Every year, a new pageant seems to emerge and there is a worrying trend that the world of pageantry is getting over-saturated. We’ve seen new ones with catchy names or even ridiculous titles. Some even have out-of-this-world Herculean advocacies. Many are then wondering if the concept of Big4 can be sustained in the long run with the endless onslaught of the newcomers.
The Big4 concept revolves around the idea that there are only 4 major pageants in the world – Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss International and Miss Earth. It was solidified in 2010 when Stephen Diaz, one of the editors of Missosology, came up with the Big4 Ranking which is currently the only ranking in the world that is highly regarded as an accurate representation of how countries stack up in the world of pageantry.
By the time that the Big4 concept was officially put in place, the youngest among the pageants listed was already 9 years old. Age is crucial as it determines the pageant’s overall sustainability. Consider how Miss Tourism Queen International would skip several years putting into questions its future. Miss Supranational is a seriously solid pageant but it hit a major setback when some quarters who helped build the pageant decided to create its own under the very same name. All of these incidents show that when considering a pageant whether it is a major one or not takes a lot of time.
As of now, only Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss Earth and Miss International stood the test of time. It will take another 5 years in minimum to review if any of the other major pageants can be considered as part of the elite circle with Miss Grand International and Miss Supranational taking the top spot on the list. Patience is virtue. Shaking up the Big4 concept requires thoughtful consideration lest we risk of committing mistakes like haphazardly dismissing a pageant or recklessly welcoming a new one.
