Naming & Brand Usage Standards

National High School BBQ Association® (NHSBBQA®)

Purpose

The National High School BBQ Association® (“NHSBBQA®”) serves as the national governing body for high school and middle school barbecue education, competition, and program standards in the United States.

To promote transparency, protect students and schools, and prevent public confusion, NHSBBQA® publishes the following Naming & Brand Usage Standards.

These standards help clearly identify officially sanctioned organizations, events, and programs operating within the NHSBBQA® ecosystem.

Why Naming Standards Matter

Clear and consistent naming ensures the public understands:

• Which organizations are officially sanctioned

• Which events are state or national championships

• Which programs are formally affiliated

• Which credentials and charters are recognized

• Who holds governing authority

These standards protect schools, families, sponsors, and partners by distinguishing official NHSBBQA® programs from unaffiliated or descriptive uses.

Reserved Organizational Terms

The following names, terms, and organizational designations are reserved for use only by the National High School BBQ Association® or its officially licensed State Associations:

• National High School BBQ Association®

• NHSBBQA®

• State High School BBQ Association

• [State Name] High School BBQ Association

• [State Name] HSBBQ Association - Example (TXHSBBQ)

• High School BBQ League

• HSBBQ League

• High School BBQ National Championship

• State HSBBQ Championship

• “Official” or “Sanctioned” when used to imply governance, authorization, or control

Use of these terms indicates formal affiliation, licensing, or governance by NHSBBQA®.

Descriptive Use vs. Affiliated Use

NHSBBQA® recognizes that the words “high school” and “barbecue” are commonly used in ordinary language.

✅ Descriptive Use

Descriptive use refers to general, non-branding language, such as:

• “High school students cooked barbecue at a local event.”

• “A school hosted a barbecue fundraiser.”

Descriptive use does not imply affiliation and does not require permission.

❌ Affiliated or Branded Use

Affiliated use includes:

• Organizational names

• Logos or branding

• Acronyms

• Event titles

• Marketing materials

• Website or social media identities

that suggest official status, governance authority, sanctioning, or national or state-level leadership.

Affiliated use requires express written authorization from NHSBBQA®.

Acronyms & Naming Structure

To prevent confusion, NHSBBQA® maintains defined naming and acronym structures for its official organizations and programs.

Names or acronyms that mirror or stack official governance patterns — including combinations of “HSBBQ,” state identifiers with “HSBBQ,” or similar constructions — may reasonably be interpreted as implying affiliation or authorization.

Organizations that are not licensed by NHSBBQA® are encouraged to adopt clearly distinguishable names that do not suggest national or state governing authority.

These standards exist to promote clarity, not to restrict lawful speech.

Governance & Organizational Structure

The official NHSBBQA® structure is:

National High School BBQ Association®
→ Licensed State High School BBQ Associations
→ Chartered Schools
→ Registered Teams & Students

Only organizations operating under this structure are recognized as officially sanctioned.

Authorization & Licensing

Schools, nonprofits, and state organizations seeking to operate under the NHSBBQA® naming system may apply for:

• School Charter Membership

• State Association Licensing

• Event Sanctioning Agreements

Authorization is granted through written agreements to ensure program quality, educational alignment, student safety, and brand clarity.

Application information is available upon request.

Disclaimer

These standards are published to promote clarity and transparency.
NHSBBQA® does not claim ownership of generic or descriptive words when used in ordinary language, nor does it restrict lawful descriptive speech.

These standards apply solely to organizational branding, affiliation representations, governance claims, and sanctioned program identification.

Questions or Clarification

Organizations with questions about naming, affiliation, or permitted use are encouraged to contact NHSBBQA® directly for guidance.

Principal@HSBBQ.org

Proactive communication helps prevent confusion and protects all participants involved in high school barbecue education.

© National High School BBQ Association® (NHSBBQA®)

All rights reserved.