Competitive barbecue is getting a serious media-era upgrade. The BBQ World Cup & Expo has landed high-profile backing from Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions and Brent Montgomery’s Wheelhouse, signaling that the smoky, fiercely loyal world of pitmasters could be the next breakout sports-entertainment property.
The new investment positions the BBQ World Cup & Expo as more than a food event. It is being built as a global competition platform, a year-round digital destination, and a creator-driven content brand aimed at fans, sponsors, and streaming-era audiences who increasingly follow niche sports with passionate communities.
Why the BBQ World Cup & Expo Matters
The BBQ World Cup & Expo was founded earlier this year by CEO Scott Erdmann and President Shannon Pruitt. Their vision is ambitious: connect 51 established qualifying events across 13 countries into a unified championship season, culminating in a Las Vegas final from April 8 to 11, 2027.
At that final event, the top 100 pitmasters will compete for a $1 million prize, giving the BBQ World Cup & Expo the kind of high-stakes finish that sports fans and broadcasters love. That structure turns scattered contests into a coherent season-long narrative, something competitive barbecue has historically lacked at a global level.
A Championship Model Built for Modern Audiences
What makes this concept stand out is its blend of live competition and ongoing media strategy. Instead of treating barbecue as a one-off festival, the organizers are creating an ecosystem that can support:
- Season-long fan engagement
- Sponsor integration across multiple events
- Recurring digital content
- Creator-led storytelling
- International audience growth
That broader framework gives the BBQ World Cup & Expo a stronger commercial foundation than a standalone expo or tournament.
Why Peyton Manning and Wheelhouse Are Investing
Peyton Manning has steadily expanded his presence in entertainment through Omaha Productions, a company known for sports-adjacent storytelling and accessible, audience-friendly formats. Wheelhouse, led by media executive Brent Montgomery, brings deep experience in scaling unscripted brands, franchises, and personality-driven entertainment.
Their involvement suggests they see the BBQ World Cup & Expo as a scalable TV and video opportunity, not simply a culinary competition. Competitive barbecue already has the ingredients that producers look for:
- Built-in personalities and rivalries
- Visual action and craftsmanship
- Regional pride and fan loyalty
- Sponsorship appeal from food, beverage, grilling, and lifestyle brands
- A clear path to event-based programming
Manning has emphasized the unifying side of barbecue, while Montgomery has pointed to the importance of investing when a strong community is ready to become a larger media property. In practical terms, that means the backers are betting on barbecue’s transition from subculture to mainstream sports entertainment.
What the Investment Will Fund
The new capital will help build the inaugural BBQ World Cup & Expo while also expanding its year-round footprint. According to the announcement, the investment will support three key growth areas.
1. The Las Vegas Flagship Event
The championship event in Las Vegas is designed to be the centerpiece of the season. By bringing together elite pitmasters from dozens of qualifiers, the expo can deliver the drama, prestige, and finality that make championships compelling for viewers and sponsors alike.
2. BBQ United as a Digital Hub
The company also plans to grow BBQ United into a permanent online home for barbecue fans and competitors. This is critical for audience retention between live events. A digital hub can host rankings, highlights, interviews, recipes, behind-the-scenes features, and community discussion.
3. Smoke Ring Creator Network
Another notable initiative is Smoke Ring, a creator network that will bring leading barbecue creators together. In today’s TV and video landscape, creator ecosystems can fuel discovery, social reach, and sponsor value far beyond traditional broadcast windows. For a visually rich category like barbecue, short-form and long-form video content could be especially powerful.
New Partners Add Business Muscle
The BBQ World Cup & Expo is also adding operational and advisory firepower. David Swinghamer, founding CEO of Shake Shack, joins as co-founder and partner. That adds proven brand-building experience from the food and hospitality world.
Other advisors include Charlie Ebersol, Reed Bergman of RBB Ventures, Whiskey Bent BBQ founder Chad Ward, and Steve Ziff. Together, that mix of executives, investors, and barbecue insiders gives the venture credibility across media, consumer branding, and competition culture.
What This Means for TV & Video
For the Tv & Video category, this story is bigger than barbecue. The BBQ World Cup & Expo reflects a wider entertainment trend: investors and producers are hunting for passionate communities that can become premium content franchises.
We have seen similar playbooks work in sports documentaries, creator-led competitions, and eventized unscripted programming. Competitive barbecue checks several boxes for adaptation into television and streaming formats:
- Repeatable format: qualifiers, rankings, and finals naturally fit episodic storytelling.
- Strong visuals: fire, smoke, plating, and judging make for highly watchable footage.
- Human stories: pitmasters often bring multigenerational traditions and intense personal dedication.
- Brand synergy: food and grill sponsors can integrate organically.
- Global expansion: international qualifiers widen the audience base.
If executed well, the BBQ World Cup & Expo could evolve into a hybrid of live event, digital media brand, and televised competition franchise.
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Final Takeaway
The BBQ World Cup & Expo is shaping up as a bold attempt to turn competitive barbecue into a true global media property. With Peyton Manning, Wheelhouse, experienced food-business operators, and a creator strategy all in the mix, the venture now has the capital and industry backing to aim far beyond the grill circuit. If the team can translate barbecue’s deep-rooted community into compelling year-round video storytelling, the BBQ World Cup & Expo could become one of the most intriguing crossover franchises in sports and entertainment.
