition of Backyard TOY standings will be by the BACKYARD TEAM NAME attached to a CHIEF/HEAD COOK and not by individual member’s names. MABA BACKYARD TEAM NAME must be affiliated with designated CHIEF/HEAD COOK in the current MABA membership database. The database is created from information listed on membership applications and/or annual renewals. The CHIEF/HEAD COOK DOES NOT have to be present at an event in order for their team to accrue Backyard TOY points.
Backyard TOY points will only be awarded to teams whose current CHIEF/HEAD COOK is a MABA member in good standing.
To accrue Backyard TOY points for an event, the CHIEF/HEAD COOK MUST have paid for membership by ‘9:00am’ of the day turn ins are judged.
Backyard teams cannot accrue points during any lapsed membership period.
Teams can start to accrue Backyard TOY points again upon renewal of membership status.
If one or more teammates are current MABA members but there is no team affiliation documented in the membership database, then their team cannot accrue points no matter how well they have competed.
Backyard TOY Tiebreakers – In the event of a tie, the following tie breaking procedure will be used:
1st Tiebreaker – The backyard team with the greater number of 1st place finishes in that category
2nd Tiebreaker – The backyard team with the greater number of 2nd place finishes in that category
3rd Tiebreaker – The backyard team with the greater number of 3rd place finishes in that category
If no resolution after the above tiebreaker a coin flip will determine the outcome
Backyard teams may not accrue Backyard TOY points for multiple events on the same contest date. A contest is determined by the first day that turn ins are judged.
If it is determined that a team has accrued points from multiple events on the same contest date, all points accrued on those dates shall be forfeit and a penalty of 50 (fifty) Backyard TOY points overall and across all categories or the team’s total points accrued (whichever is less) shall be assessed.
A second violation of this rule within the same contest year will result in a 2 year suspension of the team’s CHIEF/HEAD COOK form the MABA Backyard TOY points chase.
Only valid teams that have earned the top Backyard TOY standings will be officially recognized in writing by the MABA Board of Directors for representing MABA in any national events or promotions. Any recognition declared or made without the written consent of the MABA Board of Directors will result in that team’s name and any MABA member documented to be affiliated with that team being banned from any MABA Backyard TOY points chases for one year.
MABA Backyard members are encouraged to cook on their own team but may cook on more than one team throughout the course of a season. It is the responsibility of a noted team that places in Backyard TOY standings to determine their teammates when representing MABA in any national competition, demonstration or exposition.
The MABA Board of Directors reserves the rights to alter any points/eligibility if it determines that something is falling outside the spirit of the rules as intended. We expect and trust all members to compete in a good faith manor.
MABA Board of Directors will recognize top Backyard teams based on the number of teams participating in the Backyard TOY points chase and reserves the right at anytime to update the recognition structure. Teams will be recognized at minimum as follows:
<20 Participating Teams
Overall, Ribs & Chicken – 1st Place (Grand Champion)
Overall, Ribs & Chicken – 2nd Place (Reserve Grand Champion)
Overall, Ribs & Chicken – 3rd Place
20 or More Participating Teams
Overall, Ribs & Chicken – 1st Place (Grand Champion)
Overall, Ribs & Chicken – 2nd Place (Reserve Grand Champion)
