KCBS Board Statement: Team of the Year Calendar Adjustments

To our valued KCBS members,

We're pleased to share an update on the Team of the Year (TOY) calendar—one shaped by your input and built for long-term stability. After careful consideration, we've revised our recent decision and established a clear path forward. For 2025, the TOY season will run from November 4, 2024, to November 9, 2025. This maintains the timeline teams have been competing under, with an extension to include the American Royal. The 2026 season will transition to a calendar year, running November 10, 2025, to December 31, 2026. From 2027 onward, the TOY season will align with the calendar year—January 1 to December 31—ensuring consistency through 2031. 

This shift returns us to our historical roots. While we previously moved to an October cutoff to accommodate the KCBS Banquet and Invitational, those events have since changed. With the Invitational now in May and the Banquet now in Q1, a calendar-year end makes sense.

We acknowledge our error in announcing a December 31, 2025, end date mid-season. The TOY race matters deeply to many of our 16,000 members, and that change disrupted plans without clear benefits. You spoke up, and we listened. This revision isn't just about dates—it's about trust. The 2025 adjustment includes the American Royal, 2026 enables transition, and the calendar-year structure provides stability going forward.

Thank you for your trust and continued passion for barbecue.

Sincerely,

KCBS Board of Directors